The E-Zine is IHDP's quarterly e-mail newsletter including the most updated news, events, calls and vacancies from IHDP and the IHDP network. To get the E-Zine delivered directly to your inbox please subscribe

Dear Readers,
2009 has been a year full of both opportunities and achievements for IHDP. Since the successful organisation of the 7th Open Meeting, “Social Challenges of Global Change”, which brought around 1000 delegates from all over the world to Bonn in April, our community has kept a dynamic and productive pace.

IHDP is now preparing for its participation in the 2009 Amsterdam Conference on the Human Dimensions of Global Change. The Amsterdam conference will be the global launch event of the Earth System Governance Project (ESG), a new ten-year research programme under the auspices of the IHDP. A special issue of our UPDATE magazine on Governance as a Cross-Cutting Theme in the Human Dimensions Science will be distributed during the event. And speaking about governance, it is with great pride that we congratulate our former Scientific Committee member, Professor Elinor Ostrom, co-winner, with Oliver Williamson, of the 2009 Nobel Prize in Economics. Ostrom was awarded the Nobel Prize in recognition of her superlative contribution to the study of institutions, environmental governance and common property regime management.

In her long-term relationship with the IHDP, Ostrom has always contributed both her expertise and creativity to foster research on the social and economic impacts of global environmental change. In early 2005, at the initiative of Ostrom and the IHDP Scientific Committee, IHDP organised a meeting at Arizona State University on the theme "Vulnerability, Resilience and Adaptation". The papers presented there were published in a special issue of Global Environmental Change (Vol 16:3), edited by Ostrom and Marco Janssen. In the same year, Ostrom participated in the IHDP Open Meeting of the Human Dimensions of Global Environmental Change, "Global Environmental Change, Globalisation and International Security: New Challenges for the 21st Century". She further hosted, together with Emilio Moran, (LUCC SSC member and one of the founders of the Global Land Project [GLP]) the Focus 1 Offic e (Land-Use Dynamics) of the Land-Use and Land-Cover Change project - the GLP predecessor. In 2007, Ostrom contributed to a summer school in Central and Eastern Europe. The school was organised by the Themes project in cooperation with the former IHDP core project - Institutional Dimensions of Global Environmental Change (IDGEC). In October 2008, she gave a special lecture as a part of the celebrations for the Golden Jubilee of the Institute of Economic Growth in Delhi. The lecture, which took place back to back with the IHDP’s training workshops on the human dimensions of global change (IHDW), analysed the evolution of institutions for collective action. A worldwide audience of 70 early and mid-career scholars listened to Ostrom: having the chance to talk to her in person during the IHDW was “a unique learning opportunity and a once in a lifetime experience”, according to one participant from Africa. Ostrom is a regular contributor of our UPDATE magazine. Some of her articles for IHDP can be found here.

Finally, we would like to take this opportunity to wish a warm welcome to our new Executive Director, Dr Anantha Duraiappah. Dr Duraiappah, an environmental-development economist with more than two decades of experience at the international level, will assume his new position in January 2010. Until his appointment with IHDP, Dr Duraiappah served as the Chief of the Ecosystem Services and Economics Unit with the United Nations Environment Pro­gramme (UNEP) in Nairobi, Kenya. Within UNEP, Dr Duraiappah was responsible for both the Millennium Eco­system Assessment follow up activities and for developing the field of the economics of ecosystem services. He was also the team leader for the establishment of the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform for Biodi­versity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES). Dr Duraiappah has held senior positions in multi­ple development and academic organisatio ns, such as the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) in Winnipeg, Canada, and the Institute for Environmental Studies at Vrije University in Amsterdam, The Netherlands. He replaces Dr Andreas Rechkemmer, who served as IHDP’s Executive Director from 2005 to 2009. To find out more about Dr Duraiappah’s appointment and profile, you can visit our website or download the press release.

We are pleased to present IHDP's fourth E-Zine of 2009.

Gabriela Litre – Academic Officer & Communications Manager

NEWS

IHDP Appoints Dr Anantha Duraiappah as its New Executive Director IHDP is pleased to announce the appointment of Dr Anantha Kumar Duraiappah as its new Executive Director. Dr Duraiappah, an environmental-development economist with more than two decades of experience at the international level, will assume his new position in January 2010. Until his appointment with IHDP, Dr Duraiappah served as the Chief of the Ecosystem Services and Economics Unit at the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) in Nairobi, Kenya. Within UNEP, Dr Duraiappah was responsible for the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment follow up activities, and for developing the field of the economics of ecosystem services. He has also been the UNEP focal point for the establishment of the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES).

Dr Duraiappah has held senior positions in multiple development and academic organisations, such as the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) in Winnipeg, Canada, and the Institute for Environmental Studies, Vrije University in Amsterdam, The Netherlands. During his time as the Economic Policy Director of IISD, Dr Duraiappah’s work focused on the analysis of the Human Well-being Ecosystem Services Nexus. He extended Amartya Sen’s Capability-Freedom framework to include the role of institutions in the provisioning of instrumental freedoms for the sustainable use of ecosystem services. He is also a Scientific Committee Member of DIVERSITAS, an international programme of biodiversity science which, along with IHDP, is one of the four Earth System Science Partnership (ESSP) partners. He replaces Dr Andreas Rechkemmer, who served as IHDP’s Executive Director from 2005 to 2009. More information

Former IHDP Scientific Committee Member Elinor Ostrom Wins Nobel Economics Prize Americans Elinor Ostrom and Oliver Williamson won the Nobel economics prize for their analyses of economic governance. Ostrom, a former Scientific Committee member of IHDP from 2000 to 2005, is the first woman to win the prize since it was founded in 1968, and the fifth woman to win a Nobel award this year – a Nobel record. The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences cited Ostrom "for her analysis of economic governance," saying her work had demonstrated how common property can be successfully managed by groups using it. Ostrom is a professor at Indiana and Arizona State Universities. For more information about Ostrom’s involvement in IHDP’s activities, including articles, click here.

New UPDATE Magazine Will Explore Governance as a Cross-Cutting Theme in IHDP’s Science Co-edited by our Scientific Committee member, Kate Brown, the Earth System Governance Project (ESG), and the Secretariat, the upcoming issue of the IHDP UPDATE magazine will focus on governance as a cross-cutting theme in the human dimensions science. Top researchers from our core and joint projects have agreed to write papers about how they understand governance and the role this concept plays in their research. The magazine will be available on our IHDP website by the end of November 2009 and will be distributed during the ESG events at the Amsterdam Conference on the Human Dimensions of Global Change in December 2009.

DIVERSITAS 2nd Open Science Conference in Cape Town The DIVERSITAS 2nd Open Science Conference: “Understanding connections, adapting to change”
took place at the Cape Town International Convention Centre, South Africa, from 13-16 October, 2009. The conference succeeded in its aim to assemble around 600 key members of the global scientific and policy community working on biodiversity science. As we approach the 2010 Year of Biodiversity, the DIVERSITAS Open Science Conference also confirmed that the fabric out of which the Earth system is woven is unravelling at an accelerating rate. In the Conference Statement, it was made clear that biodiversity loss erodes the integrity of ecosystems and their capacity to adapt in a changing world and represents a serious risk to human wellbeing and a squandering of current assets and future opportunities. The biodiversity scientists gathered in Cape Town committed themselves to finding practical solutions to this problem. They will do so by: increasing shared knowledge of biodiversity and its functions; helping to develop systems for monitoring the biodiversity of the planet; and being responsive to the knowledge needs of society with clear communication of findings. Full conference details are online at http://www.diversitas-osc.org and http://diversitasconference.wordpress.com/

Earth System Governance Roundtable The European Commission Delegation to China and the Earth System Governance Project held a successful and inspiring Roundtable on “The Future of Environmental Governance in China: New actors, new mechanisms and global dimensions”, 22 October 2009, Beijing, China. Objectives of the roundtable that brought together about 40 leading Chinese governance researchers and representatives of the EU and UNDP, were to explore future collaboration in the field of research, encourage dialogue and cooperation between all stakeholders, and envisage future pathways for China’s role in global environmental governance. A detailed report will be soon available at http://www.earthsystemgovernance.org

China National Committee for IHDP workshop On 21 October 2009, the China National Committee on IHDP (CNC-IHDP) held a workshop at the Institute of Geographical Sciences and Natural Resources Research, ChineseAcademy of Sciences (CAS). This workshop was chaired by Prof. Ge Quansheng, the Secretary General of CNC-IHDP and included presentations on developments within IHDP by Ruben Zondervan (executive officer, Earth System Governance Project, and programme officer UNU-IHDP), on Earth System Governance by Prof. Frank Biermann (chair, Earth System Governance Project), on the Integrated Risk Governance pilot science project by Dr. Wang Ming, and on Global Environmental Changes and Health by Prof. Wang Wuyi as well as on CODATA in China by Prof. Liu Chuang. A lively and fruitful discussion on potential collaborations between the projects and between projects and CNC-IHDP concluded the workshop. More information on CNC-IHDP

"Policy Discourse on Beyond Copenhagen: Climate, Ecosystem Services and Human Well-being" On October 21st (2009), the United Nations University and GLP Sapporo Nodal Office hosted an event on “Beyond Copenhagen: Climate, Ecosystem Services and Human Well-being” at Hokkaido University. The policy discourse covered the gamut of drivers of climate change, the trend in these drivers, how climate change will affect ecosystem services, and the implications for human well-being. It also explored research architecture in a time bound manner that utilises the capacities of different leading global change research organisations on this topic. Speakers were drawn from the United Nations Environment Programme; United Nations University; Ministry of Environment (Japan); Hokkaido University, and the Research Institute for Humanity and Nature (Japan). More information

Bonn Sustainability Portal Launched A multitude of organisations in Bonn including the IHDP, are working on the subject of sustainable development for our planet. Nine of these institutions, specialised in the fields of development cooperation; training, research and teaching; conference organisation, and logistics, have launched the Bonn Sustainability Portal – an online thematic portal. The editing of the portals contents will be overseen by the European Association of Development Research and Training Institutes (EADI), one of the partners of the IHDP Open Meeting 2009, assisted by a team of four editors. The initiative is open to other potential partners. More information

New National Committee Bulletin The IHDP Secretariat has recently re-launched the National Committee Bulletin that includes news and announcements, tailor-cut for IHDP National Committees and Contact Points. The bulletin, circulated via e-mail three times a year, serves as an exchange platform for the Committees. It contains information about current national research initiatives; workshop announcements; other capacity building activities; and lists of recent publications. Additionally, announcements from IHDP’s Projects and Secretariat complete the IHDP National Committee Bulletin. Issue 1/2009 may be downloaded here.

PEOPLE

Professor Yukio Himiyama is the New Chair of IHDP’s National Committee of Japan IHDP’s National Committee of Japan has been reformed with Prof. Yukio Himiyama as the new chair; it is in the process of strengthening ties with the IGBP/WCRP, Geoscience, and Environmental Science Committees. New international research initiatives may emerge from their dialogue. More information

New Executive Officer for the GLP Aberdeen Nodal Office on Integration and Modelling Dr. Carol Ann Stannard was appointed as the new Executive Officer in Aberdeen. Carol is an Experimental Petrologist by training and holds degrees from the University of East Anglia (UK). Her contact details are: Carol Ann Stannard, Executive Officer for Global Land Project; Nodal Office for Integration & Modelling; The Macaulay Institute; Craigiebuckler; Aberdeen AB15 8QH; Scotland, UK. Email: . More information

Professor Bruce Campbell Appointed as the Director of CCAFS Professor Bruce Campbell has been appointed as the Director of the 10-year research Challenge Program on Climate Change, Agriculture and Food Security (CCAFS). Campbell has been championing inter-disciplinary approaches to natural resource management for more than a decade. His research focus has been on the synergies and trade-offs between environmental management and human well-being; so he is well-placed to contribute to this topic in relation to small-holder agriculture and climate change. He has worked in Africa, Asia, Latin America and Australia. He comes to CCAFS from the Centre for International Forestry Research (CIFOR) in Indonesia, where he was the Director of the Forests and Livelihoods Programme. More information

IHDP EVENTS

Global Launch of the IHDP Earth System Governance Project (ESG) at the Amsterdam Conference 2-4 December (2009), Amsterdam, the Netherlands The Amsterdam conference will be the ninth event in the series of annual European Conferences on the Human Dimensions of Global Environmental Change, begun in Berlin in 2001. It will also be the global launch event of the Earth System Governance Project, a new ten-year research programme under the auspices of the IHDP. More information

11th Biennial Conference of the International Society for Ecological Economics: ISEE 2010: “Advancing Sustainability in a Time of Crisis” 22 - 25 August 2010, Oldenburg and Bremen, Germany Abstracts of max. 400 words should be submitted online via the conference website at: http://www.isee2010.org. Online submission closes on 31 October 2009.

International Symposium on Cities and Carbon Management: towards enhancing science-policy linkages. 16th November 2009, Tokyo, Japan The Global Carbon Project (GCP) at the National Institute for Environmental Studies (NIES) Japan and the Integrated Research System for Sustainability Science(IR3S) of The University of Tokyo cordially invite you to a joint event aimed at bridging science and policies to facilitate and support for the Low Carbon City development. The event is essentially a tripartite dialogue between researchers, practitioners at city governments and broader facilitators. The international symposium will start at 9:30 am and end at 5:30 pm. Venue: Tokyo International Forum, Hall D7. Prior registration for participation is required. For further details of the program and prior registration please click here.

Congress on "Risk and Management of Current and Future Storm Surges" 13-17 September (2010), Hamburg, Germany The congress on “Risk and Management of Current and Future Storm Surges” at the University of Hamburg, will be organised by GKSS and LOICZ, together with a growing list of national and international supporting partners and sponsors, including IHDP projects and scholars other than LOICZ. More information

3rd EARSeL Workshop on Remote Sensing of Land Use and Land Cover 25-27 November (2009), Bonn, Germany Presentations may cover the following remote sensing topics in relation to the workshop focus: Land use and land cover (LULC) mapping; Land use cover change (LUCC); Land degradation & desertification; Ecological aspects of LULC; Integration of LULC products into modelling; New methods and algorithms; Applications with new sensor systems; Multi-sensor approaches; Accuracy, quality and scale aspects; Pre-processing requirements & standards; INSPIRE compliance. More information

GLP Open Science Conference 2010 17-19 October (2010), Arizona, United States GLP and UGEC are currently organising an Open Science Conference, back-to-back to be held in October 2010 at Arizona State University (Phoenix, Arizona). More information, first announcement, website and call for papers will be communicated in the next weeks.

OTHER EVENTS

2010 International Climate Change Adaptation Conference 29 June - 1 July (2010), Gold Coast, Australia More information

WCC-3 proposes the creation of a Global Framework for Climate Services The World Climate Conference 3 (WCC-3), which took place in Geneva on 31 August – 4 September, 2009, proposed to create a Global Framework for Climate Services. The framework would allow developers and providers to access climate information, predictions and services. It would also allow the climate-sensitive sectors around the world to work together to help the global community better adapt to the challenges of climate variability and change. The conference statement is available here

International Congress on Environmental Modelling and Software 5-8 July (2010), Ontario, Canada More information

Conference on "European Countryside under Globalisation" 30 August - 2 September (2010), Brno, Czech Republic More information

9th International NCCR Climate Summer School - "Adaptation and Mitigation: Responses to Climate Change" 29 August - 3 September (2010), Grindelwald, Switzerland More information

Glacier Hazards, Permafrost Hazards and Glacial Lake Outburst Floods (GLOFs) in Mountain Areas: Processes, Assessment, Prevention, Mitigation 10-13 November (2009), Vienna, Austria More information

Water & Health - Workshop 8-9 December (2009), Koblenz, Germany The workshop focuses on key topics of the current phase (VII) of UNESCO’s International Hydrological Programme (IHP), Water and Life Support Systems, and the work under the UNECE/WHO–Europe Protocol on Water and Health. For more information and registration please contact Mr. Ulrich Schröder at

24th International Congress for Conservation – Conservation for a Changing Planet 3-7 July (2010), Edmonton, Canada More information

Second African Water Week in South Africa 9-13 November (2009), Johannesburg, South Africa More information

Analysis Integration and Modelling of the Earth System (AIMES) Open Science Conference 10-13 May (2010), Edinburgh, Scotland AIMES is the Earth System synthesis and integration project of the International Geosphere-Biosphere Programme (IGBP). AIMES will hold its first Open Science Conference: "Earth System Science: Climate, Global Change and People", at the Edinburgh International Conference Centre, UK. More information

PUBLICATIONS

New UPDATE Magazine Will Explore Governance as a Cross-Cutting Theme in IHDP’s Science Co-edited by our Scientific Committee member, Kate Brown, the Earth System Governance Project (ESG), and the Secretariat, the upcoming issue of the IHDP UPDATE magazine will focus on governance as a cross-cutting theme in the human dimensions science. Top researchers from our core and joint projects have agreed to write papers about how they understand governance and the role this concept plays in their research. The magazine will be available on our IHDP website by the end of November 2009 and will be distributed during the ESG events at the Amsterdam Conference on the Human Dimensions of Global Change in December 2009.

Environmental policy integration and the architecture of global environmental governance. International Environmental Agreements: Politics, Law and Economics, 9: 351–369. Biermann, Frank, Olwen Davies, Nicolien van der Grijp. 2009.

Exploring earth system governance: A case study of floodplain management along the Tisza river in Hungary, Global Environmental Change, 19 (4): 503-511. Werners, Saskia E., Zsuzsanna Flachner, Piotr Matczak, Maria Falaleeva, and Rik Leemans. 2009. This paper discusses a recently proposed conceptualisation of ‘earth system governance’ by applying it to floodplain management in the Hungarian Tisza river basin. By doing so it aims to improve our understanding of governance systems facilitating adaptation to a changing world. The conceptualisation of earth system governance consists of three elements: problem structure, principles and research challenges. These three elements are assessed using results from actor interviews and policy review. A regional example of natural resources management is found to be a valid case for earth system governance research. The proposed conceptualisation of earth system governance explains well the main problems, barriers and opportunities for adapting floodplain management to climate change in the Tisza region. More information

Managers of Global Change. The Influence of International Environmental Bureucracies Biermann, Frank, and Bernd Siebenhüner (editorts). 2009. Cambridge, MA: MIT Press. International bureaucracies - highly visible, far-reaching actors of global governance in areas that range from finance to the environment - are often derided as ineffective, inefficient, and unresponsive. Yet despite their prominence in many debates on world politics, little scholarly attention has been given to their actual influence in recent years. Managers of Global Change fills this gap, offering conceptual analysis and case studies of the role and relevance of international bureaucracies in the area of environmental governance - one of the most institutionally dynamic areas of world politics. Managers of Global Change points the way to a better understanding of the role of international bureaucracies, which could improve the legitimacy of global decision making and resolve policy debates about the reform of the United Nations and other bodies. More information

Partnerships for Sustainable Development in China: Adaptation of a Global Governance Instrument, European Journal of East Asian Studies, 8 (1): 121-134. Chan, Sander. 2009. This paper focuses on partnerships in China's sustainable development. China has witnessed rapid economic transition from a plan economy to a market economy. In the course of these developments, China faces increasing ecological stress and social inequity. Reform and intensification of China's sustainable development governance seems necessary. Are partnerships the road to go? Does China successfully appropriate the partnership model and integrate it into its domestic governance? This paper discusses how Partnerships for Sustainable Development were brokered at the 2002 Worlds Summit for Sustainable Development, in spite of initial resistance by developing countries; and whether a prevalent partnership model is emerging in China. More information

Adaptive water governance: assessing the institutional prescriptions of adaptive (co-)management from a governance perspective and defining a research agenda. Ecology and Society 14 (1): 26. Huitema, D., E. Mostert, W. Egas, S. Moellenkamp, C. Pahl-Wostl, and R. Yalcin. 2009. This article assesses the institutional prescriptions of adaptive (co-)management based on a literature review of the (water) governance literature. The adaptive (co-)management literature contains four institutional prescriptions: collaboration in a polycentric governance system, public participation, an experimental approach to resource management, and management at the bioregional scale. These prescriptions largely resonate with the theoretical and empirical insights embedded in the (water) governance literature. However, this literature also predicts various problems. In particular, attention is called to the complexities associated with participation and collaboration, the difficulty of experimenting in a real-world setting, and the politicized nature of discussion on governance at the bioregional scale. We conclude this article by outlining a common research agenda that invites the collaborative efforts of adapti ve (co-)management and governance scholars. More information

UGEC Viewpoints: Urbanisation – A Critical Human Dimension of Global Environmental Change The current issue of the UGEC Viewpoints was conceptualised at the end of the 7th Open Meeting of the IHDP, which was held in Bonn, Germany between April 26-30. For this issue of UGEC Viewpoints, case-studies presented at the Open Meeting (spanning regions and themes) were collected from Australia and the United States, as well as fr om less developed nations in Africa; megacities of Asia such as Dhaka, Bangladesh and Delhi, India, vulnerable coastal areas of the Yucatan Peninsula, and the largest rainforest in the world, the Brazilian Amazon. More information

New LOICZ R & S Reports Available The new LOICZ R & S Reports No. 34 "The Analysis of Governance Responses to Ecosystem Change" and No. 35 "Dynamics and Vulnerability of Delta Systems" can both be downloaded. More information

Paper on "Planetary Boundaries" in Nature An international group of scientists has identified nine planetary boundaries. The researchers, led by the Stockholm Resilience Centre with close involvement from the IGBP community, say crossing these boundaries could cause the planet to slide out of the relative stability of the Holocene era. The paper was published in Nature, 24 September. More information

New START Website START has launched a redesigned website, with updated information on its organisation and programmes, a rejuvenated look and layout, and several new features to enable readers to better interact with the site. More information

SEI Report on Adaptation Finance under a Copenhagen Agreed Outcome The Stockholm Environment Institute has just published the report "Adaptation Finance under a Copenhagen Agreed Outcome". The 200-page report offers a comprehensive analysis of the critical issues concerning the delivery, governance and generation of adaptation finance. It also addresses the potential role of the private sector, and discusses equity and trust issues as they affect adaptation finance. The report is aimed at supporting delegations in their negotiations on adaptation finance under the UNFCCC. Copies of the report will be distributed to all delegations gathering in Barcelona next week. The PDF version can already be downloaded here. The report has been prepared with support from the Swedish Foundation for Strategic Environmental Research, Mistra.

Report: Global Impact and Vulnerability Alert System (GIVAS) The Global Impact and Vulnerability Alert System (GIVAS), a data initiative, summarizes analysis and information that the United Nations family and its partners have produced over the past year regarding the socio-economic impacts of the crisis on poor and vulnerable individuals. The GIVAS is being designed to fill these information gaps. This initiative will link together existing databases and early warning systems. Using new technologies, novel approaches to monitoring and innovations in rapid data collection and aggregation, the GIVAS will seek to create a connective tissue between the various data systems of the United Nations family and its partners. It will make information available in real-time that policy makers and development practitioners can use to design and take appropriate actions. More information

UNEP Climate Change Science Compendium 2009 This is a review of 400 major scientific contributions to our understanding of Earth Systems and climate since the close of research for consideration by the IPCC AR4. It discusses findings from the International Polar Year and from new technologies that enhance our abilities to see the Earth's Systems in new ways. More information

New ELSEVIER Journal "Current Opinion in Environmental Sustainability" The new ELSEVIER journal Current Opinion in Environmental Sustainability (COSUST) aims to address all the economic, social, technological and institutional aspects related to the challenge of environmental sustainability by focusing on integration across academic disciplines and insights with implications for societal practices and processes. COSUST will serve as an invaluable source of information for researchers, lecturers, teachers, professionals, policy makers and students. The inaugural issue of the journal features the strategy paper on "Deve loping a common strategy for integrative global environmental change research and outreach: Earth System Science Partnership (ESSP)". The paper is a collective response to the recent review of ESSP.

2008 IGBP Annual Report Now Available The 2008 IGBP annual report is now available. The report highlights IGBP's role in supplying information to the United Nations, new emissions scenarios for the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, and the rate of retreat of South American glaciers. More information

Online Resources from Recent IGBP Symposium "Planet Under Pressure Global Changes, Regional Challenges" Presentations are available here

A Global Setting for European Environmental Monitoring — Measuring What We Must Manage. EEA International conference, 13-15 May 2009. Key conclusions The European Environment Agency held a two and a half day senior-level meeting in Copenhagen (13-15 May 2009) on 'A global setting for European environmental monitoring – measuring what we must manage'. The aim was to explore concrete ideas for building a sustainable and focused observing capacity that would best satisfy ongoing European needs, and provide inputs from Global Monitoring for Environment and Security (GMES), as well as other programmes to the Group on Earth Observations (GEO) and the Global Earth Observation System of Systems (GEOSS). GLP was represented by Richard Aspinall (with a presentation) and Tobias Langanke. More information

REDD+ Social & Environmental Standards This initiative is developing standards that can be used by governments, NGOs, financing agencies and other stakeholders, to design and implement REDD and other forest carbon programmes that respect the rights of Indigenous Peoples and local communities; further generating significant social and biodiversity co-benefits. They are being designed to work for the new global REDD+ regime, expected to emerge out of ongoing climate change negotiations, that is, for government-led programs implemented at national or state/provincial/regional level and for all forms of fund-based or market-based financing. A draft version of the REDD+ Social & Environmental Standards is available in English, Spanish and French and comments are invited until 30 November 2009, which is the end of the first 60-day public comment period. More information

Climate Sense The World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) and Tudor Rose collaborated to issue a publication about climate prediction and information for decision-making. “Climate Sense” is a fully illustrated, 288-page, case-bound book with over 100 authors including Prof. Dr. Andreas Rechkemmer, former IHDP Executive Director), relating their work in weather, climate and water services at international, regional, national and local levels. Their commentaries draw upon experiences around the world, reflecting how people are using climate information to improve their lives. Climate Sense reflects the progress and challenges in these fields, highlighting good practices in a wide variety of societies and disciplines. More information

New Synthesis Report on Forest Resilience, Biodiversity, and Climate Change The Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) has launched a synthesis report on the biodiversity/resilience/stability relationship in forest ecosystems. The report strongly supports the conclusion that the capacity of forests to resist change, or recover following disturbance, is dependent on biodiversity at multiple scales. The findings are relevant for the further implementation of the CBD programme of work on forest biodiversity, as well as for efforts to reduce emissions from deforestation and forest degradation (REDD), as the resilience and stability of forest ecosystems are linked to the permanence of carbon stocks. Download the publication. The publication was developed by request of the Conference of the Parties (COP) at their ninth meeting.

New Report on “Pledges and Actions - A Scenario Analysis of Mitigation Costs and Carbon Market Impacts for Developed and Developing Countries” The Netherlands Environmental Assessment Agency has released a new report “Pledges and Actions – A scenario analysis of mitigation costs and carbon market impacts for developed and developing countries”. The current proposals for Copenhagen by developed countries to reduce emissions (including the United States) do not yet suffice to limit global warming to a rise of 2˚C. Conclusions of ‘Pledges and Actions’ can be downloaded here.

UNU-IAS Launches Site on REDD and Indigenous Peoples The United Nations University Institute of Advanced Studies (UNU-IAS) Traditional Knowledge Initiative has recently re-launched the REDD Site, part of a pilot project on promoting the effective participation of Indigenous Peoples in processes for Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation (REDD). The REDD Site is an information bulletin and blog with a specific focus on the ongoing development of an international REDD mechanism and its implications for Indigenous Peoples. The initiative highlights REDD projects and resources relevant to Indigenous Peoples’ particular needs, and aims to inform discussions in the lead up to Copenhagen. The o verall aims of the project are to assist with current efforts to raise awareness about REDD issues amongst Indigenous Peoples, and to assist Indigenous Peoples to develop a long-term strategy to empower themselves in REDD activities. More information

New Release: Anthropogenic Biomes Website Anthropogenic biomes, also known as “anthromes” or "human biomes,” describe the terrestrial biosphere in its contemporary, human-altered form using global ecosystem units defined by patterns of sustained direct human interaction. In a paper presented in the journal, “Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment”, Ellis and Ramankutty (2008) delineate 21 anthropogenic biomes based on population density, land use, biota, climate, terrain and geology. The anthropogenic biomes are further grouped into six major categories: dense settlements, villages, croplands, rangeland, forested, and wildlands. The new website, “Anthropogenic Biome s (version one),” provides access to the spatial data sets described in the paper. Available in raster GeoTiff and GRID formats, the data may be downloaded as one global grid or a grid for each of the six populated continents. The methodology involves a multi-stage procedure where “anthropogenic” cells are first separated from “wild” cells based on presence of population, crops, or pastures. A detailed description of the methods utilized to produce the data, as well as research results, may be downloaded from the website.

IFPRI Publishes Report on Climate Change Impact on Agriculture and Costs of Adaptation The International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) has published a report that outlines the impacts and costs of climate change on agriculture, and offers local, national and international policy recommendations. The report highlights the overall negative effects of climate change on agriculture and particular vulnerabilities in developing countries. The analysis combines crop growth models under two climate scenarios. It highlights negative impacts in South Asia: lower worldwide calorie availability by 2050 in developing countries; price increases for grain, and an increase in malnutrition. The report recommends increased investment in agricultural productivity research; reinvigoration of national research and extension programmes; improved global data collection, analysis and dissemination; introduction of agricultural adaptation as a key agenda point at international negotiations; recognition of the link between food security and climat e change adaptation; increased support for community-based adaptation, and increased funding for adaptation programmes of at least US$7 billion annually. IFPRI is supported by the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR). More information

Education for Sustainable Development - Part 7 The October 2009 issue has been posted. This is Part 7 of the series on education for sustainable development. The outline: Education for Sustainable Development (ESD); Combined Analysis of ESD Surveys V0 to V1.7; Phases of Integral Human Development (IHD); The Nuptial-Family Context for IHD; The Socioeconomic Context for IHD; The Socioecological Context for IHD; The Sociopolitical Context for IHD; The Religious-Spiritual Context for IHD; Suggestions for Prayer, Study, and Action. More information

New National Committee Bulletin The IHDP Secretariat has recently re-launched the National Committee Bulletin that includes news and announcements, tailor-cut for IHDP National Committees and Contact Points. The bulletin, circulated via e-mail three times a year, serves as an exchange platform for the Committees. It contains information about current national research initiatives; workshop announcements; other capacity building activities; and lists of recent publications. Additionally, announcements from IHDP’s Projects and Secretariat complete the IHDP National Committee Bulletin. Issue 1/2009 may be downloaded here.

Ecology and Society Published Paper from APN Project APN 2002-18 Authored by Xu, J., Lebel., L, and Sturgeon., J. C., the paper entitled "Functional links between biodiversity, livelihoods and culture in a Hani swidden landscape in Southwest China" was recently published by Ecology and Society: A journal of Integrative Science for Resilience and Sustainability. The entire article is available for download.

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VACANCIES

Director, International CLIVAR Project Office The World Climate Research Programme (WCRP) and the UK’s National Oceanography Centre, Southampton (NOCS), invite applications for the position of Director of the International CLIVAR Project Office (ICPO), located at NOCS. NOCS is a collaborative centre between the Natural Environment Research Council and the University of Southampton. The successful applicant will provide science and administrative leadership of the ICPO and of the CLIVAR programme. A Ph.D or equivalent in a relevant field and considerable experience of working in climate-science is required. This post is for 3 years and the salary is in the range of £47,630 to £60,420 per annum. It is proposed that interviews will take place on 12 January 2010. The closing date for completed applications is 30 November 2009. Please quote reference number NOCS 102/09 on all correspondence. More information

Information and Communication/Head of the Information and Communication Unit (UNU-ViE) The United Nations University Vice Rectorate in Europe (UNU-ViE) is looking to fill the position of Information and Communication/Head of the Information and Communication Unit. The successful candidate will be based at UNU-ViE in Bonn on a full-time basis (40 hours), under the NO-A job level category, for an initial period of two years. Experiences in copy-editing, publishing; desktop editing; drafting press releases; web content management; preparing and giving presentations are necessary, and at least an MA/MSc degree in related academic areas such as journalism, media, public relations. Application deadline is 15 November 2009. More information

Chief Accountant at UNU-ViE The United Nations University Vice Rectorate in Europe (UNU-ViE) is looking to fill the position of Chief Accountant. Application deadline is 15 November 2009. The candidate should have an advanced university degree (Master’s degree or equivalent) in Business Administration/Public Administration, Finance, Accounting or related field. At least five years of progressively responsible professional experience as a chartered accountant/CPA or in financial management, preferably in an international environment experience with Big 4 audit/accounting firms or leading banking or higher education/research institutions being advantageous. The successful applicant will be based at UNU-ViE in Bonn on a full-time basis (40 hours), under the NO-A/B job level category, for an initial period of two years. More information

Vice-Rector in Europe/Director for UNU-EHS The United Nations University (UNU) is looking to fill the position of Vice-Rector in Europe/Director of the UNU Institute for Environment and Human Security (UNU-EHS). This is a fixed-term appointment. The period of initial contract would be for a four-year term with the possibility of renewal for a further four years on the basis of excellent performance. The candidate is responsible to assist the Rector in his role of chief academic and administrative officer of the UNU and will be a fully integrated member of the management team of the University. He/She will also work in close cooperation with the Rector and as assigned, will initiate, stimulate and coordinate new and existing activities of the UNU, including institutes, networks, associated institutions, programmes and projects. Application deadline is 15 November 2009. More information

UNV Project Manager: State if the World's Volunteerism Project Under the direct supervision of the Deputy Executive Coordinator, the Project Manager reviews the experiences, prepares a scoping paper, organizes a consultative workshop, prepares the full project document and manages the start-up and implementation of full project activities for the preparation of the State of the World’s Volunteerism Report. Deadline for applications: 23 November 2009. More information

Land Use Change Modeller A Land Use Change Modeller is required for an interdisciplinary team working in a new EU Framework 7 project aimed at evaluating bottom-up approaches to reduce net global greenhouse gas emissions through avoided deforestation in the tropics. The post will focus on evaluating mechanisms to ensure the effective, equitable and sustainable distribution of national-level benefits to stakeholders at a range of levels. The candidate must possess a PhD in a relevant subject, together with experience in modelling the social and economic processes of land use change and its impact on associated biophysical processes. Completed application forms must be returned by 5 November 2009. Further information and application forms can be obtained from: Human Resources, The Macaulay Institute or at: Land Use Change Modeller.

Research Economist in Integrated Assessment Modelling The successful candidate will be appointed as a Research Economist in Integrated Assessment Modelling. Dependant upon the successful candidate’s qualifications, this full-time position may transition immediately to the NCAR Scientist track. The candidate should have a Ph.D. in economics (including agricultural or applied economics), operations research (or closely related field), and advanced knowledge of CGE modelling, including data requirements/analysis and numerical approaches to model implementation. Initial consideration will be given to applications received before Tuesday, December 1, 2009. Thereafter, applications will be rev iewed on an as-needed basis. More information

Positions available for Research Fellows and Senior Research Fellows CEPT University, Ahmedabad in India has launched a major five-year action research project to develop and implement a performance assessment system (PAS) for urban water and sanitation. The PAS Project covers all the urban local governments in the states of Maharashtra and Gujarat. The aim of the research programme is to develop reliable performance measurements for water and sanitation, and set up appropriate monitoring systems at state and local levels. Fellows and senior fellows are expected to undertake and supervise various tasks related to carrying out background studies; documenting the existing process of information collection and analysis; capacity building programmes for urban local governments; preparing reports and papers based on analysis of qualitative and quantitative information and good practices, and dissemination of project findings. Salary/compensation will be commensurate with qualification/experience. Interested candidates should send their CV to and/or along with a statement of interest and the nature of position sought. More information

CALLS

Call for Articles in the New Issue of UGEC Viewpoints The second issue of IHDP's Urbanization and Global Environmental Change (UGEC) core project UGEC Viewpoints "Urbanization: A Critical Human Dimension of Global Environmental Change", has just recently been published. The articles showcase some of the urban-themed research presented at the 7th IHDP Open Meeting held April 2009 in Bonn, Germany. With this issue completed, UGEC is now ready to prepare the next publication and is asking those interested to send a 300 word summary/abstract of their envisioned contribution (no later than Friday November 06). Much like the last, the theme will be kept very open to showcase the research the contributor is currently undertaking. From those submitted, a selection of six or seven contributions will be made. Chosen ones will be asked to send an approximate 1800 word article for final publication in the newsletter. Final contributions should be sent by the beginning of December. Both abstracts and final texts should be written in English; editorial assistance will be provided for everyone. Contributions can be sent to

Grants for the "Environmental Crisis, Energy Issues and Global Regulation Policies" International Conference 11-16 June 2010, French Riviera, Island of Porquerolles In the framework of the "Global Change Research II: Environmental Crisis, Energy Issues and Global Regulation Policies" international conference, co-sponsored by the European Science Foundation, the Foundation Maison des Sciences de l'Homme and the University Paul Cézanne, GRANTS will be available for students and early stage researchers to cover conference fees and possibly part of the travel costs. Grants competition is now open on ESF website. Deadline for application is 19 March 2010.

Call for Papers – Integrating Development and Climate Change Ethics Conference 15-16 April (2010), Pennsylvania, United States The Rock Ethics Institute has issued a call for papers inviting those interested in presenting a paper at this conference to submit an abstract (max. 800 words) and a two page CV to by October 30, 2009. More information

Call for Papers - ISTF Yale Chapter 15th Annual Conference February 11-13 February (2010), New Haven United States The call for papers is open until 30 November 2009. The abstracts (max. 500 words) should be based on primary research, or personal or institutional experience. Selected participants will orally present full papers at the conference. More information

Call for Abstracts – 2010 International Climate Change Adaptation Conference 29 June - 1 July (2010), Gold Coast, Australia The call for abstracts for the 2010 International Climate Change Adaptation Conference has now opened. This conference is one of the first international forums to focus solely on climate impacts and adaptation. It will bring together scientists and decision makers from developed and developing countries to share research approaches, methods and results. The deadline for submitting abstracts is Monday January 18, 2010. More information

Extended Deadline for Call for Papers – 2010 International Conference on Integrative Landscape Modelling 3-5 February (2010), Montpellier, France The extended deadline for abstracts is now 31 October 2009. More information

Call for Nominations for the Annual Stein Rokkan Prize for Comparative Social Science Research The prize is open to all social science disciplines. It is awarded to a submission that is deemed by the Jury to be a very substantial and original contribution in comparative social science research. It can be an unpublished manuscript of book length; a printed book, or collected works published no more than two years before the award ceremony is to take place. The prize is €5000. The deadline for submission of nominations is Monday 1 February, 2010. More information

Call for Chapter Proposals: Green Finance and Sustainability – Environmentally-Aware Business Models and Technologies This book will aim to examine a range of major issues concerning Green finance and sustainability to provide perspectives on emerging environmentally aware business models and technology access infrastructures from leading international scholars and practitioners. Please submit your book chapter proposal (one or two pages in length) via electronic means, to the book editor Dr. Zongwei Luo (igi.lzw@gmail.com), and cc (zwluo@eti.hku.hk) until 14 November 2009. More information