Humans are only part of the equation. Comprehensive research on global environmental change must also include the natural, life and environmental sciences. As a founding partner of the Earth System Science Partnership (ESSP), IHDP has put its work into the greater context of environmental change. The group is composed of leading scientific programmes in their respective fields.

The partnership sees the planet as a complex system regulated by physical, chemical and biological processes, further influenced - as never before - by human activities. This holistic approach ensures that our work remains practically relevant in addressing global change.