Besides the social component, 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 feeds social science research into a larger body of research on global environmental change. The group is composed of four leading scientific programmes in their respective fields: IHDP, IGBP, DIVERSITAS and WCRP. Together, we undertake an integrated study of the earth system, including its structure and functions, and analyse how changes in various aspects of the system affect regional and global sustainability.

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