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About Visioning
The International Council for Science (ICSU) is spearheading a consultation process in cooperation with the International Social Science Council (ISSC) to engage the scientific community to explore options and propose implementation steps for a holistic strategy on Earth system research.
The overarching goal of the visioning process is:
to engage the scientific community to explore options and propose steps to implement a holistic strategy for Earth system research.
This strategy will both encourage scientific innovation and address policy needs.
The 3-step process
(Click on the diagram for a larger version)
The Earth system visioning process is a three-step consultative process founded on the philosophy that form should follow function. The first step focuses on the urgent scientific questions, while the second step considers the institutional context, including the connections to relevant bodies (e.g. stakeholders, research initiatives, conventions and assessment processes) in order to shape an approach that will best engage the Earth system research community on the identified needs. The final step will examine how to make the transition from the current approach to the needed approach.
Throughout the three steps, broad consultation is emphasized, as is the participation of all stakeholders including the co-sponsors of global environmental change programmes, other organizations that contribute to Earth system research, funders, scientists from around the world, and early career scientists who will increasingly lead us into the future of Earth system research. ICSU is entering into this process with no preconceived conclusions.
Read further about the Visioning Process
The Three Steps
Key Documents:
- Visioning White Paper (June 2009)
- Science editorial ‘Earth System Research Priorities‘ (July 2009)
- SciDev.Net article ‘Scientists asked to create Earth systems research plan‘ (July 2009)
- Earth System Science for Global Sustainability: the Grand Challenges
