Step 1: Visioning Earth System Research Meeting

(29 September–1 October 2009)

The proposed research priorities from the online consultation formed the background for a workshop held in September involving senior researchers, early-career scientists, science-policy experts and funders.

List of workshop participants

Photo gallery from the meeting

The expertise of the participants spanned the natural and social sciences. In general, individuals who have interdisciplinary expertise were sought. Having a diversity of perspectives, including those from developing countries, was highly important, as was the participation of early career researchers, who are expected to be key players in shaping Earth system research over the next 20-plus years. These early career scientists met one day prior to the Visioning Earth System Research meeting before joining the main meeting.

The workshop resulted in the draft document ‘Earth System Science for Global Sustainability: The Grand Challenges.’

It should be noted that the vote count for questions in the online consultation was one of a number of metrics that were considered by meeting participants. Some of the other metrics that were considered included research questions that display:

• consensus among disciplines
• consensus in a geographic region
• innovative thinking

Other Parts of Step 1:

• Online consultation of the global scientific community on the research questions
• Draft research priorities – Earth System Science for Global Sustainability: The Grand Challenges
• A second online consultation on the Grand Challenges document