Step 3

(2011) Transitioning

The 3rd Visioning meeting was held in February 2011. Its goal was to start to design a new initiative that would mobilise the scientific community, funders, operational service providers and users to address the Grand Challenges (and the related Belmont Challenge).

The meeting was organized by the International Council for Science (ICSU), in close cooperation with the International Social Science Council (ISSC), and the Belmont Forum -representing the International Group of Funding Agencies for Global Change Research (IGFA).  Participants comprised Chairs and Directors of the Global Environmental Change (GEC) programmes (DIVERSITAS, IGBP, IHDP, WCRP and their partnership ESSP, as well as START), representatives of affiliated or partner  agencies (UNEP, WMO, IOC) and other co-sponsors of the GEC programmes, regional networks (APN), other related international programmes and international experts in both natural and social sciences.

At the meeting, ICSU, ISSC and the Belmont Forum introduced their plans to work together in a new Alliance.  This partnership was built upon the convergence of the Visioning and the Belmont Forum processes to identify research needs and priorities in Earth system research.  Both processes had combined in developing the concept of a major new integrated research initiative.

The debate, with active and inclusive participation of the group, was centred on three main areas: framing the initiative, design criteria, and goals. A fundamental outcome was the agreement on the definition of a Joint Integrated Research Strategy. Its key elements are outlined here:

• governed under one unified framework (steered during the transition period by a Transition Team) on behalf of the Alliance;
• encompassing the four GEC programmes, ESSP and START, and other related activities;
• aiming at strategically integrating the GEC Programmes and ESSP and other needed capabilities/skills into a consolidated and comprehensive effort, a flagship initiative on Earth System Research for Global Sustainability.

It was noted that to achieve its goals, the initiative is expected to unify most of the existing GEC structures (DIVERSITAS, IGBP, IHDP and ESSP), to fully engage START and possibly to integrate strategically some components of WCRP.  It is important that the necessary re-structuring is done efficiently and effectively and it is understood that resources will be needed to facilitate this.

The summary report of the third Earth System Visioning meeting is available here.

The development of the initiative has entered a fast-moving phase that will see the current research structures transition to the unified framework. A Transition Team will be established soon to guide the development process until a permanent body is appointed, and the initiative will be launched in two stages in 2012—at the Planet Under Pressure conference in March and the UN Conference on Sustainable Development (Rio+20) in June.