Integrated earth system studies. Joint research efforts of global change

Journal Article · Thu Jun 01 04:00:00 EDT 1995 · Bulletin of the Ecological Society of America

OSTI ID:95877

Rosswall, T ^[1]; Ojima, D S ^[2]

---

1. Swedish Univ. of Agricultural Sciences, Uppsala (Sweden)
2. Colorado State Univ., Ft. Collins, CO (United States)

The physical, chemical and biological studies which have documented the changes to the Earth system and investigated the critical processes which couple the biosphere and the geosphere have increased our understanding of the natural variation in the Earth`s dynamics and of how human activities have modified these processes. This effort has been fundamental in furthering our understanding of what controls the Earth`s energy budget, global biogeochemistry including atmospheric composition of radiatively active gases and the hydrological cycle. This research has necessitated unprecedented international collaboration among various scientific disciplines and led to the development of major research programs like the World Climate Research Programme, the International Geosphere-Biosphere Programme, and the Human Dimensions of Global Environmental Change Programme. Through the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change a continuous assessment is carried out and provides the much needed bridge between science and policy making manifested in the development of a Framework Convention of Climate Change. The challenge now facing the global change science community is to maintain the interest in elucidating the functioning of the global system when political interest may move elsewhere. To understand the functioning of the Earth system is a daunting scientific challenge and a necessity for the necessary stewardship of planet Earth.

• OSTI ID: 95877
• Report Number(s): CONF-9507129--
• Journal Information: Bulletin of the Ecological Society of America, Journal Name: Bulletin of the Ecological Society of America Journal Issue: 2 Vol. 76; ISSN BECLAG; ISSN 0012-9623
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

29 ENERGY PLANNING, POLICY, AND ECONOMY
CLIMATIC CHANGE
GLOBAL ASPECTS
INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION
RESEARCH PROGRAMS