Global change

The term global change various global change processes are summarized, which influence each other to a considerable extent.

These include in particular

  • Global environmental changes such as global warming, deforestation, loss of biodiversity, acidification of the oceans or the spread of deserts or the conversion of forests and steppes in agricultural land.
  • The impact of globalization and
  • Demographic changes on the Earth (population growth, aging, migration).

Global change research

Global change research includes, for example,

  • Land use systems under the influence of climate change.
  • Water management options in the course of future user demands.
  • Sustainable use of ecosystem services.
  • Future Energy Concepts.
  • Carbon management concepts.
  • Urban development concepts.
  • Changes in the oceans
  • Coastal protection and coastal zone management.
  • Mitigation and adaptation strategies related to changing climate conditions.

The global change research is mostly application-oriented and interdisciplinary.

Germany and Europe

The research on global change was in Germany, among others, by the National Committee on Global Change ( NKGCF ) coordinates research, which has been dissolved in March 2013. Instead, the German Committee for Sustainability Research in Future Earth ( German Committee Future Earth) by the German Research Foundation ( DFG) was launched in early 2013. The committee acts as a national focal point for international cooperation, as a German advisory body and forum.

In 2008, the composite European Alliance of Global Change Research Committee by the National Committee of the International Global Environmental Change Programme was launched.

Internationally

To address the global change research coordinated at the global level, were established about 15 years ago, four international Global Environmental Change (GEC) programs:

  • The International Human Dimensions Programme with a focus on social and political scientific interests, communication and capacity building,
  • The International Geo - Biosphere Programme with emphasis on biogeochemical processes and interactions,
  • The World Climate Research Programme with a focus on climate system understanding and climate projection, and
  • The DIVERSITAS -International with a focus on biodiversity and Science Policy Dialogue.

The international research on global change is currently a paradigm shift from a research mainly focused on the understanding of the Earth system to a research that is more focused on solving problems of sustainability. This new focus will also cause a change in the international structures. The new international research program "Future Earth: research for global sustainability" to be established in 2014.

Courses

In recent years, more and more studies on the topic of "Global Change " have been established:

  • Master's program " Global Change Ecology ( GCE) " at the University of Bayreuth deals with all of the above parts as well, but has a focus on environmental changes and their impact on people.
  • Master's program " Global Change Management (GCM ) " at the FH Eberswalde
  • Master course " Geography of Global Change " at the University of Freiburg
  • Master's program " Global Change - Regional Sustainability" at the University of Innsbruck
  • Master's program " Water Management in Global Change " at the Ostfalia University, Campus Suderburg
Desertification Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft
269480
de