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Watch Webinar on Social and Ecological Success of Participation on Protected Areas
The Programme on Ecosystem Change and Society (PECS) Collaborative Working Group organized a webinar titled "Social and Ecological Success of Participation on Protected Areas" on 8 December 2021. The webinar invited Ms. Jule Huber who completed her Master in Sustainability Science at Leuphana University, Lüneburg, Germany, Dr. Jens Newig who is a professor and head of the Institute of Sustainability Governance at Leuphana University, and Dr. Jacqueline Loos who is an assistant professor for the sustainable use of natural resources at the Faculty of Sustainability at Leuphana University. They shared research results that investigated how participation in protected area decision-making is related to desired social and ecological outcomes. The research covers a systematic literature review comprising 52 case studies examining social and ecological outcomes of protected areas in which local stakeholders were involved in the decision-making process. Watch a recording here.
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Knowledge-Action Networks
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New Article Published: Urgent Need for an Action Plan for the Ocean
A new article was published in the journal Frontiers in Marine Science, which argues that there is an urgent need for an Action Plan for the Ocean. The authors point out the need to develop systems for planning and responding to changes before they become reality and the consequences unmanageable.
They also propose the development of a risk-based framework to provide decision-makers with the tools needed to respond to future changes in the global ocean. Read more here.
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Urban Online Forum Discussed the Societal Foundation for Coping Climate Change and Low Carbon Transformation
In order to promote discussion and experience sharing of the research priorities in Asia proposed in 2020 by the Future Earth Urban Knowledge-Action Network (KAN), the Urban working group of Future Earth Taipei and the Urban KAN jointly organized an online forum on 14 December 2021 focused on two research priorities, "Accelerate Transition Pathways” and “Navigate Global Environmental Change." Five experts gave lectures on these topics and around 50 experts from 10 countries participated in the discussion. The forum aimed to stimulate more discussions and feedback in the Asia-Pacific region and is also a warm-up event for an international forum in 2022. Check out more information including a video and photos here.
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Highlights (In Case You Missed It)
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Extreme Weather Events the World Has Experienced in 2021
The world has experienced a series of record-breaking extreme weather events in 2021. Starting with the extreme cold weather that hit Texas this February, people struggled with drought, floods, torrential rains, heatwaves, wildfires and more. Scientists warn that the world will experience worse and more extreme events due to the global temperature rise. Are we moving fast enough to save the planet for us and the next generation? Review what we have experienced in 2021 here.
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Anthropocene Magazine's Daily Science - Latest
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Is Plastic Trash in the Middle of the Ocean Becoming a New Kind of Island Habitat?
Finding a sea anemone bobbing in the middle of the ocean is a bit like stumbling across a rainforest-dwelling kapok tree perched on a Saharan sand dune. Yet, that’s what has happened in recent years as people sailing the Pacific Ocean in search of plastic trash capture entire communities of coastal organisms clinging to debris hundreds of kilometers from the nearest beach. The discovery of sea anemones, tiny shrimp-like creatures and fan-shaped polyps that normally dwell near the shore, seemingly thriving in the ocean on small islands of trash, is forcing scientists to rethink basic assumptions about where different species can live. Read more...
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These Countries Have Reached 'Peak Meat’
Meat consumption is growing globally. But a handful of countries are bucking this trend, and their appetite for meat is in decline. A group of researchers argues that these nations—New Zealand, Canada, and Switzerland—have in fact reached ‘peak meat’, a point beyond which increasing income no longer tracks with increasing consumption of beef, chicken, mutton, and pork.
This could be an important discovery, because reducing meat consumption is recognized as a critical route to bringing down greenhouse gas emissions. Read more...
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To Make Carbon Taxes Fairer and More Effective, Give People Free Green Services Rather than Cash
Using revenues from a carbon tax to provide free green electricity and transport would reduce carbon emissions much more strongly—and more fairly—than would a carbon tax alone or returning revenues to the public in the form of cash rebates, a new analysis suggests. The study is part of a growing body of research exploring how to implement carbon taxes in an equitable way. “Policy makers need to ensure that the transition to net zero is socially just and supports wellbeing,” says study team member Milena Büchs, a social scientist and sustainability researcher at Leeds University in the UK. Read more...
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Trading Nutrients between Regions of Excess and Deficit could Tackle Pollution and Food Insecurity in One Go
A team of researchers has made an argument for a global trade of excess nitrogen and phosphorus to tackle agriculture’s pollution and emissions problem, while improving global food security at the same time. Nitrogen and phosphorus are cornerstones of life on earth, and our ability to make and mine these nutrients at large scales underpins industrial food systems in many parts of the world. Yet there are enormous global disparities in the availability of both, with some regions over-endowed, while others suffer a severe lack. Read more...
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To see more upcoming events, and share your own, visit the Future Earth Membership Portal.
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Webinar Series on Global Sustainability: Interdisciplinary Discussions on Risk Mitigation and Global Sustainability
When: 23 December 2021
The Risk Working Group from Future Earth Taipei, and Future Earth Global Secretariat Hub Taipei will organize an online workshop on 23 December 2021. It aims to promote knowledge sharing and collaboration between experts and scholars focused on disaster related disciplines across the world. It will also provide an opportunity to interact with the four speakers from the Risk KAN and to share your thoughts to have an interdisciplinary discussion. Find more here.
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Call for Abstract: EGU2022 Risk KAN Sessions
Closes: 12 January 2022
The EGU General Assembly 2022, held from 3-8 April 2022 in Vienna, Austria, will bring together geoscientists from all over the world for one meeting covering all disciplines of the Earth, planetary, and space sciences. The EGU aims to provide a forum where scientists, especially early career scientists, can present their work and discuss their ideas with experts in all fields of geoscience. The Knowledge Action Network on Emergent Risks and Extreme Events (Risk KAN) is now accepting abstracts for the sessions below.
- Climate extremes, biosphere and society: impacts, cascades, feedbacks, and resilience: This session explores the linkages between extreme climate and weather events, associated disasters, societal dynamics and resilience. Empirical, theoretical and modeling studies from local to global scale from the fields of natural sciences, social sciences, humanities and related disciplines are welcomed. Find more about this session here.
- Climate Change as a Systemic Risk: This session aims at addressing the most relevant and emerging topics regarding climate related systemic risk. Find more about this session here.
- Climate change, extreme events, natural hazards & society – palaeo-perspectives from across the human and natural sciences: This session showcases research that is situated at the interface between Earth System Science and the Human Sciences (e.g. anthropology, archaeology, history) with a particular focus on innovative ways of modeling the impacts of climate change, extreme events and natural hazards on societies of the past. The session also seeks out novel and pioneering approaches to modeling possible future scenarios for society-environment interactions, as we move forward into the rapidly changing and increasingly extreme climates of the Anthropocene. Find more about this session here.
Please note that the Assembly is currently intended to be a hybrid event, and more updates will be shared on the website.
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2022 Webinar Series on Global Sustainability - Climate Change and Health: International Research Experience
When: 13 January 2022
The Health working group of Future Earth Taipei and Future Earth Global Secretariat Hub Taipei will jointly organize a webinar on 13 January 2022. Dr. Ilan Kelman, Professor of Disasters and Health at University College London, England, and Professor II at the University of Agder, Kristiansand, Norway, will present research examining how volunteer-based local environmental groups in Toco, Trinidad and Sitka, Alaska respond to climate change and its health impacts through local and collective action. Check out more information including a link for registration here.
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The 8th International Conference on Sustainability Science (ICSS 2022) - Biodiversity as a Source of Solutions to Sustainability Challenges in Urban, Peri-urban and Rural Areas
When: 18-20 January 2022, 21:00-23:00 (JST)
Co-organized by Future Earth, the 8th International Conference on Sustainability Science (ICSS2022) facilitates creative discussions between academics, policy-makers, and practitioners on how biodiversity-based solutions can contribute to sustainable development. The outcomes of the conference are expected to feed into the current international discourse of the post-2020 agenda on biodiversity. Find more about the conference here and join us for the discussion by registering from here.
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The Tipping Elements, Irreversibility, and Abrupt Change Discussion Series
When: 17 & 25 January 2022, 16:00-17:30 CET
The Tipping Elements, Irreversibility, and Abrupt Change Discussion Series is exploring tipping elements in more detail with an opportunity to discuss questions of abruptness, irreversibility, timescales and uncertainties. The series will feature talks by leading experts in these areas and will foster discussion to increase consistency in treatment of tipping elements in the scientific community, develop a research agenda, and design joint experiments and ideas for a Tipping Element Model Intercomparison Project (TipMip). Join us for the two upcoming events with talks followed by a 20-minute formal discussion, and a further 25-minute of informal discussion on the topics, for those who wish to stay on.
The event taking place on 17 January 2022 from 16:00-17:30 CET focusing on permafrost will feature:
- An update on permafrost tipping – Hanne Hvidtfeld Christiansen, University Centre in Svalbard (UNIS)
- Model insight on permafrost change - Gustaf Hugelius, Stockholm University
To participate, register here.
The event taking place on 25 January 2022 from 16:00-17:30 CET focusing on ice sheets will have talks on:
- Recent Updates on Ice Sheet Loss – Ricarda Winkelmann, Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research
- Climate and sea-level impacts of Greenland and Antarctic ice sheet loss – Sophie Nowicki, University at Buffalo
To participate, register here.
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Vacancy: Multiple Positions at the Future Earth Global Secretariat Hub Sweden
Applications will be considered on an on-going basis at the latest by 23 January 2022.
- Head of Finance and Administration: This position requires a solid financial background and ability to lead the finance and administration team with passion in addition to analytical skills and good understanding of the financial management of international projects to guide financial decisions in the management team. Find more here.
- Administrative Assistant: The position requires to process administration and accounting tasks and liaise with internal and external partners to organize events, conferences and to support projects in a stimulating international environment. Find more here.
- Communications Officer: This position requires contributing to a wide range of transformative sustainability research projects including the Earth Commission. The Communication Officer will work closely with the Communications Director and focus on maintaining various digital channels, enhancing science to policy outreach as well as supporting preparations for the launch of the Earth Commission assessment in 2022/23 and the production and roll-out of the 10 New Insights in Climate Science in late 2022. Find more here.
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Workshop on Understanding and Modeling Complex Risks in Coupled Human-Environment Systems
Registration Closes: 31 January 2022
When: 8-10 February 2022 (Online)
Systemic risks arising from the interaction of phenomena within complex and highly interconnected human-environmental systems are poorly understood, let alone modeled. Systemic risks do not often have a track record which can be used to estimate probabilities and expected losses or calibrate models, which creates methodological challenges. With these types of risks, commonly used statistical techniques may fall short and, thus, new methods to quantify and understand the systemic nature of risk are needed. With the aim of addressing these challenges, the Risk Modeling and Insurance Working Group of the Knowledge Action Network on Emergent Risks and Extreme Events (Risk KAN) organizes a three-day workshop to bring together scientists and practitioners in the field of modeling risk in human and environmental systems. Find more here.
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Call for Proposal: Pathways Communication Grants
Closes: 31 January 2022
The Pathways Initiative is accepting proposals for their Pathways Communication Grant. The grant encourages the circulation of scientific contributions reinforcing the understanding of pathways for sustainability via innovative dissemination formats and practices to reach relevant audiences beyond the scientific community and to stimulate wider uptake and understanding. Researchers, incl. PhD students, at universities or research institutions are invited to submit proposals for communication products that aim to disseminate outcomes developed in inter- and/or transdisciplinary research projects, and that are addressed to the broader public. Proposals should outline the results of projects that advance the understanding of pathways for sustainability. Find more here.
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Call for Papers to the 2022 Toronto Conference on Earth System Governance
The Call for Papers for the 2022 Toronto Conference on Earth System Governance is now open. The conference, with the theme Governing accelerated transitions: justice, creativity, and power in a transforming world, will be held in Toronto, Canada, on 21-23 October 2022, and accessible online. It is hosted by University of Toronto and University of Waterloo, together with the Earth System Governance Project.
The Conference will be organized around the 2018-2028 Earth System Governance Science and Implementation Plan, with a specific focus on issues and challenges that emerge as efforts are made to accelerate the social, political, and technological shift towards more fundamentally sustainable and inclusive social-ecological systems, societies and policies.
The Earth System Governance Project brings together hundreds of social science scholars in order to advance research at the interface of earth system transformations, governance and politics, and the annual conferences provide a unique opportunity to present research and have discussions with this global interdisciplinary community.
Key Dates:
Deadline for paper and full session abstracts: 1 February 2022
Deadline for Innovative Sessions: 15 February 2022
Notification of acceptance: 31 March 2022
Full papers due: 15 September 2022
Read more on the conference website, or email the Organizing Team.
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"The science is clear ... no city, no community and no ecosystem will be spared from the reckoning that lies beyond 1.5 degrees of warming, including our oceans, the lungs of the planet."
— Txai Suruí, 24-year old indigenous youth leader from the Amazon Rainforest at COP26
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