• A personal note on IGBP and the social sciences


    Humans are an integral component of the Earth system as conceptualised by IGBP. João Morais recalls key milestones in IGBP’s engagement with the social sciences and offers some words of advice for Future Earth.
  • IGBP and Earth observation:
    a co-evolution


    The iconic images of Earth beamed back by the earliest spacecraft helped to galvanise interest in our planet’s environment. The subsequent evolution and development of satellites for Earth observation has been intricately linked with that of IGBP and other global-change research programmes, write Jack Kaye and Cat Downy .

Global-change networks

IGBP projects: Phase one, phase two


IGBP partners


Below is a list of some of the key organizations in global change and global sustainability research and policy


ICSU sponsored International Global Environmental Change Programmes

DIVERSITAS - an International Programme of Biodiversiry Science
International Geosphere-Biosphere Programme
International Human Dimensions Programme of Global Environmental Change
World Climate Research Programme
Earth System Science Partnership
Programme on Ecosystem Change and Society

International global-change networks

African Monsoon Multidisciplinary Analysis
Asia Pacific Network
Committee on Earth Observation Satellites
European Science Foundation RESCUE programme
Global Ministerial Environment Forum
Integrated Global Observing Strategy
Inter America Institute for Global Change Research
Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC)
Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change
International Commission on Atmospheric Chemistry and Global Pollution
International Council for Science (ICSU)
International Nitrogen Initiative (INI)
Mountain Research Initiative (MRI)
Northern Eurasian Earth Science Partnership Initiative
Scientific Committee on Oceanic Research
United Nations Environment Programme
United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change

Earth Observation agencies and networks

National Institute for Space Research (INPE) Brazil
Chinese National Space Administration China
Indian Space Research Organisation India
European Space Agency International
Global Climate Observing System International
Global Ocean Observing System International
Global Terrestrial Observing System International
Group on Earth Observations International
Japanese Aerosace Exploration Agency (JAXA) Japan
National Centre for Earth Observation UK
NASA US

National global-change programmes and institutes

ANU Climate Change Institute Australia
Global Change Institute Australia
Earth System Science Center, INPE Brazil
The Centre for Global Change Science Canada
Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research Germany
Pacific Institute International
International Programme on the State of the Ocean International
Institute for Social and Environmental Transition International
Ryan Institute for Environmental Marine and Energy Research Ireland
Research Institute for Global Change Japan
International Global Change Institute New Zealand
Africa Centre for Climate and Earth System Science South Africa
Albaeco Sweden
Swedish Secretariat for Environmental Earth System Science Sweden
Living with Environmental Change Programme UK
Quantifying and Understanding the Earth System UK
Tyndall Centre for Climate Change research UK
Environmental Change Institute UK
US Global Change Research Programme US
MIT joint programme on the science and policy of global change US
Duke University Center on Global Change US
Michigan University Centre for Global Change and Earth Observations US
Global Change education programme US
Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute US
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration US
National Centre for Atmospheric Research US
Global Environmental Governance Project US
World Resources Institute US
Earth Institute, Columbia University US

Sustainability institutes and departments

Alliance for global sustainability International
Stockholm Resilience Centre Sweden
Stockholm Environment Institute Sweden
McCormack Graduate School of Policy Studies US
Institute for Sustainable Futures US

Sustainable development and other networks

Environment for Development Initiative International
International Institute for Environment and Development International
Stakeholder Forum International
UN development programme International
Food and Agriculture Organization International
Centre for Applied Biosciences International (CABI) International
African Network for Environmental Sustainability International
Swedish International Development Agency Sweden
Department for International Development (UK) UK
USAID US
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Please note!

IGBP closed at the end of 2015. This website is no longer updated.

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  • Global Change Magazine No. 84


    This final issue of the magazine takes stock of IGBP’s scientific and institutional accomplishments as well as its contributions to policy and capacity building. It features interviews of several past...

  • Global Change Magazine No. 83


    This issue features a special section on carbon. You can read about peak greenhouse-gas emissions in China, the mitigation of black carbon emissions and the effect of the 2010-2011 La Niña event on gl...
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