ICSU ROAP presentation at International Conference on Applied Energy 2014, Taipei 1 June 2014

Future Earth – A potential strategy for Asia and Pacific

Nordin Hasan

ICSU Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific

Kuala Lumpur

International Conference on Applied Energy, Taipei, Taiwan 1 June 2014 1

Background

• With globally connected problems we need globally connected science.

• ICSU promotes and facilitates international science through research, monitoring and assessements

• Spearheaded many landmark research programmes and frameworks

• Example: World Climate Research Programme (WCRP) with World Metorological Organization (WMO), International Geosphere-Biosphere Programme (IGBP), DIVERSITAS, International Human Dimensions Programme (IHDP)

2 International Conference on Applied Energy, Taipei, Taiwan 1 June 2014

IHDP

WCRP

SOLAS

CLIVAR CBC

GEWEX

SPARC

ESSP

GECHH

START

GECAFS

GCP

GNSP

GMBA

bioGENESIS

bioSUSTAINABILITY

freshwaterBIODIVERSITY

bioDISCOVERY

agroBIODIVERSITY

ecoSERVICES

ecoHEALTH DIVERSITAS IGBP

GLP

ILEAPS

LOICZ

IMBER

IGAC

SOLAS

PAGES

AIMES ICSU

GLP LOICZ

UGBC IT

ESG

GECHS IRG

ICSU GEC research programmes

~~~ 60,000 scientists worldwide

3

Future Earth • A global initiative

• Builds on ICSU’s earlier cluster of GEC research programmes


Key principles of Future Earth

research

• Seek scientific excellence: An overarching element is

commitment to science of the highest quality.

• Linking earth systems research to global

sustainability: focus on integrated earth systems

research and global sustainability

• International in scope: Focus on areas where

international research co-ordination is needed.

• Promote integration: Draws on expertise in natural and

social science, engineering, the humanities and

professions such as planning and law.


Key principles of Future Earth

research/2

• Encourage co-design and co-production: involve

researchers and stakeholders, in governments, industry

and business, and civil society.

• Be bottom-up driven: Emphasize importance of

‘bottom-up’ ideas from research community and

stakeholders

• Provide solution-oriented knowledge: Foresight of

changes and risks, testing effectiveness of responses,

providing knowledge for new innovations and policies

• Promote inclusiveness: Strong attention will be given

to regional engagement, geographic and gender

balance, capacity building and networking


Future Earth implementation

• Secretariat: Distributed with regional hubs (planned)

• Hubs can be geographic or thematic

• Global prioritization process on-going – first meeting Kyoto 19 – 20 May 2014

• Regional Office for Asia and Pacific have been active introducing the initiative to the region since 2012


51 participants; 21 countries

Regional Workshop for Future Earth in Asia and the Pacific November 2012

FUTURE EARTH MEETINGS IN ASIA AND THE PACIFIC IN 2012- 2013

1. International Symposium on Future Asia , RIHN, Kyoto December 2012

2. APL - SATREPS Symposium Living in the changing planet: Future Earth Designed by Simulation, JAMSTEC, Tokyo, Japan

February 2013

3. Brain-storming session on Future Asia; Academia Sinica, Chinese Taipei.

April 2013

4. 12th Pacific Science Inter-Congress, University of the South Pacific, Laucala Bay Campus, Suva, Fiji

July 2013

5. MAIRS Future Earth in Asia Strategic Plan Drafting Workshop The Hong Kong Polytechnic University

August 2013

6. ISIS-ICSU Roundtable on Future Earth: Pathways to sustainability. Kuala Lumpur

August 2013

7. Coordinating Workshop on Future Earth: Developing a Science Technology and Innovation (STI) Agenda for Sri Lanka towards Future Earth. Colombo

September 2013

8. International Workshop on Future Earth

Beijing, China

September 2013

9. 5th ICSU Regional Consultation in on Future Earth in Asia and the Pacific Seoul, Republic of Korea

November 2013

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FUTURE EARTH MEETINGS IN ASIA AND THE PACIFIC IN 2014

1. Indian Geophysical Union, Golden anniversary Convention, Hyderabad, India

January 2014

2. Graduate School of Environmental Studies, Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan Forum on Environmental Leadership Programme and Future Earth. Senadi, Japan

January 2014

3. 2nd

International Workshop on Future Earth in Asia, RIHN Kyoto, Japan

February 2014

4. SIMSEA Pre-scoping Workshop, JAMSTEC-ROAP, Yokohama, Japan

February 2014

5. Future Earth Future Philippines at National Research Council of the Philippines 81

st General Membership

Assembly, Manila

March 2014

6. MAIRS Open Science Conference, Beijing, China April 2014

7. Presentations at International Conference on Applied Energy. Taipei

May – June 2014

8. Science Council of Asia International Conference with Future Earth as theme, Kuala Lumpur Malaysia

June 2014

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Asia Strategy

• Three pronged

1. Build on past programmes e.g. MAIRS (Monsoon Asia Integrated Regional Study)

2. Create new programmes e.g. SIMSEA (Sustainability Initiative for the Marginal Seas of East Asia)

3. Address cross-cutting needs


Building on existing programmes e.g. MAIRS

• 3.3.3 Energy security

• 5.7 Sustainable food, water and energy systems

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Creating new programmes e.g. SIMSEA

Example of a project under development

Spearheaded by two members of ICSU

Regional Committee for Asia and the Pacific

(RCAP) i.e.

Prof. Lourdes J Cruz ( Immediate Past President

NRCP)

Prof Toshio Yamagata (Director APL JAMSTEC)


Marginal Seas in East Asia (MSEA)

Very important to international commerce and

global security, location of numerous heavily

populated megacities, active societal,

economical and industrial activities

Region of very high marine biodiversity and

fishery activity in the world

Extremely vulnerable to natural hazards such as

typhoons, storm surges, tsunamis etc.


In the spirit of Future Earth

SIMSEA will serve to

Propose collaborative platform to generate and share

knowledge and expertise (science for society)

Work for solutions towards improving livelihoods and

enhancing resilience to unwanted environmental change,

hazards and disasters

Support transformation towards sustainability


Pacific strategy

• Two sub-hubs/clusters

1. Australia-New Zealand

2. South Pacific


South Pacific sub-region – key issues raised

• Global change impacts, associated risks, adaptation and

community resilience • Urbanization and associated challenges potentially driven

by environmental refugees • Integrating indigenous and traditional knowledge and

modern science • Ecosystem management and biodiversity • Renewable energy systems • The need for a “Future Ocean”, reflecting strong emphasis

on the ocean • USP role in organizing Future Earth


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The University of the South Pacific

Cook Islands, Fiji, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Nauru, Niue, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tokelau,

Tonga, Tuvalu and Vanuatu

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Third prong: Cross cutting needs

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Promote research to develop and understanding of what sustainability means at the regional, national and sub-national levels

Promote research on sustainability indicators to guide sustainability at the national and sub-national levels

Create alliances of integrated research projects and groups to build long-term strength

Foster and nurture networks of scientists across disciplinary fields and with different stakeholders.

Need to facilitate research convergence and collaboration

Publish examples of best practices of inter- and transdisciplinary research on sustainability

Develop guidelines on how best to do co-design and co-production of research

Increase human capacity development opportunities through training workshops, research fellowships and Professorial Chairs

Develop mentoring of young scientists in lesser developed countries by more experienced researchers in the region

Need to develop capacity

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Research effective points of entry into the policy arena are

Develop approaches and programmes to bring into dialogue groups of people who do not normally talk to each other

Translate and share models on how to influence policy

Create or identify science-policy-stakeholder platforms that effectively inform and engage

Engage local communities and local knowledge systems in generating and nurturing knowledge societies

Need to enhance science-policy-stakeholder interface

24

25

a “funders' vision for the priority knowledge and capabilities derived from environmental research that society needs, and the underpinning research challenges over the next decade to deliver them.”

26

27

Modified from Cornell et al. Env Sc & Pol vol.28 2013 60-70

Development communty

Collaborative research

28

Concluding remarks

• Future Earth provides framework for research programmes that addresses society’s needs to develop sustainably

• Brings science closer to communities and real world issues and solutions

• Value adds current sustainability research initiatives

• Promotes more holistic collaborative research programmes regionally and globally.


Thank you for your attention!

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Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific http://www.icsu.org/asia-pacific

International Conference on Applied Energy, Taipei, Taiwan 1 June 2014