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Global Land Project
Nodal Office

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Change and Adaptation in Socio-Ecological Systems

Supported by:

project funding reference number
CZE 10/001

European GLP Nodal Office

The Global Land Project is a joint research project for land systems for the International Geosphere-Biosphere Programme (IGBP) and the International Human Dimensions Programme (IHDP). The Global Land Project Science Plan represents the research framework for the coming decade for land systems. This development of a research strategy is designed to better integrate the understanding of the coupled human-environment system. These integrated science perspectives reflect the recognition of the fundamental nature of how human activities on land are affecting feedbacks to the earth system and the response of the human-environment system to global change. The Global Land Project Science Plan has been defined by scientists sponsored by the IGBP and the IHDP.

The focus of GLP is largely "land-centric" which includes the people, biota, and natural resources (air, water, plants, animals, and soil). The strategy presented here critically emphasizes changes in the coupled human and environmental system. The research planning builds upon the extensive heritage of IGBP I global networks of scientists, data, and largely disciplinary understanding, particularly from the Global Change and Terrestrial Ecosystems (GCTE) project and the Land Use/Cover Change (LUCC) project. Their heritage forms some basic components of the evolving integrative science of IGBP II and strongly promotes the linkage with the research approaches of the IHDP. In addition, during the past decade the value of critical assessments of global change science has proven to be essential in providing timely information to decision makers. Our research strategy will provide research support for the Intergovernmental Panel for Climate Change and the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment in the coming decade.

The European GLP Nodal Office is based on the partner platform "European Land use Institute (ELI)", which is coordinated at and hosted by the Martin-Luther-University Halle-Wittenberg, Institute for Geosciences and Geography, Dept. Sustainable Landscape Development. The department addresses the processes and dynamics of social-ecological systems and related decisions in spatial planning and landscape development.