The Statement of the Beijing Conference on Global Environmental Change

The global environmental change scientists gathered in Beijing for the Open Science Conference on Global Environmental Changes – Regional Challenges, note:

  • The Earth System Science Partnership (ESSP), created by four global environmental change programmes (DIVERSITAS, IGBP, IHDP, WCRP) through the 2001 Amsterdam Declaration to bridge the disciplinary gaps across environmental science, is now dramatically improving our understanding of the complex Earth system.
  • In this era of human activities modifying the planet on a global scale, we are concerned for the continuing adverse affects on the global environment and the resulting serious threats to sustainable development of human society.

In view of the importance of the impacts on human health, the Beijing Conference launched the Global Environmental Change and Human Health Project.

Recognising that there are issues special to regions, the Beijing Conference initiated the Monsoon Asia Integrated Regional Study to examine the threats posed to populations and ecosystems in Monsoon Asia.

We affirm that the ESSP, its regionalized activities together with START, on-going joint projects on Food Security, Carbon and Water Systems and the four parent Global Environmental Change Programmes will:

  • Create new understanding of key components of the earth system and their dynamic interactions, and address uncertainties and risks;
  • Take responsibility to mobilise knowledge for action, and provide society with the scientific information to better meet present and future needs within the context of sustainable development.

The Earth System Science Partnership urges governments to work with us on these initiatives while also undertaking actions to reduce the impact of human activities on the environment in order to ensure sustainable development.

12 November 2006 – Beijing Open Science Conference Co-Chairs

Qin Dahe                                                                Gordon McBean

China Meteorological Administration      University of Western Ontario, Canada