Environmental Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
response to the lack of societal action despite the wealth of scientific information
on the way human activities are altering the Earth system with significant impacts
on the environment at local, regional and global levels. Despite the changes in the
Earth's climate and loss of biodiversity, which are undermining improvements in
human well-being and poverty alleviation, the world is no more on a sustainable
path (UNEP
2012
) than it was before the definition of sustainable development was
even invented in 1987 (WCED
1987
).
Future Earth will address the issues critical to poverty alleviation and develop-
ment including food, water, energy, health and human security (ICSU
2013
). It will
provide and integrate new insights into areas such as governance, tipping points,
natural capital, the sustainable use and conservation of biodiversity, lifestyles, eth-
ics and values. In particular, it focuses on the need for a more holistic approach and
the interactions between natural and human drivers of change, and to achieve this
aims to apply deeper integration between natural and social sciences, economics
and humanities. A new approach and operational model to research has been pro-
posed and is now being implemented whereby the groups conducting research seek
to engage much more actively with stakeholders- from the initial research project
design phase to the final dissemination of results, and in influencing subsequent
actions following the research. Stakeholders in this case include research funders,
governments, development organisations, business and industry, civil society, me-
dia and organisations at the interface of science and policy.
14.3
Implications for Future Earth of Japan's
Environmental Leader Programs
One question which faces us is how this new thinking might influence the approach
taken under the environmental leader programs. In particular, how Japan should
anticipate the impact of Future Earth over its projected 10 year period on the skills
needed for researchers into global environmental challenges. At the time of writing
this chapter, Japan is bidding to host either the global headquarters or an Asian 're-
gional hub' within the overall global Future Earth programme. This has led to some
reflection on how compatible the existing environmental leader program is with the
demands of Future Earth for this 'new type' of researcher, and whether Japan should
develop its own activity related to education and training to support the regional
education and capacity building required for a Future Earth agenda. Let us consider
this aspect here.
14.3.1
Future Earth Educational Needs
Future Earth (FE) is a 10 year initiative to provide scientific support for the many
challenges facing society and for the sustainable development goals (SDG) process
