Earth System Science—Past Experiences and Future Trends - Towards an Interdisciplinary Approach in Earth System Science - page 5

understand the bene ts of such trans-disciplinary education as opposed to the more

traditional roles in graduate, highly specialised education. Additional opportunities
and incentives are needed to help faculty in this aspect. Perhaps, it would be ben-
e

cial if funding agencies and educational institutions are not stuck in their tradi-
tional roles to support individual sciences but open and expand their support to inter-
and trans-disciplinary sciences.

3 Future Trends

Optimisms is one of the human traits that according to Walker ( 1999 ) might be the
key factor determining the future of mankind. The optimistic bias inclines us to
believe that natural disasters will not happen to us and that human advancement and
ingenuity would release mankind from a dependence on nature. Social scientists
might argue what

means in this context. It is clear that our capacity to
understand the environment and the complex feedback mechanisms at variable
spatial and temporal scales has dramatically improved. However, our capacity to
predict and control the environment is still in its infancy. The link between science,
technology on the one hand and human behavioural evolution on the other will
determine the future of the Earth system.
Elliott and Hanson ( 2003 ) argues that the future of the geosciences is going to
look very different to that of today. The revolution in education will see the
bringing down of the wall between the natural and social sciences. This shift will be
accompanied by process-driven, technology biased and (energy) resource focussed
earth system science. The danger of such a process is the possibility of syndication
(Elliott and Hanson 2003 ), in which resources form the basis for economic and
social divides. A holistic education, at graduate and undergraduate levels, is
probably the only way to continue the change in mind-set from the grassroots
upwards. Other challenges for the future are institutional (Lawton 2001 ) and rely on
international bodies and governments accepting joint responsibility and stewardship
of our planet.

“ us ”

4 Conclusion

Earth System Science remains in a state of infancy albeit a distinct growth spurt in
the last decades. Encouragement comes from various fields of social, natural and

engineering sciences where the realisation starts to form that the future of the planet
is in our own hands.
For higher education, especially graduate and PhD studies, there is a clear need
to further foster inter- and trans-disciplinary and holistic sciences by including
students and faculty from a variety of

fields and different institutions. The ESSReS
PhD program has been exceptionally successful in this aspect. In addition, there is