Release of Future Earth’s Strategic Research Agenda 2014

The Research Agenda is intended to present a framework for agenda-setting in global change and sustainability research and to propose key priorities for researchers and funders for the next three to five years.

The Agenda was written by the Future Earth Science Committee and interim Engagement Committee to set out key starting points for the development of research strategies and funding programmes for researchers and funders worldwide.

The document is the result of consultation processes with global environmental change research communities and stakeholders from business, government and civil society, as well as an open online survey that received contributions from people in 74 countries worldwide. It is intended to be used across different domains, disciplines and regions of the world, by a range of different agencies and stakeholders, to inform priority-setting for research and research funding. A new Strategic Research Agenda will be developed and published by Future Earth every few years.

The Strategic Research Agenda 2014 advocates not just a set of research priorities organised around eight global sustainability challenges, but also a novel way of doing science. This approach is detailed in the Future Earth 2025 Vision and includes a strong emphasis on full integration among scientific disciplines, on engagement with societal partners in co-designing and co-producing knowledge, on international collaboration, on producing knowledge that is valuable to decision-makers, and on generating the solutions that society needs.

“If we are to meet society’s emerging needs, and adequately inform businesses, policymakers and practitioners with actionable knowledge, I believe that funding for solutions-oriented integrated research must increase rapidly and substantially. This must go hand in hand with a commitment from researchers and policy-makers to engage more closely to ensure the relevance of their work.” says Frans Berkhout, Interim Director of Future Earth.

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