US
NRC NAS UCAR's "GRAND CHALLENGES
TO THE ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES" (unveiled
2000)
US
NRC NAS UCAR's "GRAND CHALLENGES
TO THE ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES" (unveiled
2000)
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/MediaAlerts/2000/200009254053.html
http://books.nap.edu/books/0309072549/html/91.html#pagetop
WHO is writing?
I am one of the 170
authors, one out of three not from the US!, happy to listed, but sad
for not being informed what my contribution as "author" is
or was or could be.
WHY I am writing?
When
studying the Challenges you must have missed the work we did 10 years
ago (GLOBAL CHANGE exhibition in the German Chancellery, but
unfortunately not being very public (as the BERLIN wall came down
these days, and the public and political focus was "LOCAL"
or elsewhere...
http://benking.de/Global-Change/global-change-english-context.html
WHY I am writing?
I
feel we have as GEO-SCINTISTS a unique opportunity to make use of our
modes of thinking and tool-boxes.
Unfortunately these posters were not up-dated and the concepts not really developed much further, but I feel it might be of some interest to share some efforts.
http://benking.de/Global-Change/system-earth-posters.html
WHY I am writing?
We have just
published in the KNOW-MAP Magazine a series of 3 sections under the
title: SPACIAL versus SPATIAL: Part I : Setting Common Frames of
Reference, Part II : Spacial
Knowledge Maps and Knowledge Models and
Part III – Panoramic
Thinking and End of This Journey
Which show what I mean and where I feel GEO-SCIENCES
can help to develop some new shared models and perspectives to better
raise public awareness and understanding:
http://www.newciv.org/cob/members/benking/knowmap.html
With regard to the "Challenges we face as
Humanity" pls. see also my comment to: IS HUMANITY DESTINED ..?
in POLICY AND LIFE SCIENCES called "SHOW or SCHAU?":
http://planetaryrenaissance.org/mpcollab/html/print.php?sid=15
You might also be interested to know that we in
GERMANY with the ALFRED WEGENENER FOUNDATION:
http://benking.de/Global-Change/aws-geotechnica-1991.html
or for the HANS JONAS SYMPOSIUM have been showing the ETHICAL DIMENSIONS: (with TIME AND SPACE horizon): http://benking.de/jonas-1993.html
where we have been looking how to share a long view, broader perspectives and responsibilities.
WHY I am writing?
I
see much hope that new tools for integration and communication we
have developped in the field of visualization, modelling and the
GEOSCIENCES in general can be applied fast and easily by helping a
UN, G7 and and HARMONIAZATION project we started with meta-data
concepts in the late 80ies can get some new infusions and new
mindsets needed to tackle the long-standing mandate !
http://www.benking.de/ceptualinstitute/harmonization.htm
WHY I am writing?
I feel your
CHALLENGES need and can be seen in a broader perspective. I cordially
invite you to have a look at the new AC/UNU Millennium Report:
http://www.geocities.com/~acunu/millennium/sof2001.html
Executive Summary (6 pages) 1. Global
Challenges (424 pages)
General description with
comments and a range of views, Regional perspectives, Actions to
address the challenge with a range of views, Indicators to measure
progress on the challenge,....
I am very excited to have learned about your report and hope we can share some more views and experiences across the seas... and along and across scales and cultures.
Best
Heiner Benking