Asia-Pacific Network for Global Change Research (APN)

1. IGFA 2008 Annual Meeting 30 September – 03 October 2008 Mexico City Asia-Pacific Network for Global Change Research (APN) Mr. Tetsuro Fujitsuka Director, APN Secretariat

2. What is the APN • The Asia-Pacific Network for Global Change Research (APN) • Inter-Governmental Network of 21 member countries to foster global change research in the Asia-Pacific region; • Established in 1996; • Secretariat in Kobe, Japan, since 1999; • Provides financial support towards scientific research (ARCP), capacity building activities (CAPaBLE) & science-policy linkages.

3. APN Members • Australia • Bangladesh • Cambodia • China • Fiji • India • Indonesia • Japan • Lao PDR • Malaysia • Mongolia • Nepal • New Zealand • Pakistan • Philippines • Republic of Korea • Russian Federation • Sri Lanka • Thailand • United States of America • Viet Nam Pacific Island Countries and Singapore are approved countries whose scientists are eligible to receive funding under APN awards. *Financial contributors

4. APN’s Mission(APN Strategic Plan 2005-2010) • The mission of the APN is to enable investigation of change in the Earth’s life support systems as it occurs in the Asia-Pacific region to: • Identify, explain and predict changes in the context of both natural and anthropogenic forcing; • Assess potential regional and global vulnerability of natural and human systems; and • Contribute ,from the science perspective, to the development of policy options for appropriate responses to global change that will also contribute to sustainable development.

5. APN’s Goals(APN Strategic Plan 2005-2010) • Goal 1: Supporting regional cooperation in global change research on issues particularly relevant to the region • Goal 2: Strengthening appropriate interactions among scientists and policy-makers, and providing scientific input to policy decision making and scientific knowledge to the public • Goal 3: Improving the scientific and technical capabilities of nations in the region • Goal 4: Cooperating with other global change networks and organisations • Goal 5: Facilitating the development of research infrastructure and the transfer of know-how and technology

6. Unique Institutional Framework Governmental Scientific Inter-Governmental Meeting (IGM) Scientific Planning Group (SPG ) Meeting Steering Committee (SC) Secretariat

7. Uniqueness of the APN • Network consisting of both policy-makers and scientists to enhance research • APN decision-making always after thorough discussion among/with scientists • Collective decision-making by all member countries, developed and developing • Collaborative research projects by or with the participation of developing countries • Therefore, enable and encourage research and capacity building/enhancement projects based on both policy needs and scientific gaps

8. Global Change Research Community Scientific CommunityProgrammes Inter-Governmental Networks Earth System Science Partnership DIVERSITAS International Geosphere-Biosphere Programme International Human Dimensions Programme on Global Change Research World Climate Research Programme Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research Asia-Pacific Network for Global Change Research African Network of Earth SystemScience - Global Change Research in Africa Global Change SysTemfor Analysis, Research and Training(START)

9. The APN Agendas • Science • Policy • Institutional

10. Science Agenda (APN Strategic Plan 2005-2010) Key Science Themes • Climate • Ecosystems, Biodiversity and Land Use • Changes in Atmospheric, Terrestrial and Marine Domains • Use of Resources (food, water, energy, materials) and Pathways for Sustainable Development • Crosscutting and Science-Policy Linkages What do we mean by “Global Change”? • The set of natural and human-induced changes in the Earth’s physical and biological systems that, when aggregated, are significant at a global scale • Global Change Research is research regarding global change and its implications for sustainable development in the Asia-Pacific region

11. Science Agenda (APN Strategic Plan 2005-2010) Activities that APN supports • Identification of existing methods and development of new methodologies and tools • Expansion of the area of APN activities and procurement of the necessary resources by playing a leading role in expanding research activities conducted with other bodies in the international community • Strengthening of ties with policy-and decision-making processes and society in general • Encouragement of initiatives from developing countries, especially for place-based integrative research that includes interdisciplinary analyses of the effects and consequences of development pathways and potential coping strategies pertinent to the region • Promotion of science and technology relating to sustainability, by aligning w/ global scientific programmes such as those being coordinated by the ICSU, etc. • Detection of global change, observing, and information gathering for early warning systems, disseminating this information to appropriate end-users, and contributing to the GEOSS

12. Science Agenda (APN Strategic Plan 2005-2010) Theme Distribution 2007-2009 (ARCP) Crosscutting and Science-Policy Linkages (13%) Climate (33%) Use of Resources and Pathways for Sustainable Development (15%) Changes in Atmospheric, Terrestrial and Marine Domains (14%) Ecosystems, Biodiversity and Land Use (24%)

13. Science Agenda (APN Strategic Plan 2005-2010) • Scientific capacity development for sustainable development • Science-policy interfacing • Awareness raising • Dissemination activities CAPaBLE Programme (Scientific Capacity Building and Enhancement for Sustainable Development in Developing Countries) was launched in April 2003 as an initiative to realise parts 107 to 114 of the Plan of Implementation for the World Summit on Sustainable Development (WSSD) and is registered as a WSSD Type II Partnership Initiative. This Programme enhances scientific capacity in developing countries to improve decision-making in focus areas of global change and sustainable development. Emphasis is placed on the following:

14. Science Agenda (APN Strategic Plan 2005-2010) Theme Distribution 2007-2009 (CAPaBLE) Crosscutting and Science-Policy Linkages (22%) Climate (42%) Use of Resources and Pathways for Sustainable Development (14%) Changes in Atmospheric, Terrestrial and Marine Domains (12%) Ecosystems, Biodiversity and Land Use (10%)

15. Policy Agenda (APN Strategic Plan 2005-2010) APN Activities under the this agenda • Supporting researches that identify existing and potential good practices/approaches and options to promote appropriate interactions between science and policy • Making use of its research findings by publishing materials, supporting training activities, and incorporating into APN’s ARCP and other activities • Involving APN national Focal Points by seeking their guidance on best practices and opportunities to promote interactions between science and policy • Cooperating with other institutions and bodies (scientific unions such as ICSU, Secretariat of the UNFCCC) that address or face issues relating to science-policy interactions or holding events in connection with the UNFCCC’s SBSTA, etc.

16. Policy Agenda (APN Strategic Plan 2005-2010) Publications in 2007/2008 The APN produces publications in order to help achieve its goal of “providing scientific input to policy decision-making and scientific knowledge to the public.” • 13th IGM/SPG Meeting Proceedings • APN General Brochure and 2008 Flyer (translated into native languages of APN member countries) • CAPaBLE Phase 1 Brochure • Annual Report 2006/2007 • Project Bulletin, Volume 3 • Newsletter (soft copies only) • Inclusion of the results of the two APN workshops in the publication “The First 100 Steps to GEOSS” as achievements towards the GEOSS 10-Year Implementation Plan • Proceedings of the APN International Seminar on Global Warming and Ecosystem/ Biodiversity Changes: Facing the Challenge of Changing Ecosystems; and • Many other project-related publications

17. Institutional Agenda (APN Strategic Plan 2005-2010) Active involvement of member countries APN has been working hard to strengthen member governments’ sense of ownership, including more effective efforts to determine their policy need and priorities relating to global change. Financial resources Diversifying funding sources is one of APN’s high priority task as many stakeholders feel that more resources are needed for APN to better fulfill its mission. Alignment with the global change community APN will continue to work in partnership with other organisations (DIVERSITAS, IGBP, IHDP, WCRP, ESSP, START, IAI) involved in global change research and policy development to maximise available resources and deliver the best possible result.

18. What lies ahead? • APN will • Evaluate the implementation of the strategies outlined in the APN Strategic Plan 2005-2010 and make improvements, as appropriate to achieve more relevance not only in the Asia-Pacific region but in the whole global change community • Engage more proactively in dialogue with the global change research partners to identify ways to contribute to the achievement of each others’ goals • Seek ways to fulfill its mission more effectively • Consider the scientific and policy trends, emerging research priorities, and other relevant issues for the APN members and its key partners in the planning and formulation of its Third Strategic Plan

19. For more information contact the APN Secretariat: Scientific Affairs: Dr. Linda Stevenson lstevenson@apn-gcr.org Communications: Ms. Perlyn Pulhin ppulhin@apn-gcr.org IHD Centre Bldg, 5th Floor 1-5-1 Wakinohama Kaigan Dori Chuo-ku, Kobe 651-0073,Japan Tel: +81-78-230-8017 Fax: +81-78-230-8018 www.apn-gcr.org Thank you