ESF and climate change research: European Science Foundation

Sub navigation

ESF and climate change research

ESF is spearheading a number of research initiatives related to climate change and through its various instruments it supports research on virtually every facet of climate change.

EUROCORES

In the frame of the EUROCORES scheme, ESF is running several programmes aimed both at past and current climate change and at its impact on other parts of Earth’s physical and biological systems. EuroMARC, through the project CHECREEF, is looking at fossil coral reef cores to track climate change. Read more about Gilbert Camoin and his Tahiti expedition.

The goal of the EuroDIVERSITY programme is to unravel the mechanisms of biodiversity changes and their impact on ecosystem. The BOREAS programme analyses how climate change impacts the human population in the circumpolar North.

Scientists involved in the TopoEurope programme investigate - among others - the mechanisms for the coupling of climate and tectonics across Europe and the consequent topographic changes. Part of the programme also strives to refine sea level estimations.

EuroCLIMATE, a programme focused entirely on climate change, aims both at reconstructing past climates using different well-dated and calibrated proxy records and at modelling climate and climate variations for a better understanding of the underlying physical, chemical and biological processes involved (for example biomineralisation and biocrystallisaton). Vernadsky Medal winner Jaap Sinninghe Damste, Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research, is involved in several EUROCORES programmes including the EuroCLIMATE project CHALLACEA. Read more about how he uses biomarkers to understand climate change.

EUROCORES home page

RESEARCH NETWORKING PROGRAMMES

ESF’s Research Networking Programmes (RNPs) help to coordinate and promote research on the response of terrestrial ecosystems to climate change (CLIMMANI programme); on past and future Mediterranean climate (MedCLIVAR programme) and on atmospheric chemistry (INTROP). ESF also coordinated the research project on ice coring EPICA which was awarded the Descartes Prize in 2007.

ESF’s Research Networking Programmes home page

: Iceberg Lancaster Sound. Photo: H. Oerter.

EUROPEAN POLAR BOARD
MARINE BOARD

ESF’s Polar Board and Marine Board also support and organise scientific efforts in the field of climate change. The European Polar Board is coordinating the FP7 programme ERICON whose main objective is the development of the first European research vessel for the Arctic that will enable scientists to conduct more intense and more profound research in the Arctic, one of the regions most vulnerable to climate change. The Marine Board, an independent advisory body, issued a statement recommending several marine science areas related to climate change where further research is essential.

European Polar Board home page
Marine Board home page

WORKSHOPS AND CONFERENCES

To facilitate collaboration and communication among climate change scientists, ESF regularly organizes research conferences and exploratory workshops that foster the mutual cooperation across various disciplines related to climate change.

ESF Research Conference home page

Past conferences: