|
ESF-Africa Frontier Research Conference |
|
|
|
|
Written by Erik van den Elsen
|
 Dynamic Interlinkages between Social and Ecosystem Changes: Towards a Europe Africa Partnership
8-12 November 2010
Hotel Golden Tulip de Beyaerd, Hulshort, The Netherlands
Human wellbeing and the Earth system on which it depends are in transition involving complex dynamic interactions and feedbacks. Global changes include profound alterations of ecosystems and the services they provide to humanity. Drivers of environmental change are likely to intensify as human population grows and consumption expands. Some of the changes to the Earth system have improved access for millions of people to food, water, and other services satisfying basic human needs. On the other hand, unintended consequences from these changes threaten food security, energy security, human health, livelihoods and other aspects of our wellbeing. Deeper understanding and awareness of these changes and the underlying social-ecological systems’ interactions enhances our capacity for remedial and corrective action and offers hope of effective response. The challenge of sustainable development is to grasp this opportunity and transform social-ecological systems to provide food, water, energy, health and human security in a manner that is economically, ecologically and socially viable for people in all parts of the world in the current timeframe, and for many generations in the future.
more information:
website: click HERE
conference flyer: click HERE
|
Fragile arid and semi-arid ecosystems are in urgent need of integrated
conservation approaches that can prevent and reduce widespread degradation.
