Headline: News 2014

<p>The inaugural <strong><a href="http://ce-conference.org/" target="_blank">Climate Engineering Conference 2014 (CEC14): Critical Global Discussions</a></strong>, to be held in Berlin from August 18^th-21^st 2014, is now open for general registration. We invite all prospective participants to <strong>register</strong>, as well as find an application for <strong>funding support</strong>, <a href="http://ce-conference.org/registration-and-funding-applications" target="_blank">here</a>.</p>

<p>We have the pleasure to announce the <strong>call for applications</strong> for the <a href="http://www.potsdam-summer-school.org" target="_blank"><strong>first Potsdam Summer School</strong></a> on the <strong>“Arctic in the Anthropocene”</strong> in partnership with the <a href="http://www.potsdam.de/cms/ziel/26670/EN/" target="_blank">City of Potsdam</a>, the <a href="http://www.awi.de/en/home/" target="_blank">Alfred Wegener Institute, Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research (AWI)</a>, the <a href="http://www.gfz-potsdam.de/en/home/" target="_blank">Helmholtz Centre P</a></p>

The growing deployment of renewable energy sources (RES) will have to be accompanied by a significant expansion of the electricity grids. The places where the generation of energy from wind, solar or hydro would be most economically competitive are often located in remote areas (offshore wind for example), distant from the densely populated zones where the energy is needed. Furthermore, grid extensions increase the system’s flexibility, thereby facilitating the integration of rising shares of variable RES.

<p>In presence of the EU Ministers of the Environment IASS Executive Director Klaus Töpfer opened the European <a href="http://ec.europa.eu/environment/marine/hope-conference/" target="_blank">HOPE conference - <strong><em>H</em></strong><em>ealthy <strong>O</strong>ceans – <strong>P</strong>roductive <strong>E</strong>cosystems</em></a> - taking place in Brussels from 3-4 March.</p>

<p>Understanding the processes driving global and climate change can only be improved by looking at the Earth system as a whole. The scope of this task, however, is larger than what can be achieved by any single institute. Therefore, the Max Planck Institutes for Biogeochemistry (Jena), Chemistry (Mainz) and Meteorology (Hamburg) launched the <a href="http://www.earthsystem.de/index.php?id=23&amp;L=2" target="_blank">Earth System Research Partnership (ESRP)</a> which the IASS has joined in early 2014.</p>

<p>Modern society faces huge challenges associated with climate change that require a fundamental re-thinking in economy, policy and science. Especially adaptation to these consequences becomes more and more important in addition to the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions.</p>

<p>Rio+20, the 2012 United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development, has made clear that the international community is at a turning point in the protection of the oceans. More than 40% of the oceans are already considered highly influenced by human activities. Scientific evidence abounds that fish stocks are fished well beyond sustainable levels. A positive shift in our interactions with the oceans must therefore be a cornerstone of sustainable development.</p>

<p><em>Our climate is changing. The earth is warming up as a result of greenhouse gases emitted by humans. With serious implications: sea levels are rising, deserts are expanding, and extreme weather events may become more frequent. We can still prevent some of the consequences by reducing our emissions. But we will also have to adapt to some changes that can no longer be prevented. Reducing emissions and adapting to changes require considerable effort. Would climate engineering (CE), a deliberate and large-scale intervention in the climate, be an easier option against global warming?</em></p>

<p>67 percent of Africa’s land is subject to degradation: Due to erosion and desertification soils lose their fertility. This results in reduced crop yields and threatens food security and economic development. Poor rural populations are particularly affected as they largely depend on the land for their livelihoods. Climate change is expected to further increase their vulnerability. But how can land degradation be mitigated or reversed? How can livelihoods of the rural poor be improved?</p>