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| WHAT IS APN? |
| WHAT IS GLOBAL CHANGE RESEARCH? There are a number
of long-term environmental changes taking place on earth. Many
of these changes are influenced by human activities and, in
response, they affect the quality of human life. Examples
include climate change and changes in the way land is used, such
as deforestation or urbanisation. The attempt to understand the
cause, extent and effect of these worldwide envionmental changes
is called global change reseatch. Global change cuts across
national boundaries. Therefore, the cooperation and
collaboration of all countries is important to conduct the
research necessary to understand its causes and impacts. |
| THE ROLE OF THE APN The Asia-Pacific
Network for Global Change Research (APN) is an intergovernmental
network whose mission is to foster global change research in the
Asia-Pacific region, increase developing country participation
in that research, and strengthen interactions between the
science community and policy makers. The APN
believes that international cooperation among governments and
scientists will help increase the understanding of the complex
mechanisms and impacts of global change on ecosysterns and human
society in the Asia-Pacific region. This is necessary to
identify and address the problems that may arise from that
change. By assembling researchers and policy
makers from different countries in the region to work together,
the APN seeks to address those issues which are relevant
throughout Asia rind the Pacific. |
| ACTIVITIES In order to achieve its goals the APN
conducts a number of different activities that include:
- supporting collaborative research and training activities;
- organising scoping workshops to develop new research
projects;
- disseminating global change information to scientists and
policy makers; and
- providing opportunities for scientists and policy makers
to discuss regional research priorities and other global
change issues.
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| RESEARCH FRAMEWORK The APN’s main areas of
scientific interest are set out above. The primary concern of
the APN is to provide an input to policymaking through the
integration of the natural and social sciences. Accordingly,
understanding the human dimensions of global change is at the
heart of the APN’s concerns. The APN has sponsored research and
capacity building activities in areas such as:
- Agricultural systems and water resources
- Atmospheric aerosols
- Land use and cover change
- Marine and coastal zones
- Regional climate modelling
- Urbanisation
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| PARTNERSHIP APPROACH The APN- believes that working in
partnership with other organisations involved in global change
research is essential to maximise the resources available and to
deliver the best possible results. In particular, the APN
cooperates closely with the global change SysTem for Analysis
Research, and Training (START), the International Geosphere-
Biosfere Programme (IGBP), the International Human Dimepsions
Programme on Global Environmental Change (IHDP), the World
Climate Research Programme (WCRP), and DIVERSITAS. |
| APN GOALS The specific goals of the APN include, but are not
limited to:
- supporting regional cooperation in global change
research on issues particularly relevant to the region;
- strengthening the interactions among scientists and policy
makers, and providing a scientific input to policy decision-
making and scientific knowledge to the public;
- improving the
scientific and technical capabilities of nations in the region;
- facilitating the standardisation, collection, analysis and
exchange of scientific data and information relating to global
change research;
- cooperating with other global change networks and
organisations; and
- facilitating the development of research infrastructure
and the transfer of know-how and technology.
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| FURTHER INFORMATION Anyone interested
in establishing closer contact with the APN or who would like
further information on APN funding and other activities should
contact the Secretariat. APN Secretariat
IHD Centre Building, 5th Floor 1-5-1 Wakinohama
Kaigan Dori Chuo-Ku, Kobe 651-0073 Japan Tel:
+81-78-230-8017 Fax: +81-78-230-8018
E-mail: info@apn-gcr.org
Website: http://www.apn-gcr.org The APN employs Liaison
Officers in Bangkok, Beijing, New Delhi and Suva to act as
regional representatives and to coordinate the flow of global
change information. Liaison Officers are based in START regional
research centres. For the name and address of your regional
Liaison Officer please contact the APN Secretariat or access the
APN web site. |
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