International News

START 2009/2010 Call for Proposals for Environmental Change Research in Africa

START, the global change SysTem for Analysis, Research and Training is pleased to announce a Call for Proposals for research and assessments of global environmental change (GEC) in Africa in the context of the Joint Projects of theEarth System Science Partnership (ESSP). Proposals must be relevant to one or more of the following four ESSP Joint Projects:

· Global Carbon Project

· Global Environmental Change and Food Systems

· Global Water System Project

· Global Environmental Change and Human Health

The proposed activities must also:

· consider issues of changing ecosystem goods and services in relation to sustainable livelihoods and development;

· explictly address local, sub-regional and regional scale; and

· foster inter-disciplinary collaboration among natural sciences and social sciences.

The Science Plans developed by the African scientific community (AFRICANness Science Plan, ICSU Regional Office for Africa) form the basis of this Call for Proposals. The funding for these awards is drawn from a grant from the US Global Change Research Program. Therefore, proposals should also address the US Climate Change Science Program goal: “Understanding the sensitivity and adaptability of different natural and managed ecosystems and human systems to climate and related global changes.”

Due date for proposals: 30 August 2009

Download a copy of the full call for proposals here.

Download a copy of the 2010 Application form here.

Inquiries:

Charles S. Kauffman, This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

International START Secretariat

2000 Florida Ave. NW, Suite 200

Washington, DC 20009 USA

Tel: +-202-462-2213, Fax: +-202-457-5859

CGIAR Challenge Program on Climate Change, Agriculture and Food Security (CCAFS)

The Earth System Science Partnership (ESSP) and the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR) are launching a new collaborative research partnership focused on "Climate Change, Agriculture and Food Security (CCAFS)."

CCAFS has been jointly developed by the global environmental change research community (under the auspices of ESSP) and the CGIAR, and offers an unprecedented opportunity for GEC researchers to engage in collaborative work on this very important topic. The three regions that have been selected for initial research are the Indo-Gangetic Plain, Eastern Africa and Western Africa.

The goals of the program are to:

"• Overcome critical gaps in knowledge of how to enhance - and manage the tradeoffs between - food security, livelihood and environmental goals in the face of a changing climate.

• Develop and evaluate options for adapting to a changing climate to inform agricultural development, food security policy and donor investment strategies.

• Assist farmers, policy makers, researchers and donors to continually monitor, assess and adjust their actions in response to a changing climate (quoted from the ESSP CCAFS page)."

CCAF is currently seeking expressions of interest from global environmental change research community. To find out more about the program, please visit the ESSP CCAFS page. You may also register your interest by visiting that page or by direct link to the Google spreadsheets page for this activity.

Asia Pacific Network for Global Change Research (APN) 2009 Call for Proposals

The APN is inviting proposals under two separate programmes the Annual Regional Call for Proposals and Scientific Capacity Building/Enhancement for Sustainable Development (CAPaBLE) for funding from April 2010. The APN is able to provide a limited amount of financial support for research and capacity development activities that fall within its areas of interest.

For further information on these Calls and to view the guidelines for application.

Please note important deadlines for the proposal process:

Advisory Service (Voluntary). Submission of Letter of Intent: Friday, 3 July 2009, midnight (24:00) ˆ Japanese Standard Tim

Stage 1. Submission of Summary Proposal (Compulsory): Friday, 14 August 2009, midnight (24:00) ˆ Japanese Standard Time

Stage 2. Submission of Full Proposal by the Successful Stage 1 Proponents (Compulsory & by Invitation Only): Friday, 16 October 2009, midnight (24:00) ˆ Japanese Standard Time

For queries on the 2009 Calls for Proposals, please contact the APN Secretariat:

Dr. Linda Stevenson

Scientific Officer

APN Secretariat, IHD Centre Building 5F

1-5-1 Wakinohama Kaigan Dori, Chuo-Ku

Kobe 651-0073, JAPAN

Tel: +81-78-230-8017

Fax: +81-78-230-8018

Email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Ms. Kristine Garcia

Coordinator

APN Secretariat, IHD Centre Building 5F