SUMMER SCHOOL
The concepts and methods in the science of the sustainable development goals(STGs), a Mediterranean perspective
Mediterranean Earth Systems Analysis Network (MESAN)
The Mediterranean Basin benefits from a rich natural and cultural heritage with a very diverse and multifunctional landscape. However, this diversity hotspot is also vulnerable to numerous pressures (climate change, habitat loss and fragmentation, pollution, resource overexploitation…),whichpose importantrisks for the development of this region and the well-being of the population. Right now, our soils, freshwater, sea, forests and biodiversity are being rapidly degraded.
In this context, the Mediterranean Earth Systems Analysis Network (MESAN) proposes the summerschool onhow land and marine ecosystems can contribute to a sustainable development dynamic of the Mediterranean societies, more specifically on the concepts underlyingthis dynamic and the methodology to develop these studies. TheSustainable Development Goals (SDGs),which is a set of seventeen aspirational "Global Goals" formulated by the United Nations ( an interesting and widely acceptedframework to identifythe barriers, threats to and opportunities arising from the environmental issues of the Mediterranean ecosystems. These are directly related to sustainable development goals related to water (SDG 6), food (SDG 2), health (SDG 3), conservation/restoration (SDG 14,15)and climate action (SDG 13). However, it is not possible to take full account these goals without integrating more general goals such those related to poverty (SDG 1), inequalities/justice (SDG 5, 10, 16), education (SDG 4), sustainable economic, industrialization, infrastructure building (SDG 8, 9, 11) and global partnership (SDG 17).
The SDG framework poses a number of conceptual as well as implementation challenges that will require enhancing the close collaboration between the policy and scientificcommunities and other stakeholders. Global research initiatives such as FutureEarth aim to mobilize scientists to collaborate tackle these issues in partnership withpolicy-makers and stakeholders, and more broadly to provide the knowledge needed tosupport transformations towards sustainable development. A number of methodological and conceptual issues are common to all these SDGs:
-how to build truly interdisciplinary research,
-how to use scientific results to help decision makers (observation systems, database development, modeling),
-impact analyses, projections and error propagation through the chained compartments of the systems,
-how to communicate to the general publicin an uncertain context,
-how to tend towards the 2015 Paris Agreement for climate change without disadvantaging other actions against poverty, inequalities …,
-transfer of scales, from global problems to local impacts, global and local solutions,
-how to build indicators to measure implementation of SDG's,
-how to analyse the impact on migration of drought and of changing sea level,
-etc…(the topics above are examples of issues that may be treated).
PRACTICAL ISSUES
This summer school will be the first in a series of annual events for high-level young scientists (PhD students and postdocs). There will be about 25-30 participants, with 10 places reserved for scientists from the southern and eastern Mediterranean. The duration will be of about one week. The objective is to attract students from different fields interested in sustainable development in the Mediterranean and willing to work on the interdisciplinary issues. Special attention will be given to collaborative work in order to facilitate the creation of lasting links between next-generation scientists. The school will be basedonhigh-level lectures, practical exercise sessions, and field trips.
Cost : depending on the location (probably about 50-60 k€); funding applications will be submitted.
Possible venues:Seolane (French Alps), because of the Aix-Marseille University linked infrastructure and reasonable cost; Peyresq (Alpes de Haute Provence) where an annual summer school is organized by the ALTER-Net network on biodiversity and ecosystem services; Laxenburg (Austria), in the headquarters of IIASA; Venice, with the help of FEEM/CMCC; or the CNRS centre ofCargèse, in Corsica.
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