The International Expert Group on Earth System Preservation is a global network of

scientists A scientist is a person who conducts scientific research to advance knowledge in an area of the natural sciences. In classical antiquity, there was no real ancient analog of a modern scientist. Instead, philosophers engaged in the philosophi ...

, engineers, entrepreneurs, and political administrators. IESP's public goal is to contribute to the further development and practical application of the concept of

Earth system science Earth system science (ESS) is the application of systems science to the Earth. In particular, it considers interactions and 'feedbacks', through material and energy fluxes, between the Earth's sub-systems' cycles, processes and "spheres"—atmos ...

and

sustainability Specific definitions of sustainability are difficult to agree on and have varied in the literature and over time. The concept of sustainability can be used to guide decisions at the global, national, and individual levels (e.g. sustainable livin ...

Activities

IESP organizes thematic-based conferences, workshops, seminars, lectures, and publications. It serves as a liaison between experts, decision-makers, and the public to promote a mutually, beneficial exchange of concerns and knowledge, and to provide scientifically sound recommendations for action. Its activities support policy debates by providing a platform for reflection on the sustainable development of economic and societal systems in mutual relation to terrestrial and aquatic

ecosystem An ecosystem (or ecological system) consists of all the organisms and the physical environment with which they interact. These biotic and abiotic components are linked together through nutrient cycles and energy flows. Energy enters the syst ...

s. IESP aims to take responsibility for human impacts on the earth system, fostering the resilience of societies, economies, and ecosystems. It searches for

holistic Holism () is the idea that various systems (e.g. physical, biological, social) should be viewed as wholes, not merely as a collection of parts. The term "holism" was coined by Jan Smuts in his 1926 book '' Holism and Evolution''."holism, n." OED O ...

and

sustainable Specific definitions of sustainability are difficult to agree on and have varied in the literature and over time. The concept of sustainability can be used to guide decisions at the global, national, and individual levels (e.g. sustainable livin ...

methods that counteract threatening shortcomings in energy, water, and food supply, medical services and education. IESP's working definition for the earth system is the considered sum of the planet’s interacting physical, chemical, biotic and societal processes.

History

In 2002, the Institute of Advanced Studies on Sustainability (IoS) was founded as a center of excellence in the field of

environmental sciences Environmental science is an interdisciplinary academic field that integrates physics, biology, and geography (including ecology, chemistry, plant science, zoology, mineralogy, oceanography, limnology, soil science, geology and physical geog ...

and

technology Technology is the application of knowledge to reach practical goals in a specifiable and reproducible way. The word ''technology'' may also mean the product of such an endeavor. The use of technology is widely prevalent in medicine, scie ...

of the

European Academy of Sciences and Arts The European Academy of Sciences and Arts (EASA, la, Academia Scientiarum et Artium Europaea) is a transnational and interdisciplinary network, connecting about 2,000 recommended scientists and artists worldwide, including 37 Nobel Prize laur ...

(EASA). It is a registered

non-profit organization A nonprofit organization (NPO) or non-profit organisation, also known as a non-business entity, not-for-profit organization, or nonprofit institution, is a legal entity organized and operated for a collective, public or social benefit, in co ...

at the magistrate court of the City of

Munich, Germany Munich ( ; german: München ; bar, Minga ) is the capital and most populous city of the German state of Bavaria. With a population of 1,558,395 inhabitants as of 31 July 2020, it is the third-largest city in Germany, after Berlin and ...

. Following the workshop “The Art of Dealing Wisely with the Planet Earth,” IoS established the International Expert Group on the Preservation of the Functionality of the Earth System as part of its activities in 2008. Discussions are summarized in the Zugspitze Declaration.http://www.iesp.de/fileadmin/material_ias/News/Declaration_Earth-System-Engineering_eng_080926.pdf Since then, IESP is associated with the Institute of Advanced Study (IAS) of the Technical University Munich (TUM) in

Garching Garching bei München (''Garching near Munich'') or Garching is a town in Bavaria, Germany, near Munich. It is the home of several research institutes and university departments on its campus. It became a city on 14 September 1990. Location The ...

. During the general assembly on October 6, 2015, the IoS changed its name to “IESP - Institute for Earth System Preservation,” which became the "IESP e.V. International Expert Group on Earth System Preservation."

Organization

IESP is a registered nonprofit association and a collaborating institute of the

(EASA). An elected executive board legally represents IESP, its general assembly functions as the decision-making body, its members are from the European Union, US, China, and Russia. The IESP executive board is formed by Dr. Martin Steger, Prof. Dr. Jörg E. Drewes, Prof. Dr. Michael von Hauff, Prof. Dr. Wolfram Mauser, Prof. Dr. Klaus Mainzer (ex officio) and founding chairman Prof. Dr. Peter A. Poacher. Even though IESP is registered as a nonprofit association, IESP contributes actively to current public debates and policy making by providing an independent platform for intellectual exchange and influencing political decisions.

References

{{reflist Earth system sciences Sustainability organizations