Successfully concluded the 2007 Marie Curie European Summer School on Earth System Governance
The 2007 summer school focused on broadening and deepening the understanding of young European social scientists of the theories, methods and tools that social scientists can use within the larger endeavour of earth system analysis. The summer school aimed at bringing together sociology, political science and international law with the current models of earth system analysis. Out of more than 250 applicants 39 participants where chosen, representing 16 different nationalities.
Specific topics that were covered include: Earth System Governance as an integrative approach; International Relations and International Law perspectives on Global Change; Case studies on Climate and Water Governance, including aspects of spatial planning; Scenarios and modelling within the larger sustainability debate.
The programme consisted of three distinct phases. First, the students participated in the 2007 Conference on the Human Dimensions of Global Environmental Change, bringing together more than 350 participants to discuss theories and strategies for sustainability under the heading of Earth System Governance. A number of summer school participants presented their research in the conference panels.
The second programme phase consisted of a master class coordinated by Lorraine Elliott, Peter Haas and Lennart Olsson. Within this two-day event, summer school students had the opportunity to present and discuss their current work with the international resource persons and thus engage in close interaction with leading scholars in the field. The master class closed with a round-table on career opportunities within the area of sustainability research.
