Science-Policy Interface - 300 Scientists present Results from European Projects on ex-ante Sustainability Impact Assessment

[idw]

International Conference: Impact Assessment of Land Use ChangesFollowing an invitation by the Leibniz-Centre for Agricultural Landscape Research, scientists and expert partners from four large-scale interdisciplinary projects participated at an international conference that took place 07.-09. April 2008 in the Humboldt University Berlin








Some 300 scientists from 120 research institutes in Europe, South America and Asia used the opportunity to present and discuss the methods and models that were developed for ex-ante sustainability impact assessment during the last four years. The interdisciplinary projects bring together experts from various areas of expertise, such as land use, environmental economics, socio-economics and landscape research. The results now show an extremely broad range of data and a wide variety of potential applications, especially in the field of regional development in rural areas. Ex-ante sustainability impact assessment is a steadily growing scientific field that has an increasing relevance in decision making regarding policy frameworks and their impact on landscape and environment.


"The results will help us not only to make politics more transparent, but also to make scientific results more easily available," one of the participants summarised his impressions of the scientific exchange in one of the discussions.


Dr. Katharina Helming, responsible coordinator of the project SENSOR and host of the conference stated: "On the basis of these projects we can provide decision makers with tools that allow a science based assessment of land use policy effects on sustainable development at regional scale. The results are a significant contribution to the implementation of ideas, approaches and innovations in the field of land use. The broad approach used in these projects, the interdisciplinary cooperation and the support of taylor-made computer models make it feasible to anticipate potential impacts on landscapes and to compare alternatives."


The aim of land use policies on the European level is to support regional rural development and social cohesion, and to decouple economic growth from environmental degradation. In order to do so, tools are required that allow an assessment of potential impacts of land use policies on all sectors.


SENSOR is an Integrated Project in the 6th Framework Research Programme of the European Commission, coordinated by the Leibniz-Centre for Agricultural Landscape Research (ZALF) in Müncheberg, Germany. SENSOR and three other projects of the same family - EFORWOOD (forestry wood chain), PLUREL (rural-urban lingages) and SEAMLESS (agriculture) - aim to develop science based tools to support decision making on policies related to land use in European regions.


The Leibniz-Centre for Agricultural Landscape Research (ZALF) e.V. conducts integrated systems analysis of agricultural landscapes for sustainable management of land and water, conservation of natural and cultural resources and sustainable development of rural areas. ZALF is member of the Leibniz Association since 1997.


Weitere Informationen:
- http://For further information pleas...diehl@zalf.de>
- <http://www.sensor-ip.eu>
- <http://www.zalf.de>

Quelle: idw