The Institute for Earth System Preservation (IESP) is a global network of scientists, engineers, entrepreneurs and administrators. The institute is registered as a nonprofit association headquartered in Munich, Germany. It is treated as an institution of the European Academy of Sciences and Arts.
Contents
The purpose of IESP is to contribute to advances in Earth system science through 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 ecosystems. IESP works with organizational staff located on the campus of the Technical University Munich´s Institute for Advanced Study in Garching, Germany.
Focal Area and Methods
IESP is thematically focused on advances in Earth system science. In this context the Earth system is considered as the sum of the planet´s interacting physical, chemical, biotic and societal processes. The atmosphere, hydroshere and cryosphere are parts of the Earth system as well as the grand natural cycles (carbon cycle, nitrogen cycle, phosphorus cycle and sulfur cycle) including the water cycle. All living organisms, humans included, and their activities are also an integral part of the Earth system. The growing human population is changing the interaction of the system´s components and dynamics. Therefore, one of the most important questions to be addressed by the members of IESP is how to maintain the resilience of the Earth system with respect to the grand living conditions on our planet. Answers presented to decision makers of economic and political institutions and to the general public are extracted from the discurse during workshops following the Dahlem Konferenzen concept (http:// www.fu-berlin.de/sites/dahlemkonferenzen/index.html),
History
The IESP was founded in 2008 at a workshop entitled “Earth System Engineering: The Art of Dealing Wisely with the Planet Earth”, held at the conference centre in Wildbad-Kreuth, Germany. The discussions were summarized in the Zugspitze Declaration. With respect to the increase of environmental degradation, the gathered experts saw the need to compose a specialist group for providing beneficial exchange on Earth system sciences and engineering between professionals from different fields. In 2015, IESP merged with the former Institute for Advanced Studies on Sustainability, and was subsequently registered as a nonprofit association at Munich, Germany.
Funding
IESP is supported by the Bavarian State Ministry of the Environment and Consumer Safety. In addition, IESP is also supported by the Institute for Advanced Study, Technical University Munich,Germany.
Partners
IESP is a cooperative partner of the following institutions:
Club of Rome EU Chapter
Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences (CRAES)
European Academy of Sciences and Arts
European Water Partnership (EWP)
Institute for Advanced Study, Technical University Munich