2. What are the major research priorities for the LAC region? 1) ICSU ROLAC has four Priority Areas: 1 Biodiversity, 2 Sustainable Energy, 3 Natural Hazards, 4) Mathematics Education These issues we are already working on. What can we do to integrate this into Future Earth? 2) Against setting research priorities – not talk about research topics but talk about how to address these themes. 3) Need to look for cross-cutting lines rather than at individual research interest. 4) Environmental history might define the research needs. 5) Equity in adaptation and mitigation, question of people 6) Science of complexity (complex systems) 7) What are the obstacles for implementing scientific results? 8) Items suggested by the Alliance are considered to be wide enough to represent the needs of LAC.

3. Given the framework presented, how could Future Earth add to existing research priorities? - As far as FE is considered a mobiliser of institutional transformation. Need to transform the way we do science. Challenge epistomological grounds. How to operationalise the human dimension in the Earth Sciences? Not a good understanding of interactions between humans and the environment. Need to find new ways of understanding this feedback in multiple dimensions and a dynamic way. FE conceptual framework focuses on the links between humans and the environment. Skeptical on list of priorities. Two kinds of global perspectives, one related to globalization (social sciences) and GEC (natural scientists). Stress of importance of the local. Skeptical on how global institutions might add value to resolving local problems. Global initiative might be able to link local problems with global organizations.

Cont. Address local problems in a global context. How to operationalise exchange between local needs and global approaches? Need to include powerless stakeholders in the process. There should be many de-centralised mechanisms, open to support small-scale initiatives. Study the history of pathways, why do they result in different situations? What might be different pathways for the future? Problem of evaluation of the work of a scientist. In the framework of FE, work in the communities and on communication can be valued by involvement in a global initiative. Need for people to pass from passive people to actors. Human resources, FE can contribute to increase the number of people with expertise to solve a particular problem. Knowledge interfaces, different rationales meet. Case studies might be a methodology. Attributes of FE, encouraging the space for co-design of research and for bringing the different scientific disciplines together. Local vs. global – wrong division, they drive each other.

4. and 5. What kind of research and outreach activities would you like to see conducted within Future Earth? Communication, distribution Website Democratization of knowledge, currently large privatization of knowledge. Role for FE - For whom are we producing knowledge. ICSU’s charter is very clear on this. ICSU will not support science, which is not publicly accessible. Future Earth can make sure that science is reliable. Open-access vs. publicly available information. Availability of data is essential. Need to promote data availability. Outreach is fundamental. Main problem is scientific illiteracy. Science education is needed. Need to provide data to stakeholders to be informed. LAC region needs interdisciplinary interaction, in addition to disciplinary training. Future Earth might increase fertilization between disciplines. “Interdisciplinary” has become an overused word.

1. What would success look like for Future Earth in the LAC region 1. What would success look like for Future Earth in the LAC region? What would success indicators be? Success would be to manage a good outreach program. What does it need to do? Get in touch with what exists already. Need to reach out to and impact on society. Outreach might not work in the region as it works in other regions. Multi-lingual program needed, culturally different. Success: Integration of social and natural sciences (integrated themes) Need for macro-economic thinkers on the environment. Challenge to have some signals to start thinking in another way. Need in LAC. Not only economics, general in the social sciences. Often they think in poverty, not in the environment. Success-indicators: Should not be pinned down directly but categories should be considered, institutional change, legal change, information change, etc. In 10 years, there should be a network of environmental observation, which will help to provide the right answers to problems. Help the social and natural science community to work together.