BECC Grand Challenges
Grand Challenges are issues where gaps in scientific understanding constrain the ability to make informed decisions on issues of pressing concern for the well-being of people and the environment, in a world affected by continued global change. BECC focuses on three Grand Challenges connected to effects of anthropogenic emissions, climate change and land-use on ecosystems and biodiversity.
BECC revolves around three Grand Challenges that must be tackled to find solutions to the combined consequences of anthropogenic emissions, land-use and climate change on biodiversity and ecosystem services. Our researchers develop and bridge together theories and methods from different disciplines - biology, economics, environmental science, geology, political science, and physical geography. The Grand Challenges are:
- The carbon cycle response to anthropogenic and biophysical drivers
- Effective and biologically meaningful biodiversity conservation strategies across scales under global change
- Integration of different private and public values of ecosystem services into environmental policies and management, while accounting for the projected impacts of climate, land-use and other drivers of change
Under this umbrella, BECC is organized in Research Themes. Each theme focus on an overarching issue of scientific importance, in need of scientific coordination, with high relevance to decision making and with potentially high impact on international research.
The Themes function as platforms for intellectual exchange and mutual learning, where researchers meet and develop ideas for new collaborations, research projects, networking, outreach and dissemination activities. To utilize the full potential of the wide range of experience and expertise represented within BECC, Themes cut across disciplines, departments as well as Lund and Gothenburg universities.
Current Research Themes
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Biodiversity under Global Change
Theme leader: Maj Rundlöf (Lund University/Department of Biology)
Maj Rundlöf – portal.research.lu.se -
Carbon cycle & Climate change – 4C
Theme leader: Edith Hammer (Lund University/Department of Biology)
Edith Hammer – portal.research.lu.se -
Ecosystem Services under Global Change
Theme leader: Cecilia Akselsson (Lund University/Department of Physical Geography & Ecosystem Science)
Cecilia Akselsson – portal.research.lu.se