The Environment and Climate programme: Information brochure
The European Commission, DG XII, has published a general information brochure on its "Environment and Climate" programme, one of the specific programmes of the Community's Fourth Framework Programme. The brochure provides a general introduction to the programme covering programme structure, objectives, funding and rules of participation. It also gives examples of research activities funded in this area. The research activities funded under the Environment and Climate programme are aimed at: - Observing and understanding how different environmental sectors function and interact; - Identifying and assessing the impact of human activities on these systems and vice versa. The various research topics covered include: - Natural environment, quality and global change, to further our understanding of both planetary and regional climatic systems, including the impact of climate change on natural resources and research on physics and chemistry of the atmosphere, biosphere processes and their effects; - The human dimensions of environmental change, investigating the interaction between social behaviour, economic development and environmental change, to establish a sound basis of knowledge for Community policy and activities in the field of sustainable development; - Space technology applied to environmental monitoring and research, to improve the Community's scientific and technical expertise in the field of earth observation, including research into methods, pilot projects, R&D on advanced sensor technologies and activities related to the Centre for Earth Observation; - Technologies for the environment, to develop and improve methods of monitoring and protecting the environment, as well as technologies for forecasting, preventing and limiting natural disasters.