WITH THE DRIVING force of global climate change, a need emerged for a mechanism of international cooperation. In response to this need, the International Council of Scientific Unions (ICSU) appointed a committee for planning and implementation. In 1987, the International Geosphere-Biosphere Program (IGBP) was formed, and, in 1989, found headquarters at the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences in Stockholm, Sweden. The scope of IGBP's mission is to study the dynamics of Earth s biological, chemical, and physical processes, and climate changes, along with the impact of human actions on Earth systems, and Earth systems on human society. By bringing together the wide range of academic and social disciplines on an international level, IGBP ensures a better understanding of the forces shaping the future. By integrating ...