What land is used for is a major piece of the sustainability puzzle. Agriculture for instance is a part of the problem but also a pivotal part of the solution to mitigate climate change, if managed smartly. Land is a scarce resource – it is needed to produce food for a growing world population, while at the same time forests and peatlands need to be preserved so they can fulfill their role in the earth system. Understanding multiple ecosystem services helps to understand the trade-offs involved in land-use and land-use change. In many cases it is a matter of “how” – how farmers contribute to and suffer from climate change and what can be done about it; how forests are used and protected; how freshwater is managed.
News
News
Climate change could become the most important driver of biodiversity loss by mid-century
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News
PIK research among most cited papers in policy documents worldwide
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Press Release
Food matters: Healthy diets increase the economic and physical feasibility of 1.5°C
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Press Release
From knowledge to action: "10 Must Knows" as a guide to preserving biodiversity
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News
Transforming energy, land use, production and consumption to safeguard Global Commons
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News
Earth’s freshwater cycle out of stable state
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News
Citizens' Assembly on nutrition recommends steps towards a more sustainable diet
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News
Increasing nitrogen fertilization could pollute rivers and worsen water scarcity
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Press Release
Transforming food systems could create multi-trillion dollars of economic benefits every year
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People
Deputy Head of Research Department
Working Group Leader
Working Group Leader
Deputy Head of Research Department
Senior Scientist
Working Group Leader
Working Group Leader
Working Group Leader
Head of Research Department
Global Commons
Land Use
Sustainable Development
Biodiversity
Transfer (Knowledge/Technology)
Climate Policy
Nonlinear Data Analysis
1.5/2°C limit
Global
copan:CORE
Germany
Europe
LPJmL
Ecosystems
Tipping Elements
CO2 Removal
RD1 - Earth System Analysis
Policy advice
Atmosphere
POEM
Planetary Boundaries
Working Group Leader
Senior Scientist
Senior Scientist
Biodiversity
Potsdam scientists coordinate the Leibniz Research Network Biodiversity which published "10 Must-Knows from Biodiversity Science".