Challenge

The Belmont Challenge

Since its creation, the Belmont Forum has developed a funders' vision for the priority knowledge and capabilities derived from environmental research that society needs, and the underpinning research challenges over the next decade to deliver them.

These are described in a White Paper, and encapsulated as 'the Belmont Challenge':

To deliver knowledge needed for action to avoid and adapt to detrimental environmental change including extreme hazardous events.


This requires: 

  •  Assessments of risks, impacts and vulnerabilities, through regional and decadal-scale analysis and prediction 
  • Information on the state of the environment, through advanced observing systems 
  • Interaction of natural and social sciences 
  • Enhanced environmental information service providers to users 
  • Effective international coordination mechanisms


With priority foci being: 

  • Coastal vulnerability 
  • Freshwater Security 
  • Ecosystem Services 
  • Carbon Budgets 
  • Most vulnerable societies


Importantly, these challenges will be integrated into a seamless, global Earth System Analysis and Prediction System (ESAPS), which will provide decision-makers with a holistic decision support system.