Conference: Global Land Programme's 5th Open Science Meeting: Pathways to Sustainable and Just Land Systems

The Global Land Programme (GLP) is a worldwide group of researchers working together to promote sustainable development by studying how we use land. This NSF-funded project aims to strengthen U.S. leadership and diversity in land systems science (LSS). Focusing on the GLP Open Science Meeting (OSM) this initiative engages early career scholars from diverse and underrepresented backgrounds, particularly from historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs), Hispanic-serving institutions, and Tribal colleges. This effort is vital for developing a new generation of diverse U.S. scientists equipped to address pressing global challenges related to land use, sustainability, and climate change. The Global Land Programme advances research and scholarship at the forefront of land systems science. This project explores the current state of land systems and identifies ways to use land more sustainably. By analyzing high-resolution spatial and temporal data, developing advanced models, and integrating human activity into Earth system models, the project fosters collaborative science to improve understanding of the ways land is used across the world and how these different uses affect the environment and communities. This is important for the U.S. because it ensures that the nation leads in finding solutions to global land use challenges, directly impacting national security, economic stability, and environmental health. By fostering interdisciplinary collaboration and building the capacity of early career researchers, this project will generate innovative solutions and contribute to global efforts in climate change mitigation, biodiversity conservation, and sustainable development, ultimately benefiting societies worldwide. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.