Specific fields of ALW policy

Geodynamics and Geohazards
The key objective of this research area is to understand and quantify the fundamental processes that determine topography, and the impact of changes in topography, in space (regional and global), and in time on both the human and the geological time scales. Topography is a very sensitive sensor of both subsurface and surface processes including climate and human actions. Research will be along three main lines:

• structure and geodynamics of the solid earth,
• interactions between processes going on inside the earth and at the surface of the earth, e.g. geohazards such as earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, landslides and floods,
• using earth observation techniques to monitor changes on the surface of the earth, and changes in land use, over large areas and with a high resolution in space and time.

Modelling plays an essential role in formalising the information that is available on processes on Earth, in defining gaps in our knowledge and in making forecasts.

Climate
In order to improve our understanding of the controlling mechanisms and feedback processes that lead to climate variations on a global and regional scale, further investigation of the climate system is needed. One approach is to build climate models that include the mutual interactions between the various components of the model, such as the atmosphere, ocean, cryosphere and biosphere. This should include studying the potential impact of any future climate changes. Essential is a far-reaching integration of the modelling situations, observations and climate reconstructions. In all these studies, the geological record is indispensable to find out the long-term effects of variations in climate.
Additional information on the entire, complex climate system, in cooperation with research disciplines such as mathematics and computer science is crucial if we wish to improve our capability to make sensible long-term predictions on climate change. One of the most urgent responsibilities is to reduce the confidence limits of long-term climate scenarios, because these climate scenarios are used as starting points for formulating a multitude of risk analyses and adaptation strategies.

Water
Sustainable management of the limited volume of fresh water on this planet requires a more thorough understanding of the hydrological interactions between atmosphere, groundwater and surface water as well as an understanding of the interactions between water and the ecosystems that live with and depend on water. In addition, research into the processes that surround (the use of) water all over the world; sustainable management of (safe, fresh, potable) water and a healthy and safe environment are crucial to achieve a sustainable water use. By cooperating with knowledgeable partners within and outside NWO, ALW will be able to promote first-rate research into and between these dynamic areas. The 2003 NWO Water Programme was a first step in the right direction. To enhance the quality of life on our planet, it is necessary to develop and use all information on ‘water as the source of life’ at all levels and scales.

Sea and Coast
The sea made the Netherlands into what it is today. The sea shaped the Dutch landscape, has been the cornerstone of our prosperity for many centuries and deeply influenced our culture. Various national reports stress the need for coordination and cooperation in the field of marine and coastal research. In cooperation with the main knowledge institutes and departments a national research plan has been developed with the interrelated societal problem definition: ’Sustainable conservation and use of Sea and Coast’.
This problem definition has been split up into five challenges: safety, economic yield, nature, spatial planning and water quality, featuring some up-to-date issues such as an ecosystem approach to fisheries, wind farms, oil-, gas- and sand extraction and coastal zone management. Several parties want to be the first to start an integrated programme “Changing Strength”. For this research as well as any subsequent studies it will be necessary to combine monitoring, fieldwork, experiments and modelling.

FROM BUILDING BLOCK TO BIOSPHERE

Biodiversity
Human action is one of the causes of the global reduction in biodiversity. The 1992 Rio convention on biological diversity, of which the Dutch government is one of the signatories, prompted a great deal of research into the causes of the loss or conservation of biodiversity.
In the years to come, the ALW biodiversity research will have two spearheads: Ecological and Evolutionary Genomics (EEG) and Restoration of Biodiversity. EEG will promote research that will effectively integrate ecological end evolutionary patterns to achieve a better understanding of the dynamics and long-term management of biodiversity.
Research into restoration of biodiversity will be implemented through interdisciplinary studies that combine the natural and social sciences. The crux of biodiversity research will be answering requests for information for practical applications and knowledge sharing through contacts with stakeholders. The globally accepted DIVERSITAS Science Plan forms a firm basis for biodiversity research.

Development biology
Development biology is concerned with the process of developing plant and animal life forms and in particular studies into the underlying mechanisms. Which genes, for instance, initiate the growth of limbs in an embryo? How can a stem cell specialise to become a heart muscle or, in the case of plants, a root cell? What makes humans different from chimpanzees, mice, fruit flies or worms, and a tomato from a Sequoia?
Not only will this increase our understanding of how life develops, but this may also lead to an earlier recognition and better treatment of certain developmental disorders and to an better understanding of the possibilities of growing new healthy brain cells, for instance.