Research with partners

In cooperation with the Dutch ministries of LNV (Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality), VROM (Housing, Spatial Planning and the Environment), and V&W (Transport, Public Works and Water Management), ALW currently has ongoing programmes in various fields of research. These tie in perfectly with the NWO strategy that focuses on science for society. Some prime examples are listed below.

Netherlands Polar Programme/International Polar Year
The Netherlands Polar Programme (NPP) funds research in the Antarctic and the Arctic through the Netherlands Antarctic Programme (NAAP) and the Netherlands Arctic Programme (NAP). Funding is carried by NWO together with five Dutch ministries, i.e. BuZa (Foreign Affairs), VROM (Housing, Spatial Planning and the Environment), EZ (Economic Affairs), V&W (Transport, Public Works and Water Management), and LNV(Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality). During years 2007-2011 research will focus on:

  1. changes in the cryosphere as a result of climate changes
  2. changes in the Antarctic and Arctic Oceans as a result of climate changes and human actions
  3. terrestrial and coastal ecosystems and global change
  4. the impact of human activity on the Polar Regions and the impact of climate change on humanity

In addition to the NPP, the organisations that fund the NPP have, together with the Ministry of OCW (Education, Culture and Science), made available 7 M€ as once-only research funding for the International Polar Year 2007/2008 (IPY). The coming Polar Year should boost international scientific research into Polar Regions.

ERGO
For de Ministries van EZ (Economic Affairs), LNV (Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality), OCW (Education, Culture and Science) and VROM (Housing, Spatial Planning and the Environment), ALW has developed the research programme “Ecology regarding Genetically Modified Organisms” (Dutch acronym: ERGO). The programme runs up to 2011 and its budget totals 10 M€. There are three research themes:

  • introgression and hybridisation of newly introduced genetic traits,
  • multitrophic food-web interactions (effects that are only noticeable further down the food chain), and research in cooperation with partners
  • the impact of genetically modified plants on the soil ecosystem.

The resulting data will be used by the Dutch ministries in the assessment of the ecological hazards associated with the advent of new types of genetically modified plants.

Earth observation
Earth observation and the study of Earth from space is a prime application of space travel. The data gathered by satellites are used in environmental and climate studies, water management, and land use and safety studies. To enhance the use of earth observation and space programmes, the Ministries of OCW (Education, Culture and Science) and V&W (Transport, Public Works and Water Management are funding a user-support programme. During the years 2006-2010 this programme will focus on three topics:

  • Earth observation, in particular the study of the atmosphere, water and the solid earth,
  • micro weight, in particular biology, human physiology, physics, chemistry and materials science,
  • planetary studies, focussing on the research themes: comparative planetary science and, Conditions favouring the origin of life.

Building on successes and experience
The planned programmes listed above build on ALW's experience in initiating and developing research programmes in cooperation with partners. Previous successful joint programmes were organised in cooperation with partners in the areas of:

  • Animal welfare
  • Biodiversity, in particular conservation and use
  • System-oriented Ecotoxicological Research
  • Crop protection
  • Sustainable use of marine ecosystems
  • Coastal management
  • Soil system processes and quality
  • Climate variability