The concern of IMCG about the complex of relationships between peatland interests and energy/climate change issues (e.g. oil and gas exploration/exploitation, fuel peat policy, renewable energy and water storage needs for climate change mitigation and adaptation) is reflected by Block I of the IMCG Strategy and Action Plan 2007-2010 and summarised on page 14 of the last IMCG Newsletter (2007/1). It is proposed that we should try to move forward in this area through international co-operation, which could be promoted by raising an EU COST action. This might run from 2008, with annual conferences and/or workshops.
COST (Cooperation in the field of Scientific and Technical Research) is an EU instrument to support co-operation among scientists and researchers, with 35 member countries including non-EU members. A COST action is intended to provide a forum for ideas that allows areas of future co-operative research to be identified, specifically within the context of the European Research Area (although global relevance is allowed!). It consists of funding for co-operation (not actual research), providing scientific secretariat services and support for workshops/conferences, publications, short-term scientific missions etc. For more information, see http://www.cost.esf.org/
The COST countries are: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Macedonia, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, and UK. Non-COST countries can also be involved.
In order to raise an action, we shall need signatures from a minimum of five COST countries that want to participate - and a country’s participation begins with the scientists who want to be involved. Therefore we are looking for contacts amongst the scientific community who are working on pertinent topics or interested in developing work within this field.
If you think this is something that might be of interest to you or to colleagues – in your country or ANY other country – please send your comments and ideas to Olivia Bragg <o.m.bragg@dundee.ac.uk>