International Environmental Affairs and Global Security

Societies around the world face complex environmental problems that affect the quality and security of human life. Solving these problems requires both interdisciplinary research to better understand how the Earth’s complex environmental systems function and how they interact with human systems, and integrating that research into public policy for sustainable solutions. The cluster has helped to strengthen UW-Madison’s leadership in international global environmental science by integrating scientists, humanists and social scientists to look at environmental effects on the global level. The cluster faculty also have filled critical gaps and built a collaboration of more than 12 closely linked faculty members who have developed new research opportunities. This larger faculty network looks toward the development of new interdisciplinary programs on campus: one focusing on science, impact assessment and environmental policy, and the second on environmental history and justice.

This cluster remains particularly relevant with respect to UW-Madison’s 2009 Self Study for Reaccreditation. The report highlights the need to prepare global leaders for the future, and for the university to be an active participant in shaping global agendas; the cluster’s mission and activities are entirely consistent with such goals. The cluster is well positioned to advance UW-Madison to be a great university in a globalized world, as evidenced by current research and teaching activities including topics such as: climate change impacts and energy policy; urban sprawl and sustainable cities; water and land use policies; and environmental history and place- or cultural-based assessments. These are all linked to international environmental affairs, societal well-being and global security.