Within the document Towards a Statement of Need statutory, organisational and individual requirements are documented for the different environmental domains (e.g. Marine, Freshwater including Groundwater, Cryosphere, Lithosphere/Pedosphere, Biosphere & Atmosphere). Observations needed to address a series of headline issues are also addressed. These cover the environmental change aspects of:
- Understanding the pressures on all environments, particularly in the light of population growth and associated pollution.
- Supporting economic growth reconciled with sustainable use of natural resources such as aggregates, minerals and energy - including nuclear, biofuel and renewable energy.
- Understanding future states of the earth, particularly the Carbon cycle (but not excluding other element cycles) in domains such as air, soil and seas.
- Understanding the consequences of environmental change for fisheries, agriculture, food security and water supply.
- Understanding the consequences of environmental change for human health, wealth and wellbeing.
- Understanding, avoiding and mitigating the effects of extreme events and disasters.
- Understanding and reducing the impacts of environmental change on marine and terrestrial biological diversity, including ecosystems and the services they provide.
- Understanding climate variability and climate change within earth system science.
- Stimulating scientific & technological advancement and innovation.
