Three working groups prepare the future of EHC

The General Assembly of The Earth-Humanity Coalition created three task forces to prepare decisions about its future orientations, programming and structure

Forty-seven participants representing 27 member organizations of The Earth-Humanity Coalition (EHC) participated to the General Assembly meeting held 10^th September 2024. The Steering Committee presented an account of what has been achieved since the founding General Assembly meeting, 16^th April 2024. This was followed by a discussion. Then, a program of work has been approved by consensus for the next three months, including the creation of three working groups: they will prepare decisions for a vote at the next General Assembly meeting, in December 2024.

Network of transdisciplinary hubs

The mission of The Earth-Humanity Coalition is to promote all sciences and knowledge for an equitable well-being on a healthy planet. To achieve this goal, it aims to foster a non-hierarchical network of territorial hubs, engaging both academic and non-academic stakeholders, and integrating science and society. As Michel Spiro, the Chair of the Steering Committee reminded, this aligns with the UN’s International Decade of Sciences for Sustainable Development (2024-2033), and UNESCO’s objectives for this Decade.

More members have joined

What has been done since the first General Assembly meeting? First of all, EHC has now 45 members (even 49 at the date of publication of this article), and discussions are going on with more. Then, a Steering Committee of a dozen members has worked with a high level of commitment. Especially, its members participated to several international meetings, in China, in Ethiopia, in Czech Republic, and in Finland. They also developed institutional relationships with organizations such as UNESCO, Belmont Forum, Future Earth, and the International Science Council. Remarkably, EHC has a seat on the Executive Committee for the International Decade of Sciences for Sustainable Development, steered by UNESCO.

On the communication front, EHC has now a logo, with a graphic charter, a presentation video, a website, and a flyer. All this material can be used by members to inform about EHC. The international secretariat also set up an IT infrastructure, that facilitates collaborative work.

Working groups for projects and organization

Projects are also under way. Some have been initiated, such as the submission of a research proposal together with the University of York, or the creation of an article repository dedicated to transdisciplinarity for sustainable development. Others are at a designing stage. They will be refined in the coming months and implemented by EHC and its members.

Refining the projects and designing their implementation, precising the unique value proposition of EHC, establishing a solid fundraising scheme, creating a sustainable organizational framework: these are the goals of the three working group that the General Assembly decided to create on the proposal of the Steering Committee. These groups, with representatives of EHC members and external personalities, will report to the Steering Committee 15^th November. Their proposals will be discussed, and voted during the third General Assembly Meeting of December 2024.

Luc Allemand