Some long-term and short-term geographical tasks in the ?global change? Programme

Abstract

The geographical tasks of the Programme are determined by the essence of the geographical approach to the study of global changes of the geosphere-biosphere system. In a generalized form this approach aims at the resolving of two types of questions: a) what local and regional processes and phenomena, in which way and in what degree influence the global geosphere-biosphere system: b) in what regions the current or expected global changes will most likely manifest themselves and what will be the consequences. These questions can be solved by geographers because geographers accumulated empirical and theoretical concepts on the spatial and temporal structure of the geosphere system, which is the focus of the interaction between atmosphere, hydrosphere, lithosphere, biosphere, and human society with its economic activity.