Global Land Project Sapporo Nodal Office Addressing Land System Studies on Resilience, Sustainability and Vulnerability in Asia

Abstract

This article introduces a brief history, the objectives and structure of the Global Land Project (GLP), a joint core project for facilitating land change sciences under the International Geosphere-Biosphere Programme (IGBP) and International Human Dimension Programme (IHDP). The major activities of the GLP Sapporo Nodal Office, one of the four nodal offices worldwide, are also introduced. The article goes on to characterize land system studies on Asia and Asian countries/areas, viewing them through temporal trends in published academic articles. The results suggest that more studies on issues related to resilience and ecosystem services may be needed in Asia and Asian countries/areas. Finally, the future roles and prospects of land science in Asia are discussed.