Introduction to ICSU
The International Council for Science (ICSU) is a global non-governmental organisation whose mission is to strengthen international science for the benefit of society. Its membership includes national scientific bodies and international scientific unions, as well as a number of scientific and special committees and associates. These bodies make up the ICSU "family".
ICSU promotes international scientific activity through planning and coordinating interdisciplinary research in areas of major importance to both science and society, actively advocating for freedom in the conduct of science, providing a forum for the exchange of scientific information and the development of scientific standards, and supporting over 600 scientific conferences, congresses and symposia per year worldwide, as well as the production of a wide range of newsletters, learned journals, proceedings and other publications.
The Royal Society and ICSU
The Royal Society, as the UK’s academy of science, is the UK national member for ICSU. As such it pays the overall UK subscription, coordinates the UK response to ICSU consultations, provides input into ICSU policy documents, and attends triennial ICSU General Assemblies.
The Royal Society runs a Global Environmental Research Committee (GERC) to promote and coordinate UK participation in the activities of the global environmental research programmes and committees organised by the International Council for Science (ICSU) and its component bodies. The Committee provides a unified forum to integrate the scientific development of UK participation in programmes like the International Geosphere-Biosphere Programme (IGBP), World Climate Research Programme (WCRP), International Human Dimensions Programme (IHDP) and DIVERSITAS.
UK learned societies and ICSU
UK adherence to the majority of ICSU international unions has been devolved to the relevant disciplinary learned societies.
The table below lists all the Unions and Committees of ICSU for which the Royal Society contributes part or all of the UK subscription, and the related learned societies in the UK.