Scientific Committee on Problems of the Environment

The Scientific Committee on Problems of the Environment (SCOPE) was established by the 10th meeting of the Executive Committee of the International Council for Science (ICSU) in 1969. SCOPE's members include 38 national science academies and research councils, and 22 international scientific unions. The current president is Jon Samseth (Norway). The secretariat is located in the Netherlands.

SCOPE exists primarily to develop scientific reviews of key environmental issues around the themes of managing societal and natural resources, ecosystem processes, and biodiversity, health and environment.

In 2012, SCOPE and Elsevier established a quarterly peer-reviewed academic journal, Environmental Development.

In 2019 SCOPE became an affiliated member of the International Science Council.

SCOPE-Zhongyu Environmental Awards
The SCOPE-Zhongyu Environmental Awards were introduced in 2010. They include three categories of annual Young Scientist awards (environmental sciences, environmental technologies, and environmental management). Every second year the Lifetime Achievements Award is given to two scientists with major contribution to the environmental sciences.

SCOPE-Zhongyu Environmental Forum
The SCOPE-Zhongyu Environmental Forum is an annual event first organised in Yixing in 2011. It addresses current environmental issues, trying to bring scientists from different fields together with policy makers.

United Nations
SCOPE has through the years developed a close collaboration with United Nations organizations, in particular UNESCO and UNEP. SCOPE is a major contributor to UNEP's yearbooks and publishes a policy brief series together with UNESCO and UNEP.

Presidents
The following persons have been president of SCOPE: • 2014-    Jon Samseth (Norway)

• 2009-2014 Lu Yonglong (China)

• 2005-2009 Osvaldo E. Sala (United States)

• 1998-2005 J.M. Melillo (United States)

• 1995-1998 Ph. Bourdeau (Belgium)

• 1992-1995 J.W.B. Stewart (Canada)

• 1988-1992 F. di Castri (†) (France)

• 1985-1988 J.W.M. la Rivière (Netherlands)

• 1982-1985 R.O. Slatyer (Australia)

• 1976-1982 G.F. White (†) (USA)

• 1973-1976 V.A. Kovda (†) (USSR)

• 1969-1973 J.E. Smith (†), FRS (United Kingdom)