Collective projects

The EU remains a staunch supporter of the multilateral trading system. In spite of its successes, the World Trade Organisation (WTO) is now facing new challenges in light of a rapidly changing world. The WTO can be further modernised, by making its trade agenda closer to citizens and ensuring that trade contributes to the pursuit of broader objectives set by the global community, in particular with regard to sustainability[1].

African and European agriculture share the common challenge of moving towards more sustainable ways of agricultural production. Both regions aim to ensure food production and reduce the environmental impact of agricultural activities in the face of climate change, more unpredictable water supply and increased degradation of (land) resources. Systems approaches are needed to optimise agricultural productivity as well as the delivery of ecosystem services.

Cette année, la MSHL inscrit son appel à projets dans sa stratégie scientifique, qui est organisée en trois axes et qui se veut le fidèle écho de l’activité des chercheurs SHS du site lorrain. Elle espère par là relever plusieurs des grands défis qui sont posés à notre temps, et qui ne cessent de redessiner les contours de nos disciplines, qu’il s’agisse de nos savoirs, de nos outils ou de nos méthodes.

Agricultural biodiversity is understood to comprise all components of biological diversity that (i) are of relevance for food and agriculture and all components of biological diversity that (ii) constitute agro-ecosystems. It is the result of highly dynamic interactions between the environment, genetic resources, agricultural practices and historical land management. The various dimensions of agricultural biodiversity play a significant role in conferring stability, resilience and adaptability to farming systems.

The aviation transport sector is growing fast and air traffic is expected, at current rates, to double its volume during the next 25-30 years. This would lead to aviation generating in excess of 10% of the global greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. Sustainable biofuels are the only currently available and tested alternative for reducing the carbon footprint of aviation.

The clean-energy transition doesn't just pose technological and scientific challenges; it also requires a better understanding of cross-cutting issues related to socioeconomic, gender, sociocultural, and socio-political issues. Addressing these issues will help to devise more effective ways of involving citizens and to better understand energy-related views and attitudes, ultimately leading to greater social acceptability as well as more durable governance arrangements and socioeconomic benefits.

People-centred care is one of the main goals of health systems[1]. It relates to a stronger orientation towards the needs of people and their involvement in the treatment process and decision-making. This is expected to result in a better care as experienced by people, in less inequality, better health promotion, better disease prevention, and treatments better targeted to people’s needs.

Demographic change and the ageing of the population create new heterogeneous challenges for society and, in particular, for ageing people. On top of the health-related age impairments such as poor health, cognitive impairment and frailty, ageing people are at risk of facing situations leading to potential social exclusion with considerable negative consequences for their independence, quality of life, those who care for them, and for the sustainability of health and care systems.

The ageing of the population together with the rising burden of chronic conditions (incl. mental diseases) and multi-morbidity bring an ever increasing demand to strengthen disease prevention and integrate service delivery around people's needs for health and social care.

It is widely recognised that health systems must put more emphasis on prevention and adopt a person-centred rather than a disease-centred approach. The goal must be to overcome service fragmentation and to move towards integration and coordination of interventions along the continuum of care.

The natural and built[1] environment as well as the social fabric are critical determinants of health and well-being. Three quarters of the European population now live in cities and urbanisation continues at high speed, driven by economic growth and employment opportunities. The related environmental changes e.g. pollution of air and water, transportation problems, reduced social cohesion and stress affect physical as well as mental health.