Climate change is increasingly inter-disciplinary. Many of the challenges we face in Earth system science require not only the integration of complex physical processes into climate system models, but also the coupling of biogeochemistry and chemistry with climate science. And then there's the interplay with policy.

To promote communication, we have formed a Young Scientists' Network (YSN) as a platform to exchange ideas among, for instance, ecologists, atmospheric physicists and economists. It is part of the International Geosphere–Biosphere Programme's Analysis, Integration and Modelling of the Earth System (IGBP/AIMES) project.

We hope to promote a more cross-disciplinary generation of scientists, who will be required for Earth system modelling in the future. We also aim to foster education and outreach.

Importantly, participants from developing countries make contributions using their experience with quickly changing and highly vulnerable environments. They will be crucial for future science projects around the globe.

The YSN was inaugurated at an open Earth system science workshop in June 2005; more than 50 young scientists from 16 countries took part. Since then, participants have met informally — for example, at meetings of the American Geophysical Union and the European Geosciences Union.

Our most recent workshop focused on how urbanization interacts with biogeochemistry and climate, as cities are major greenhouse-gas emitters. The result was a white paper that synthesizes existing literature, proposes a framework for discussing urban interactions with the global biogeochemical cycles (for example, how urban air pollution affects vegetation growth), discusses gaps in our understanding and proposes solutions.

This year's workshop will focus on land use. We'll try to understand the implications of converting natural land for agricultural or forestry use, and the reverse.

Our website serves as a resource pool for collaborations and enables discussions on workshop topics.

By bringing together young scientists to share resources, information and ideas, we hope to help equip a new generation of researchers to deal with the complexities of climate change.