English Abstract The integration study 'Land Use and Cover Change as an
overarching topic in the Dutch National Research Programme on Global Air
Pollution and Climate Change (NRP)' aims at identifying research fields in
which the NRP can contribute most effectively to the international
scientific know-how of the interactions between land use/cover and global
change. Goals of the study were: the initiation of integration of NRP land
use/cover projects; the formulation of Dutch views on national and
international research on land use and cover change (LUCC); and the
preparation of an NRP agenda for research on land use/cover in relation to
climate change. Land use/cover change is a very broad field of research and
it is impossible to cover the whole subject within the NRP. Important Dutch
land use/cover research topics are at present: the influence of the land
cover on biogeochemical cycles; land cover distribution; the influence of
climate change on crop growth; the use of biomass for energy supply; and
land use/cover modelling. Tropical areas as well as the Netherlands, Europe
and the global perspective are studied. Within the NRP, the biophysical
side of land use/cover change has received most attention. A concerted
effort is required to focus Dutch Land Use/Cover research more effectively
in order to: optimise the Dutch inputs into the international arena (IGBP,
IHDP, etc.). Define areas of complementarity in which Dutch research and
policy can best benefit directly or indirectly from international research
efforts.
