How should the Royal Geographic Society advance geographical science in the future?
Sir, The Royal Geographical Society is required by its charter to “advance geographical science” by whichever means the society’s trustees feel are most suited to the times. The current debate is over which methods the society uses to best generate the knowledge we so badly need to understand our changing world (“Geography outdoors”, leading article, May 1). Should we mount a limited number of eye-catching but inevitably expensive expeditions involving a small number of projects and places? Or should we support, as currently, a larger number of smaller field projects in tackling a wide breadth of issues across the world? The latter is the cost-effective approach that the geographical field science community has sought from its learned society. We have raised funds to meet these needs. In the past five years we have supported with grants more than 150 such projects and expeditions, led by professional scientists, in 65 countries. They study issues ranging from climate change to migratio
