START was founded in 1992 to strengthen capacities for global environmental change science in Africa and Asia that addresses critical sustainability challenges. Our programs and partnerships provide opportunities for training, research, education and networking that strengthen scientific skills and inspire leadership. The main focus of our work concerns climate change and extremes in the context of disaster risk reduction, land-use and land-cover change, natural resources and ecosystems, water and food security, and urban development.START is a core international partner of the United States Global Change Research Program and works closely with universities and research institutes in Africa and Asia, as well as with multilateral agencies, governments and non-governmental organizations.