The Global Land Programme (GLP) was established to advance land system science and to provide an international platform for research, synthesis, networking, and agenda-setting on land-related sustainability challenges. Its development builds on earlier global change research communities that examined land use and land cover change, terrestrial ecosystem dynamics, and the interactions between human activities and the Earth system.

Over time, land system science has evolved from a focus on monitoring and modeling major land cover changes toward a broader socio-ecological systems perspective. Today, GLP promotes interdisciplinary research on the relationships among land use, ecosystems, climate, governance, and society. Its mission is to support scientific collaboration and knowledge exchange that can improve understanding of land system change and contribute to sustainability transformation.

As land system challenges are deeply shaped by regional contexts, GLP has emphasized the importance of connecting global research agendas with regional research communities. In Asia, rapid urbanization, agricultural transformation, climate change, ecosystem degradation, and shifting rural–urban relationships have created an urgent need for integrated land-system research and international collaboration.

The GLP Taipei Nodal Office was established in 2012 and is hosted by National Taiwan University. It was founded to strengthen the contribution of Taiwan-based and Asia-focused research communities to the broader GLP network and to support regional dialogue on land use change, agricultural sustainability, ecosystem services, climate adaptation, and socio-ecological transformation.

Since its establishment, the Taipei Nodal Office has served as a regional platform for academic exchange, interdisciplinary collaboration, and international networking. Through conferences, workshops, collaborative activities, and engagement with the GLP and Future Earth communities, the Office continues to connect researchers, institutions, and partners in Taiwan, Asia, and beyond.

Building on this foundation, the GLP Taipei Nodal Office will continue to support open collaboration, strengthen regional and international partnerships, and contribute to the advancement of land system science and sustainability transformation in Asia and the global GLP community.