Although the national financial and budgetary context is ever more restrictive, meaning a reduction in the Institute’s SCSP subsidiary1 of approximately €640k compared to 2014 (down 0.31%), research benefited from additional contributions in 2015 with a €1 million bonus to meet the units’ operating and local recruitment requirements. A sum of €250k for scientific equipment was also allocated to the research units.
A specific allocation of close to €100k for forecasting requirements in emergency situations (post-earthquake studies or other natural catastrophes, etc.), thereby strengthening IRD’s capacity for response in crises where multidisciplinary teams need to be mobilised rapidly.
Scientific infrastructures benefited from sustained efforts. These were primarily targeted at the finalisation of operations such as OceanoMed for an amount of €300k to group the MIO laboratory (Mediterranean Institute of Oceanology), the Pytheas joint service unit and all the oceanography resources together at the same site to create a centre of excellence for fundamental and applied oceanographic research. 2015 saw the start of the next phase of the CPER2 (2015 – 2020) for which IRD is committed for an amount exceeding €2 million for the period in question. Within the framework of this plan, the Pangee-Lafara operation has been launched to modernise the geochemical and isotopic platforms at the Midi-Pyrénées Observatory (€150k contribution from IRD for 2015).
The multi-annual real estate strategy scheme (SPSI) 2012- –2015 continues to be applied. With an authorised €4 million commitment in 2015, with €3.2 million of that used in credit appropriations, the fund enabled the completion of work to resolve issues at sites where there were high risks for personal safety and the security of property, including asbestos removal work at the Guyana centre, energy efficiency work at various sites and work to improve access.
The telecommunications and information systems master plan (SDSIT) saw the commitment of more than €1 million for continuation of necessary modernisation work in all IRD strategic fields (research, partnerships and management, with a view to pooling and modernising tools at research unit level).
The plan to renew and modernise the vehicle fleet, launched in 2013 for a three-year period, recoded expenses of more than €1.1 million in 2015. This plan was drafted to comply with ministerial recommendations and, beyond that, with the goal of improving and securing conditions for scientific research in countries in the Global South. With a view to rationalising costs and improving service, the fulfilment of this investment plan takes place within the scope of a framework agreement for procurement in the Mediterranean and Sub-Saharan Africa.
