POEM focuses on dynamic processes within and between the subsystems of the ecosphere. The investigation concerns particularly the interaction between the geosphere (the abiotic world) and the biosphere (the living world), using a comprehensive modelling framework (CLIMBER). Ultimately, the aim is to quantify the sensitivity of the total Earth system against perturbations on a wide range of time scales (decades to millennia).

The POEM project, although drawing extensively on the time and other resources of PIK staff members, has been externally supported by the European Union (ETEMA, CLIMBER), NASA/USEPA (NPP Model Comparison) and the German National Science Foundation "Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft" (COEM).