The EGU’s Science for Policy Programme is continually developing and expanding to help provide EGU members with opportunities to engage with policymaking processes and to support European policymakers in making evidence-informed decisions. This GeoPolicy blog post kicks-off the New Year by outlining a few of the key science for policy activities that you can look forward to and engage with in the next 12 months!
EGU Science for Policy Award
This year, EGU will be launching a Science for Policy Award to recognise researchers, knowledge brokers, and policymakers who have strengthened the European science-policy interface, or significantly contributed to the integration of scientific evidence into European policymaking processes. We hope that this award will not only highlight the skills, exceptional science for policy work, and achievements that individuals and teams have accomplished, but also demonstrate the wide-range of science-policy pathways that exist and encourage others to engage!
More information about this award, how you can submit a nomination, and the criteria that will be used to assess applications will be published on the Awards and Medals section of the EGU website and shared via the EGU Science for Policy Newsletter within the coming weeks.
EGU’s Climate Hazards and Risks Task Force
In early 2025, EGU will establish a Climate Hazards and Risks Task Force to provide European Policymakers with scientific evidence and recommendations that can be used to support their decision-making. This Task Force will be made up of 8-10 experts working on climate hazard and risks who are interested in working together to have a policy impact. Guided by the EGU Science for Policy Team, the Task Force will undertake activities that may include providing policy options and recommendations on specific EU legislation, answering an EU Consultation or calls for evidence, writing policy briefs, hosting webinars and events, and contributing to sessions at the EGU General Assembly. The EGU Biodiversity Task Force section of the EGU website also highlights some specific examples of tasks that they worked on which also might give you a better understanding of the role that the Climate Hazards and Risks Task Force may play.
An open call for members for the Climate Hazards and Risks Task Force will be launched in late January 2025 and advertised through the EGU policy section of the EGU website and the EGU Science for Policy Newsletter.
EGU-IEEP Science for Policy Mentoring Scheme
This year, the EGU will be offering a 12-month hybrid Science for Policy Mentoring Scheme in collaboration with the Institute for European Environmental Policy (IEEP). This mentoring scheme will provide the selected candidate with the opportunity to work alongside IEEP members, enabling them to gain valuable hands-on experience and insights into how they interact and share information with Europe’s policy community.
Although the deadline for this mentoring scheme has already passed, the selected candidate will share their experience and key lessons learned with the EGU Community through the EGU’s GeoPolicy Blog, EGU Science for Policy Hangouts, and the EGU26 General Assembly. We also hope to run this mentoring scheme again and aim to advertise the open call for candidates in November/December 2025.
EGU’s Science for policy programme at EGU25
Not only does the EGU General Assembly have a huge range of scientific sessions, but there are also plenty sessions that participants can attend to learn new skills and expand on their expertise. Each year, the EGU’s Science for Policy Programme at the EGU General Assembly provides participants with insights on how their research and expertise can be integrated into the policymaking process and the opportunities that exist for them to engage.
Ilias Grampas, Deputy Director, European Parliament Intergroup during an EGU23 Short Course
In addition to a wide range of science for policy sessions, EGU25 will also host a number of other science for policy initiatives that you can register for now for more tailored #SciPol support. Submit your science for policy questions to EGU’s Ask a Science-Policy Practitioner initiative to be paired with someone working on the science-policy interface who will be able to answer them in an in-person or virtual meeting during the General Assembly. This year, EGU is also offering a free registration to (either on-site or virtual) to European policymakers. We hope that this free registration will enable policymakers to attend scientific sessions that are relevant to the legislation that they are working on and meet researchers who may be able to answer any additional scientific questions that will support their decision-making. Please feel free to send this form to any policymakers you know who may be interested in attending.
In addition to science for policy sessions, EGU25 will also be providing participants with opportunities to actively engage. You can submit your research topic to the Pitching your research to a policymaker Splinter Meeting to practice sharing your project or expertise with policymakers. This Splinter Meeting will give those involved the opportunity to practice their research pitch to a panel of science-policy experts and provide them with feedback that can help them refine their presentation and ensure their research resonates with the policy community moving forward. And, as always, the EGU’s Science for Policy Working Group will also be hosting the daily Science for Policy Help Desk from 12:00 – 13:00 at the EGU Booth!
EGU’s Division Policy Officers and Policy Points of Contact
Over the last couple of years, many EGU Divisions have established Policy Officers or Policy Points of Contact within their division structure! While each EGU Division is unique, the volunteers working as Division Policy Officers and Policy Points of Contact will undertake activities that provide their Division members with resources and information about how they can effectively engage in policymaking and help to provide policymakers with relevant and useful information.
If you’re interested in engaging with your Division Policy Officer or Point of Policy Contact, you can join their Slack group and participate in discussions here.
EGU’s Science for Policy Hangouts will be continued
EGU’s Science for Policy Hangouts are hosted at 14:00 CET on the first Monday of each month and provide researchers with the opportunity to connect in an informal online space and chat about science for policy and related topics. Each Hangout features a different policy-related opportunity, project or guest speaker as a basis for the session’s discussion. Throughout the Hangout, participants are provided with plenty of opportunities to ask questions and also share their own experiences. You can register for the next 6 months of these Hangouts in advance here. If you would like to share a policy-related opportunity or project during one of EGU’s 2025 Hangouts, please don’t hesitate to get in touch via policy@egu.eu.
Continuing the EGU Science-Policy Pairing Scheme
The EGU’s Science for Policy Pairing Scheme has taken place since 2019. Each year, it offers selected Europe-based EGU members the opportunity to work alongside an Member of the European Parliament for up to a week to gain insights into the policymaking process and the types of information policymakers need. Not only does this offer an excellent learning experience for the researchers involved but it also time provides Members of the European Parliament and their assistants with access to scientific expertise. The call for this year’s Pairing Scheme is likely to open in July and will be advertised through the the policy section of EGU’s website and EGU’s Science for Policy Newsletter.
Stelios Karozis with Member of the European Parliament Petros Kokkalis
Science for policy news and updates
The EGU will continue to provide science for policy updates throughout 2025! Our primary method of doing this is via the EGU’s monthly Science for Policy Newsletter which highlights on EU-related news, science for policy opportunities, EGU activities, and European policy initiatives that require scientific input. If you haven’t already, you can subscribe to this newsletter here.
The EGU’s monthly GeoPolicy blog posts are also published monthly, providing a deeper dive into policy initiatives, skills, and methods of engaging. EGU also shares policy-relevant papers published in EGU’s open access journals that may be of interest to policymakers and other stakeholders looking for scientific input on a particular subject.
More information
More information about all of these initiatives will be provided throughout 2025 via the policy section of EGU’s website, EGU’s monthly Science for Policy Newsletter, during the EGU25 science for policy sessions, and on the GeoPolicy blog. We’re always looking for more ways to help our members engage with the science-policy interface so if you have a science for policy idea or activity that you would like the EGU to engage, please don’t hesitate to let us know in the comment section below on via policy@egu.eu.
