Powering the future?

How lessons from our petroleum-centric past can help us build for a greener future.

As we pass the 15th anniversary of the Deepwater Horizon disaster, this month the EGU newsletter takes a look at how the lessons we have learned from our petroleum focused past can help us build a new, sustainable future. It's been 65 years since the formation of the OPEC countries, but how much do you know about this group, and what different choices for the future do they present to us? EGU's Asmae Ourkiya investigates in this blog post. Also, so much of our recent past can be difficult to find geologically, so this month guest author Cecily Ogunjobi asks can we find evidence of slavery in the geological record? Also don't miss out on the new advice from the EGU's Climate Hazards and Risk Task Force on new EU guidance for climate risk resilience, answering a call for evidence. Read the full document here.

Did you know it's almost Earth Science Week? Each year geoscience organisations around the world encourage schools and communities to celebrate Earth Science for a whole week - this year it runs from 12-18 October. If you are looking for ways you can get involved, check out our suggestions! Congratulations to everyone who submitted session ideas for EGU26, the Programme Committee is meeting next week to make final choices and then EGU26 abstract submission will open from 22 October!

Climate Hazard and Risk Task Force on European Climate Resilience and Risk Management

The EGU Climate Hazard and Risk Task Force responded to the public consultation on the initiative "European climate resilience and risk management". This consultation sought to address knowledge and evidence gaps in areas such as climate risk assessments, emerging socio-economic trends, and technological innovation.

To support this goal, the Task Force put forward seven key recommendations grounded in the latest scientific evidence. This marks an important step in strengthening science-based input to the ongoing discussions in the European Parliament and the Council of the European Union on a future climate risk assessment framework. You can read it here.

Science for Policy Newsletter

In our monthly Science for Policy Newsletter, we share policy-related opportunities and resources for science community. This month’s newsletter announces the new guidance on writing policy briefs for impact by the European Research Executive Agency (REA). It also invites the readers to contribute to the textbook project Communicating Science for Policy with science for policy document examples, and submit posters for the UN-ETH Forum "Science and Policy in Turbulent Times".

"Results showed that Personal Weather Stations severely underestimate rainfall. A seasonal effect is visible in the bias, specifically for shorter accumulation intervals, with the largest biases for summer and spring. A part of this bias can be attributed to the spatial distribution of rainfall."

Rombeek et al (2025) Hydrology and Earth System Sciences

EGU Education Committee is seeking new Geoscience Education Field Officers!

Building on recent success with this programme the Education Committee is once again seeking volunteer Geoscience Education Field Officers to represent the EGU in countries across Europe. The major role of the field officers will be to provide professional development through interactive workshops for school teachers who have elements of geoscience in their teaching curriculum. Apply by 31 October 2025.

EGUwebinar: Uneven Ground- addressing vulnerabilities in fieldwork

Fieldwork can be a challenging experience, hard to navigate for many vulnerable people. EGU members from the EDI Committee and ECS share their expertise in managing these issues in this EGUwebinar available now.

EGU Science for Policy Hangout

Come virtually network with those working at the science-policy interface! Register for our next #Sci4Pol Hangout at 14:00 CEST on Monday 6 October.

EGUwebinar: Pride in Space: How scientists and artists landed art on the moon

On March 2 2025, art was landed on the moon as part of a mission to promote LGBTQ+ visibility and advocacy within the space sector. Join EGU's Simon Clark as they meet the artists and scientists who made the installation possible in this special EGUwebinar, 16 October 15:00 CEST. Register now and don't miss out!

EGUwebinar: Climate of the Past 20th Anniversary: Paleoclimate Modeling and Data Assimilation

How do we understand past climates when both models and observations are steeped in uncertainty? This session explores methodological approaches to reconstruct the dynamical history of Earth's climate. As part of a special series celebrating 20 years of EGU journal 'Climate of the Past', join this EGUwebinar at 17:00CEST, 22 October to hear leaders in the field address these ideas. Register here today.

The existential modelling crisis – and how to overcome it

Geolog, the Union’s official blog

Women in Hydrology – The Story of a Special Issue

Hydrological Sciences Division blog

Is the climate crisis also a literacy crisis? Time to move from data dumping to co-creating knowledge with communities

Geolog, the Union’s official blog

Passing the French Concours for a Permanent Research Position: Joining an Interdisciplinary Research Unit on Water and the Global South

Hydrological Sciences Division blog

The hidden effects of academic excellence: workaholism in Academia

Geodynamics Division blog