Dear EGU Expert,

I hope that you’ve had a fantastic summer and are feeling refreshed and ready to dive into the second half of 2023! September’s Science for Policy Newsletter outlines updates and opportunities for you to jump into including the EGU’s 2023 Science-Policy Pairing Scheme, Eklipse expert groups, and an upcoming EGU webinar that will explore how policymaking works in the European Parliament.

If you have any further questions or comments about the policy opportunities that exist for scientists in Europe, don’t hesitate to get in touch via policy@egu.eu or on the EGU’s official Science for Policy Twitter Account @EGU_Policy.

Best wishes,
Chloe Hill, EGU Policy Manager

There’s just one week left for you to submit your application to the EGU’s 2023 Science-Policy Pairing Scheme! The Pairing Scheme will sponsor two scientists to work alongside a Member of the European Parliament (MEP) for up to a week in November or early December 2023.

The successful applicants will join the MEPs and their assistants in Brussels and may be asked to participate in various aspects of policymaking, which could include:

• Receiving an introduction to the work of the European Parliament;
• Sharing your research and expertise where relevant;
• Joining meetings and events with European Parliament staff

Apply for this incredible opportunity before midnight CEST on 15 September here, where you can also read more about the EGU’s science-policy pairing scheme.

Eklipse is a knowledge brokering mechanism that supports governments, institutions, businesses, and NGOs in making better-informed decisions related to biodiversity. It provides a great example of how scientific evidence and knowledge can be incorporated and used in policymaking processes. Eklipse currently has two open calls for experts who would like to engage more in these science for policy processes.

Methodological protocol peer review and open consultation on empowerment tools and nature-based solutions

Eklipse is currently inviting experts from different fields to contribute to the Eklipse process by reviewing the methods protocol draft developed by the Expert Working Group of the request on Empowerment tools and Nature-based Solutions for coastal communities. You can find more information about this request and apply to participate here until 15 September.

Fourth call for nominations for members of the Methods Expert Group

Eklipse is currently inviting applications from experts to join the Eklipse Methods Expert Group. The Methods Expert Group plays a fundamental role in advising the Eklipse Expert Working Groups on the strengths and weaknesses of available methods of knowledge synthesis. The Methods Expert Group will cover diverse and complementary methodological skills (including multi- and trans-disciplinary skills and broad geographical coverage). This important Eklipse governance body interacts closely with relevant members of the Eklipse governance bodies to ensure appropriate methodological choices, following the ethical and robust Eklipse process. You can read more and complete the application form here until 15 September.

Join an expert panel on Thursday 28 September from 15:30-16:30 CEST to get a better understanding of how science was used to help create and support the Nature Restoration Law! This webinar will be supported by the EGU Biodiversity Task Force and introduce Damien Thomson, a political Advisory working inside the European Parliament. Not only will this webinar give you the inside scoop on the process behind the EU Nature Restoration Law but we’ll explore how the European Parliament uses science and consults with scientists and experts during their legislative decision-making!

Read more about this webinar and register here.

The EGU Biodiversity Task Force invites you to review, discuss, and provide feedback on their recent Geoscience Communication publication Fostering transformative change for biodiversity restoration through transdisciplinary research our preprint server EGUsphere until 10 October. This publication focuses on how scientists can embrace transformative change within and outside of their own communities to increase the impact of their research and help reach global targets that benefit society. The Task Force believes that this Insight will be of interest to those who are working on the science-policy interface, aiming to engage in an interdisciplinary manner, or who would like to help inform policymakers on biodiversity-related policies.

The EGU’s publication model extends the traditional peer review process by applying the concepts of public peer review and interactive public discussions. This enables reviewers, anonymous or attributed, to comment and engage in discussions that are then published together with the article on the web! You can read more about this process here

Last month’s #GeoPolicy blog post outlines some of the key principles that were highlighted during the 2019 HBO and Sky UK television series ‘Chernobyl’ that researchers can reflect on and incorporate into their own policy engagement. The series is largely told from the dramatized perspective of Valery Legasov, a real-life scientist and expert in nuclear chemistry whose contributions directly following the explosion of the Chernobyl nuclear power plant were crucial in understanding why the disaster occurred and how to minimise its impact. While the blog post exclusively focuses on examples shown in the dramatized television series rather than the actual historical events or people involved, there are still real lessons to be learned!

You can read the blog post and suggest other films, television series, or books that you’d like to see analysed from a science advice perspective in the comment section here.

Each year, the EGU General Assembly offers a huge array of scientific sessions as well as numerous non-scientific sessions and activities that you can participate in to expand your network, diversify your expertise, and develop new skills! EGU’s Science for Policy Working Group and its members always have a big presence at the General Assembly, and run several sessions and events to help participants learn more about the science-policy interface and develop their skills! An exciting programme is planned for EGU24 but we would also welcome #Science4Policy session submissions from other EGU General Assembly participants who have experience and are interested in policy engagement! With the submission deadline only a week away (14 September), it’s now time to propose your session.