With this EGU 2009 session, our purpose is to highlight the importance of international, interdisciplinary cooperation in the European framework of research in the relevant areas in Geosciences and Environmental Sciences. A series of short, stimulating keynote talks will give examples of activities recently developed within the framework of the European Science Foundation (ESF, www.esf.org) and of the intergovernmental framework for European Co-operation in the field of Scientific and Technical Research (COST, www.cost.esf.org). Short presentations of the opportunities available for the European scientific community in the fields of Geosciences and Environmental Sciences within ESF and COST will also be given before the floor is open for discussion and questions.

Established in 1974 as an independent non-governmental organisation, the European Science Foundation (ESF, www.esf.org) is an association of 80 Member Organisations devoted to scientific research in 30 European countries. ESF's core purpose is to promote high quality science at a European level. ESF provides a platform for its Member Organisations to advance European research and explore new directions for research at the European level. The Foundation is committed to providing scientific leadership through its networking expertise and by ensuring that there is a European added value to all of its initiatives and projects.

The intergovernmental initiative for European COoperation in the field of Scientific and Technical Research (COST, www.cost.esf.org) was established by the Ministerial Conference in November 1971, and is presently used by the scientific communities of 35 European countries to cooperate in common research projects supported by national funds. COST support cooperation networks (COST Actions) in nine research and technology domains.