Orals: Fri, 2 May | Room -2.31
The UK has a well-established system of Chief Scientific Advisors (CSAs) who advise the UK Government on science relevant to policy development and implementation. There is also a much more recently established group of Thematic Research Leads (TRLs) who support Parliament in their policy scrutiny activities. (Here, “Government” refers to the Prime Minister and other Ministers who run the country with the support of the (very large) Civil Service; “Parliament” refers to all Members of Parliament (MPs) in the House of Commons (HoC) and all Peers who sit in the House of Lords (HoL) who scrutinise, and can support or oppose Government motions and policies, with the support of a (relatively small) Parliamentary staff.)
I was appointed as the Climate and Environment TRL in 2024, alongside 7 other experts in other fields, to support the work of Parliament for a 2 year period. I have used the position to support parliamentary activities by bringing in high-quality evidence and new voices on climate and environmental issues, particularly in my area of research: climate change adaptation. I believe that adaptation is relatively poorly represented and examined in Government and Parliament by the relevant Parliamentary staff, MPs and Peers.
I have been particularly involved with Select Committees (SCs), which play a major part in the UK Parliament’s scrutiny role and are a particular area where relevant research expertise and a strong link to the academic community has benefits. SCs hold inquiries into significant and emerging issues that impact the work of individual government departments or on issues that cut across departments. In my role, I have helped various SCs scope out future inquiries, identified, encouraged and supported academic researchers (and others) to submit written evidence and agree to attend oral evidence sessions, contributed my own expertise where relevant, and supported the SC members and staff in drafting the final reports. These SC reports have an important place in the UK system as the Government is required to respond to the report and consider the recommendations that they make.
I have also contributed to: the research and writing of HoC and HoL Library and Parliamentary Office for Science and Technology briefings on important and emerging climate and environment issues for members; arranged and contributed to training and knowledge exchange events for Parliamentary staff; supported staff in answering direct queries from members; and worked on similar initiatives with the devolved Parliaments of the UK’s nations (i.e. Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales).
This presentation reflects on the TRL experience, with a particular focus on general lessons for engaging with Parliamentarians.
How to cite: Russell, A.: Enhancing the use of climate and environment evidence in the UK Parliament for policy scrutiny, EGU General Assembly 2025, Vienna, Austria, 27 Apr–2 May 2025, EGU25-10670, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu25-10670, 2025.
Africa’s agricultural sector faces critical challenges, including soil degradation, inadequate capacity building, socio-economic barriers, and the persistent marginalization of women and youth. This talk explores how addressing these systemic issues requires evidence-based and transformative policy changes that place soil health at the centre of sustainable agricultural development. Prioritizing soil health is a strategic imperative for achieving agricultural resilience, food security, and economic prosperity across Africa’s diverse landscapes. This presentation will highlight key levers for transformative agricultural change, focusing on three interconnected aspects: effective policies, trusted multi-stakeholder partnerships (MSPs), and targeted research and development (R&D). First, the talk will emphasize the importance of evidence-based and inclusive policies to dismantle discriminatory norms and ensure equitable participation of women and youth in decision-making processes. Marginalized groups, particularly rural women, encounter compounded barriers such as unequal access to land, credit, and agricultural resources. Neglecting soil health worsens these inequalities, limiting economic opportunities and deepening social disparities. To address these challenges, this talk will emphasize the pivotal role of inclusive financial mechanisms in providing tailored opportunities to unlock agricultural potential. In this context, implementing effective gender-transformative policies with targeted incentives is crucial for empowering women and youth, who face systemic obstacles to accessing resources and financing. Second, the role of MSPs will be critically examined, ensuring the inclusion governments, private sector actors, non-governmental organizations, donors, and last, but not least, both male and female farmers. Unified, transparent collaboration among these stakeholders is essential to drive policy reforms and scale soil health initiatives effectively. The discussion will reflect how trusted MSPs build accountability, align resources, and create the conditions for scalable and sustainable interventions. The third pillar of this presentation will focus on targeted and trans-disciplinary R&D and its role in enabling inclusive and actionable interventions. Future policies must support R&D frameworks that provide the necessary evidence for informed decision-making, while integrating gender-transformative strategies and user-centred approaches. Moreover, by addressing the socio-economic and cultural contexts that influence soil health adoption, this talk will demonstrate how inclusive and trans-disciplinary R&D ensures that the needs and perspectives of women and marginalized groups are central to designing effective policy solutions. This talk will conclude with a call to action, highlighting that Africa's agricultural transformation requires robust, inclusive policies that leverage trusted partnerships and integrated research frameworks. By prioritizing soil health in policies and fostering equitable, collaborative approaches, resilient, sustainable, and inclusive agricultural systems across Africa can be achieved. In doing so, this talk will offer a valuable external reflection from an African perspective, providing novel insights that can inform and inspire prospective and inclusive policy-making in the national, international and European context.
How to cite: Rasche, F.: The role of inclusivity in shaping soil health policies: reflections from Africa, EGU General Assembly 2025, Vienna, Austria, 27 Apr–2 May 2025, EGU25-5608, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu25-5608, 2025.
The European Union’s (EU) central chemical regulation REACH (Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals) is approaching a critical juncture with the announced revision in 2025. EU chemical policy stakeholders hold differing positions and expectations towards the legislative change. Stakeholders are debating the timing, direction, and nature of the proposed amendments. For example, industry associations emphasise the high safety standards enabled by REACH, which, in their view, make quick decisions unnecessary. In contrast, environmental organisations criticise what they see as deliberate postponement of the revision by industry associations, as well as the adverse effects of chemical pollution on human health and the environment.
These positions illustrate the politics of aligning sustainability and competitiveness in the EU chemicals sector. Using a qualitative narrative approach, this paper operates at the interface of science and policy, aiming to engage with different discursive positions and expectations of stakeholders, as well as the dynamics between them, to anticipate future policy directions early on. In this light, key questions include:
- What positions and roles do EU chemical policy stakeholders adopt on the REACH revision?
- What insights do stakeholder debates offer for shaping the future of EU chemical policy?
Drawing on a Discursive Agency Approach, this study combines interviews, stakeholder workshops, and policy document analysis. To accompany the portfolio of policy decisions with robust evidence, the research seeks to identify potential weaknesses and opportunities in the REACH revision process before the final legislation is enacted. The findings offer not only a rich, nuanced exploration of potential policy pathways but also aim to foster dialogue and contribute to actionable guidance for improving chemical regulation in the EU.
Moreover, the session slot aims to provide a retrospective overview of a 2024 science-policy stakeholder dialogue in Germany, which brought together industry leaders, NGOs, researchers, and regulatory bodies on chemical policy issues.
How to cite: Hempel, H.: Aligning Sustainability and Competitiveness: A Science-Policy Exploration of REACH Revision Debates, EGU General Assembly 2025, Vienna, Austria, 27 Apr–2 May 2025, EGU25-4484, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu25-4484, 2025.
Technologies for carbon capture and storage into geological formations (g-CCS) are used to capture and store carbon dioxide—and possibly other greenhouse gases (GHGs). These are increasingly presented by scientists, public decision-makers, and private economic actors as critical tools for mitigating climate change and avoiding associated environmental and social damages.
Typically, the European Union (EU) has been encouraging the development of such technologies through various mechanisms, such as the Directive 2009/31/EC or an incoming certification scheme. EU decision-makers are motivated to promote these technologies because they receive information from diverse stakeholders who argue that g-CCS will help achieve the EU’s climate targets.
EU decision-makers are expected, as public decision-makers, to prioritize sustainability goals when considering technologies such as g-CCS. This aligns with broader international commitments of the EU, such as its ratification of the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) (United Nations, 2015). Hence, we assume that EU decision-makers should consider these technologies by taking into account their overall impacts on sustainability goals in a comprehensive and accurate way. This includes considering many of their environmental and social impacts through complex assessments studying how carbon reacts with geological components, scaling-up of impacts, and comparison of these results with the ones of alternative options.
However, this comprehensive approach is not always implemented. EU decision-makers—or the stakeholders providing them with information—may focus selectively on certain aspects of g-CCS impacts while neglecting others. This selective focus can lead to biased decision-making. Such biases can result in many environmental and social impacts. In such contexts, affected parties may contest the validity of decisions and challenge the legitimacy of public decision-makers. For instance, many lawsuits arise in the United States and the United Kingdom and could emerge in the EU.
In this presentation, I propose to examine the information EU decision-makers rely on when considering g-CCS, assess its relevance in light of the sustainability goals they are expected to pursue, and propose ways to improve the process, if necessary.
How to cite: Lasselin, C.: Assessing the Role of Carbon Capture and Geological Storage in the EU: Sustainability and Decision-Making Processes, EGU General Assembly 2025, Vienna, Austria, 27 Apr–2 May 2025, EGU25-4012, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu25-4012, 2025.
“Science does not end when your paper is published, it’s just the beginning”. I heard this statement from an EC policymaker at a previous EGU conference and it really stuck with me.
After a few years of pondering what science for policy is and how to do it, I decided it was time to learn by doing and applied to the “Bluebook” traineeship programme at the European Commission. With quite a competitive entry selection, I was lucky to be accepted in my unit of choice at DG CLIMA, “Foresight, Economic Analysis & Modelling”, where my climate science expertise was very relevant.
During the 5 months i spent within the European Commission in 2024, I split my focus on both greenhouse gas reporting to the UNFCCC - in particular researching how ready Earth Observation-based measurements of greenhouse gases are for policy use - and followed climate science for my DG, contributing to Horizon Europe calls, writing briefings and summaries of latest scientific reports.
I would like to share the lessons I learnt from working at the science-policy interface in DG CLIMA and in contributing to European policymaking in general: what was easier than expected, what was challenging, what I learnt about the relevant ways in which we can support European policymakers, and perhaps provide some inspiration for other scientists to do a traineeship too.
How to cite: Cavitte, M. G. P.: Immersion in DG CLIMA at the European Commission as a climate scientist: what I learnt, EGU General Assembly 2025, Vienna, Austria, 27 Apr–2 May 2025, EGU25-9833, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu25-9833, 2025.
Human activities are increasing in the marine environment causing underwater noise. The most intense source of underwater noise is pile driving during construction of offshore wind farms. This might disturb marine mammals, such as the harbour porpoise. Therefore, measures to prevent and mitigate underwater noise are necessary.
In order to be effective such measures should be regulated. However, regulators have to demonstrate and assess the applicability, efficiency and effectiveness of mitigation measures. This requires scientific knowledge on the impact of underwater noise while the normative aspects of noise mitigation have to be considered.
Since 2008, operators have to comply with limits for pile driving noise during the construction of offshore wind farms in Germany. Since 2011, they have to use technical noise abatement systems. The Federal Maritime and Hydrographic Agency (BSH) approves offshore wind farms and monitors underwater noise in the German Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ).
Since 2017, BSH operates the expert tool MarinEARS, which includes the scientific basis for regulating underwater noise. The data shows that the regulations have been successful in the recent years. Underwater noise affected less than 10 percent of the German EEZ at any time, including adjacent nature conservation areas.
Here, BSH outlines a step-wise approach to establish a regulatory framework for pile driving noise and to implement mitigation measures in practice. It highlights the successful cooperation between science, authorities and industry in recent years to minimise the impact of underwater noise on the marine environment.
These lessons learnt from addressing underwater noise from the construction of offshore wind farms, are currently being transferred to underwater noise from e.g. shipping and the operation of offshore wind farms. Furthermore, the EU issued for the first time thresholds to limit underwater noise in European waters in 2022.
BSH plays also a crucial role in the development of European threshold values and the standardised evaluation of underwater noise. This is important for making the assessment of underwater noise comparable and reproducible. In this way, common goals for the protection and sustainable use of the seas can be set in the future.
How to cite: Bold, S., Juretzek, C., and Schmidt, B.: From Science to Policy: Addressing Underwater Noise in Germany, EGU General Assembly 2025, Vienna, Austria, 27 Apr–2 May 2025, EGU25-15856, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu25-15856, 2025.
Mercator Ocean International (MOi) is a non-profit international organization in the process of transforming into an intergovernmental organization. Using a user-driven and co-design approach, MOi supports the European Union’s (EU) policies and goals, in which understanding the ocean's current state and predicting its future play a critical role. Through its participation in many international projects and initiatives, MOi has built a strong stakeholder database across different disciplines and areas related to the ocean. MOi has gained the necessary trust to co-create services and solutions to support policy implementation and boost the Blue Economy across all maritime sectors by actively collaborating and engaging with these actors. Diverse tools and activities, such as stakeholder workshops, working groups, co-developed what-if scenarios, and the mapping of needs across different sectors, are combined to enhance ocean science-based services and solutions. As an example of this strategy, MOi has been entrusted by the European Commission to implement the Copernicus Marine Service, which is a vital source of global and European regional seas information and one of the six pillars of the Copernicus Programme. The Copernicus Marine Service uses satellite and in-situ observations, along with 3D model simulations, to provide reference marine information on physical, biogeochemical, and sea ice conditions. By implementing a robust user feedback methodology, its portfolio of products and services is continuously refined considering core user needs, such as policy stakeholders and regional sea conventions, and non-Core users with different levels of knowledge on marine data. In addition, MOi aims to foster collaboration and partnership with stakeholders to develop ocean information that aligns with policy and governance needs. As a strategy, focus groups such as the Champion User Advisory Group (CUAG), formed by active and experienced users of Copernicus Marine Service, and the Marine Forum, formed by Member States’ representatives, were consolidated. These initiatives, along with the Copernicus Thematic Hubs and National Collaboration Programme (NCP) promote synergies, develop new downstream services, and support decision-making in marine and maritime sectors. MOi is also leading several stakeholder engagement activities in international projects such as NECCTON, in which new tools and products are being co-developed in collaboration with a range of stakeholders to support fisheries management and biodiversity conservation. By working collaboratively with several groups of stakeholders and implementing a co-design methodology, MOi has the capacity to deliver user-driven services in ocean monitoring and forecasting that effectively answer the needs of users, from the policy sector to a broader audience.
How to cite: Giunta, V., Derval, C., Crosnier, L., Lux, M., and Silovic, T.: Co-designing Ocean Science-based Services and Solutions at Mercator Ocean International, EGU General Assembly 2025, Vienna, Austria, 27 Apr–2 May 2025, EGU25-8488, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu25-8488, 2025.
Sea level rise (SLR) is one of the most serious and certain consequences of global heating. Even if we curbed emissions immediately, SLR would continue for decades because of the thermal inertia in the oceans and other parts of the climate system. Predicting future SLR is, however, extremely challenging because of our limited understanding and observations of how the Antarctic and Greenland Ice Sheets will respond to climate change. Understanding present-day and recent past SLR and its drivers can help reduce uncertainties in projections and be used to improve and constrain numerical models.
From 2016-2022, we were funded by the ERC to work on understanding and resolving the constituent drivers of sea level rise during the satellite era and before. Our research was primarily focused on improved understanding and partitioning of the components of SLR during a period where observations were sufficient to resolve the processes. But, within the project we also undertook a novel and unusual study to explore and characterise uncertainties in ice sheet projections using an approach called Structured Expert Judgement (SEJ). This is a probabilistic approach particularly well suited to High Impact Low Probability (HILL) events or processes, such as Earthquakes, volcanic eruptions and other hazards that are hard or impossible to predict using deterministic modelling. This also applies to ice sheet projections. SEJ is effective at capturing the epistemic uncertainty in these model projections. The research, published in 2019, received a huge amount of (social) media attention that placed it in the top 100 of all papers that year based on Altmetric. Over a period of a few weeks we undertook dozens of live and pre-recorded interviews for global media channels. Much of this exposure was useful and lead to further opportunity but some was also counter-productive, less than ideal and unhelpful. Some of the positives, included presenting our findings at multiple UNFCCC COP meetings, to diplomatic cores, development banks and the public. Here we review some of the key lessons learned from being in the spot light of the media and how to communicate complex, nuanced scientific arguments in a few sound bites or sentences to an audience that has no technical background and may even be, at times, quite hostile.
How to cite: Bamber, J.: Lessons learned from the ERC GlobalMass project, EGU General Assembly 2025, Vienna, Austria, 27 Apr–2 May 2025, EGU25-10123, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu25-10123, 2025.
While existing research predominantly focuses on the negative aspects of flood-society interactions—such as risks, vulnerabilities, damages, and adaptation needs—less attention has been given to the resilience-building processes that have enabled societies to adapt and develop in these challenging environments. Our research aims to investigate the dynamic relationships between floods and human societies, focusing on resilience rather than vulnerability in the Mekong basin in Southeast Asia. The study explores the governance, technological, societal, and cultural dimensions of flood resilience, and captures the multi-spatial-temporal dimensions of flood resilience, covering scales from households to regions and time periods spanning centuries.
Specifically, the study directly addresses critical challenges at the science-society-policy interface. It provides evidence-based insights for policymakers on fostering flood resilience across scales, offering actionable strategies and tools for building resilience in flood-prone communities. The findings emphasize effective engagement formats, such as participatory modeling and co-production workshops, to ensure research findings translate into meaningful societal impacts. By shifting the narrative from vulnerability to resilience, the study advances the emerging field of flood resilience research, providing new multi-dimensional knowledge on flood-society interactions. The project’s outcomes will bridge the gap between academic research and policymaking, equipping stakeholders with the tools and understanding needed to foster sustainable and resilient societies in the face of growing flood risks.
How to cite: Yang, L. E.: Science-based policy planning and capacity building for flood resilience in the Mekong basin, EGU General Assembly 2025, Vienna, Austria, 27 Apr–2 May 2025, EGU25-6002, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu25-6002, 2025.
Open science is pivotal in advancing climate services in Africa by fostering collaboration, transparency, and innovation. However, significant barriers, such as coordinated research infrastructures, restricted data access and the absence of standardized protocols, impede the development and full utilization of climate services across the continent. The policy cooperation component of the KADI project underscores the critical role of translating science into policy for African climate science. Rapid urbanization and high vulnerability to climate change across all landscapes and sectors demand actionable, locally relevant insights. Science-driven policies empower decision-makers to address cross-sectoral resilience, and adaptation, ensuring sustainable growth while protecting communities from climate risks. We will highlight ways to overcome these challenges by integrating open science,locally driven research and capacity-building into climate services. This allows vulnerable communities to define their needs and participate in developing solutions.
Community-driven approaches such as "citizen sensors" illustrate the transformative potential of leveraging Africa’s digitally skilled youth. For example, participatory air quality campaigns in Cape Town and community mapping projects led by university students in Dar es Salaam highlight how low-cost tools and public engagement can generate robust, critically needed data while promoting local ownership. To replicate and scale such initiatives, standardized data formats, open-access principles, and supportive policy frameworks are essential.
Knowledge exchange and training are foundational to achieve these goals. Initiatives like the African Group on Earth Observations provide the potential for cross-regional collaboration and skill development. Enhanced exchange programs for scientists, policymakers, and researchers can bridge gaps in expertise and resources, fostering innovative solutions tailored to African contexts. Investments in technical training and mentorship programs for multiple stakeholders such as meteorologists and climatologists will further empower African professionals to lead these climate service projects.
Policy integration is crucial for embedding climate services into governance frameworks. African policymakers require robust, localized scientific evidence to design effective policies and strengthen their role in international negotiations. Timely, comprehensive, and actionable data must inform decision-making at all levels, addressing the unique needs of rapidly growing cities and diverse stakeholder groups.
Long-term funding and sustainability are critical challenges that must be addressed through integrated funding mechanisms, public-private partnerships, and south-south collaborations. Successful examples like the Resilience Academy piloted in the KADI project demonstrate the importance of connecting existing networks, providing technical training, and maintaining research infrastructure to ensure continuity.
Finally, the long-term success of observational networks in Africa requires multi-actor engagement. Collaborative efforts involving youth, civil society, local authorities, and private sector actors can foster inclusive, context-sensitive solutions. By connecting existing resources, scaling proven initiatives, and prioritizing transdisciplinary approaches, Africa can strengthen its leadership and ownership in designing a climate observation network that addresses its unique challenges. This vision aligns with commitments outlined in the AU-EU partnership and highlights the importance of equitable funding, open data access, and data-supported decision-making in building resilience to climate change and advancing sustainable development in Africa.
How to cite: Bilola, T., Salmon, E., Kayhkö, N., Nying'uro, P., Babere, N., and Saunders, M.: Strengthening climate science for policy in Africa: Open Science, low-cost data collection, and multi-level policy integration, EGU General Assembly 2025, Vienna, Austria, 27 Apr–2 May 2025, EGU25-9660, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu25-9660, 2025.
An effective Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) strategy relies on collaboration among scientists, policymakers, and practitioners to mitigate risks and enhance societal resilience. Shaping and fostering informed decisions is a pivotal responsibility shared by these groups. Insights from past disasters must be documented and shared transparently, using clear and inclusive language to ensure accessibility. This approach not only identifies challenges policymakers may face in implementation but also addresses barriers from end-users, such as citizens, by promoting understanding and engagement.
The H2020 CORE EU project exemplified this collaborative ethos by developing comprehensive public guidance to enhance community readiness for emergencies. Spanning both pre-event preparedness and post-event recovery, CORE aimed to build a chain of trust, credibility, and engagement among citizens and stakeholders, providing actionable recommendations for policymakers and society.
CORE’s methodology was rooted in a transdisciplinary approach, synthesizing case studies from Europe and beyond, including the L’Aquila earthquake (Italy, 2009), the Manchester Arena bombing (UK, 2017), the Venkatapuram industrial accident (India, 2020), Aude region flash flooding (France, 2018), the Great East Japan earthquake and tsunami (Japan, 2011), the Jerusalem wildfire (Israel, 2021), and the COVID-19 pandemic (2020–2023). By analyzing these events, CORE identified best practices, enabling scalable and adaptable resilience strategies across diverse contexts.
Key to CORE’s success is bridging the gap between research and practice. Stakeholder workshops, such as those held in Brussels and Rome, highlighted the importance of collaborative knowledge transfer. The project also fostered long-term relationships between scientists, policymakers, and practitioners, ensuring sustained engagement and continuity despite personnel changes.
By uniting scientific rigor, policy relevance, and community involvement, the CORE project provided a robust framework for DRR. Its outputs, including practical tools and policy guidelines, empower communities to prepare for, respond to, and recover from disasters. CORE demonstrated that effective DRR hinges on a seamless collaboration between scientists, policymakers, and practitioners, ensuring that disaster management is not only reactive but also anticipatory and inclusive. This integrated approach builds trust, fosters resilience, and equips societies to navigate future crises with confidence and cohesion.
This work has been supported by the CORE ("sCience and human factor for Resilient sociEty") project, funded by the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation program under grant agreement No 101021746.
How to cite: Russo, R., Gargiulo, M. V., Amoroso, O., and Capuano, P.: Building Resilience Through Collaboration: Insights and Strategies from the CORE Project for Disaster Risk Reduction, EGU General Assembly 2025, Vienna, Austria, 27 Apr–2 May 2025, EGU25-10404, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu25-10404, 2025.
The ARISTOTLE (All Risk Integrated System TOwards Transboundary hoListic Early warning) - ENHSP (European Natural Hazards Scientific Partnership) project delivers a flexible and scalable 24/7 multi-hazard impact-oriented advice service at global level to the Emergency Response Coordination Centre (ERCC) of the European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations Directorate (DG ECHO). This service responds to the needs of the ERCC to coordinate very rapidly the delivery of assistance to disaster-stricken countries within EU Civil Protection Mechanism both within and outside the European Union (global scale). ARISTOTLE harnesses operational expertise from nationally mandated scientific institutions and international agencies across Europe to provide multi-hazard, timely and authoritative scientific assessment on natural disasters related to volcanoes, earthquakes, tsunami, severe weather, flooding and wildfires.
The service provided by ARISTOTLE operates in three modes; i) emergency (ERM), ii) routine monitoring (ROM) and iii) scientific expertise on-demand (SEOD) service. The ERM provides a comprehensive scientific assessment and advice to the ERCC within three hours from the activation. The ERM report can be full or lite depending on the specific nature of the hazard assessed; in both the cases, the weather conditions are always reported. The ROM is designed to provide a day-to-day, global scale, scientific assessment of the developing natural hazards. This service is provided three times per week and it is important for the prompt identification of critical areas (e.g., hurricanes, major floodings, major wildfires). Lastly, the SEOD service stems from the experience of the Consortium personnel and it serves the ERCC to have direct scientist support in the case of major critical situations. This service is offered through various means and modalities both in presence at the ERCC headquarters and remotely.
As examples of success, ARISTOTLE i) has supported the ERCC during the 2023 M7.8 and M7.6 Türkiye earthquakes and their sequence providing both earthquake assessment reports plus a daily meteorological support for their field deployment; ii) provided specific adjournments on the weather conditions in Ukraine with the outbreak of the 2022 war; iii) an ARISTOTLE wildfire unit is seasonally deployed in person in Brussels during the summer period and embedded in the ERCC’ Wildfire Support Team.
ARISTOTLE includes 23 partner institutions from 14 EU and non-EU Countries and from European international organizations operating in the Meteorological and Geophysical domains. To our best knowledge, ARISTOTLE is the first 24/7 virtual emergency room for multi-hazard assessment operating at global scale. ARISTOTLE remains a unique and world leading service and there is truly nothing internationally which even comes close to replicating a multi-national partnership which provides 'actionable' advice for operational purposes.
How to cite: Michelini, A., Forlenza, G., Baró, R., Wotawa, G., Brovelli, P., Loughlin, S., Melis, N., Rossi, L., Mikuličková, M., Nyman, H., Romero, R., Salerno, G., Tiganescu, A., and Olivieri, M. and the ARISTOTLE-ENHSP Team: ARISTOTLE-ENHSP Project: a multi-hazard scientific expert assessment service for the EC Emergency Response Coordination Center, EGU General Assembly 2025, Vienna, Austria, 27 Apr–2 May 2025, EGU25-12154, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu25-12154, 2025.
Evidence-based climate policies are essential for addressing the multifaceted challenges of climate change. To shape these policies effectively, it is crucial to align scientific research and innovation with the needs of policymakers, ensuring that decisions are grounded in robust, high-impact evidence. The EU-funded Coordination and Support Action MAGICA (Maximizing the synergy of European research Governance and Innovation for Climate Action) aims to develop a Strategic Research and Innovation Agenda (SRIA) for the European Research Area (ERA) for the 2025-2034 period, identifying critical research priorities that will help inform climate policies and action to achieve both European and international climate goals. This includes supporting the EU in becoming climate-neutral and climate-resilient by 2050, and in delivering on the targets set by the Paris Agreement.
To identify priority research areas that are scientifically and politically relevant for effective climate policy and action, four working groups have been established. One group is in charge of advancing the understanding of the climate system to assess how climate may change in the future, understand regional impacts, and inform effective adaptation and mitigation strategies. The core themes of the Priority Area on key climate processes, observations and modelling include:
- improving process understanding of the climate system,
- enhancing data collection and management, and
- advancing methodological developments for climate modelling and scenario prediction.
To inform these priorities, a rigorous stock-taking methodology has been employed, drawing from key documents such as the IPCC’s AR6 report, WCRP’s Future of Climate Modelling reports, and consultations with the wider climate science community. This process has resulted in the identification of high, medium, and low-priority research and innovation gaps based on their urgency, impact, scale, and relevance to EU policies. The prioritisation also considers the feasibility of addressing these gaps within existing funding structures, with an eye on potential new funding models and the engagement of relevant stakeholders.
This presentation at the EGU 2025 will serve as a platform for co-production of knowledge. Attendees will have the opportunity to engage with the proposed research and innovation priorities and contribute their perspective to refining existing SRIA proposal. By fostering dialogue between researchers, policymakers, and other societal actors and inviting their input, the proposed research priorities will be refined. Ultimately, the aim is to build a collective vision for the strategic research priorities that will help Europe achieve its ambitious climate goals and strengthen the science-policy interface for climate action.
How to cite: Merikanto, J., Krinner, G., Partanen, A.-I., and Wagner, J.: Strategic research and innovation priorities in climate sciences to inform climate policy and climate action, EGU General Assembly 2025, Vienna, Austria, 27 Apr–2 May 2025, EGU25-16928, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu25-16928, 2025.
Working with policymakers presents a valuable opportunity for researchers to increase their impact and effectively support stakeholders and decision-makers. Scientific results and analyses are essential to guide and inform decisions regarding, for example, climate adaptation and mitigation measures. However, this collaboration comes with both rewards and challenges, ranging from differences in language and methodology to mismatched timelines. The pace and demands of working with policymakers often differ significantly from the timelines and workflows typically followed in academic research.
In this presentation, I share my experience as a researcher for the Directorate-General for Mobility and Transport of the European Commission (DG MOVE). I was involved in a Support study on the climate adaptation and cross-border investment needs to realise the TEN-T network. The study was conducted within a consortium comprising private companies and universities, focusing on the exposure and impact of climate change on European transport infrastructure. Using ISIMIP climate model simulations, we calculated the exposure of the TEN-T network to floods, droughts, heatwaves, wildfires, and tropical cyclones. The results were presented at the Connecting Europe Days 2024 in Brussels, in front of a large audience of policymakers and politicians. The output was a report published for the European Commission. The aim of the project was to inform and guide policymakers on the urgency of considering the increasing impacts of climate extremes when investing in the European Transport Network.
From this experience, several strategies and best practices can be highlighted to facilitate effective collaboration with policymakers and institutions. These lessons learned can serve as examples to ensure productive and impactful partnerships in similar contexts.
How to cite: Deidda, C., Gavalyugova-Bolsi, N., and Thiery, W.: Bridging Science and Policy: Insight from the collaboration with DG-MOVE (European Commission) on Climate-Resilient Transport, EGU General Assembly 2025, Vienna, Austria, 27 Apr–2 May 2025, EGU25-17166, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu25-17166, 2025.
Engaging successfully with the policymaking process can present challenges to researchers at all stages of their profession but can be particularly off-putting to those in the earlier stages of their career. Consistent engagement from researchers throughout their career is vital to developing best practice for evidence-based policymaking and this relies on a reduction in barriers to knowledge exchange. Welcoming early career researchers (ECR) into the science policy interface helps to address challenges to research dissemination throughout their career, namely a lack of understanding in how to contribute, when to contribute, and feeling emboldened to do so.
This session will explore the challenges and incentives ECR have to engaging with science policy, using our own policy projects to explore what can encourage or discourage people into taking part in our work. This poster will assess the experiences of ECR who have engaged with our projects, looking to provide a framework to guide other learned institutions in their policy work, whilst demonstrating methods of engagement to ECR themselves.
How to cite: O'Donnell, M. and Jones, K.: Barriers and Opportunities for Early Career Researchers Engaging in Science Policy, EGU General Assembly 2025, Vienna, Austria, 27 Apr–2 May 2025, EGU25-19874, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu25-19874, 2025.
In response to the lack of dedicated EU legislation addressing soils, the European Commission proposed a Soil Monitoring and Resilience Directive in July 2023. This directive aims to set a comprehensive soil monitoring framework in Member States for assessing soil health, with the aspirational goal to have all the soils in a healthy condition by 2050. The EJP SOIL programme is developing research towards climate-smart and sustainable management of agricultural soils, addressing topics very relevant to the proposed directive, such as the definition of soil health, soil health indicators, the effect of agricultural management on soil properties and functions, the harmonisation of soil information and that of soil monitoring systems. The EJP SOIL got heavily involved at the science to policy interface in reacting to and supporting this proposal. Concrete outputs are use of the EJP SOIL results, and their citation, in the Impact Assessment associated with the law proposal, in EU Parliament proposed amendments, in several Member State feedbacks to the Commission and in the compromise text of the law.
This experience allowed to identify elements of a successful contribution of science to policy. The scope and activity of the EJP SOIL programme and its timing matched particularly well the directive proposal timeline. The anchoring of the programme at the national level, research institutes and universities being mandated by ministries and national hubs of stakeholders having been implemented was an asset. The EJP SOIL realised, in its first years, a number of stocktakes, i.e. systematic assessments, in 24 European countries, of the state of play of soil issues. For example, existing national soil databases, national rules for sharing soil information, soil quality indicators used by Member states, characteristics of the existing national soil monitoring systems, national fertilisation guidelines, and other items were systematically investigated. This provided a solid baseline information for policy makers. Furthermore, the programme research results were periodically discussed in the partnership to collectively elaborate policy relevant syntheses and messages, which were shared in a series of dedicated policy workshops. In addition, consultation channels provided by the commission (call for evidence, public consultations) were used by the programme as well as direct interaction with Commission services.
Overall, the EJP SOIL succeeded in mainstreaming the research effort and contributing to support effective policy development. It is still a learning process, challenging for scientists, who need to understand the policy needs, to deal with the different time scales of research and policy, to come to a consensus regarding research results, to communicate correctly about uncertainty and complexity of the topics and to set an ad-hoc dissemination to policy makers and soil stakeholders.
How to cite: Chenu, C., Fantappie, M., Bispo, A., van Egmond, F., Wetterlind, J., Hessel, R., Wall, D., Dara Guccione, G., Philipps, A., Criscuoli, I., Besse, A., and Gerasina, R.: Strengthening policy through science: the contribution of the EJP SOIL programme to EU Soil Monitoring and Resilience Directive Proposal, EGU General Assembly 2025, Vienna, Austria, 27 Apr–2 May 2025, EGU25-20673, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu25-20673, 2025.
Methane, the second most significant greenhouse gas after carbon dioxide under the Kyoto Protocol, has a climate impact of over 100 times stronger than CO₂ during its roughly 10-year atmospheric lifespan. Major sources include biological processes in anaerobic conditions, such as thawing permafrost, ruminants, wetlands, and landfills, as well as underestimated emissions from fossil fuel extraction (IPCC, 2007). In June 2024, the European Parliament and the Council of the European Union introduced a methane regulation that aims to prevent the avoidable release of methane into the atmosphere and minimize methane leaks by fossil energy companies operating within the EU.
To support the national implementation of the European regulation on methane emissions in Germany with evidence-based insights, the Leopoldina, German National Academy of Sciences, and Helmholtz Earth & Environment joined forces to host a parliamentary breakfast on October 17, 2024 at the Bundestag. This initiative aimed to support informed policy decision-making and highlight the importance of reducing methane emissions. Policy recommendations included developing a National Methane Strategy to implement the EU Methane Regulation and meet Global Methane Pledge targets, reducing livestock numbers while promoting plant-based diets, establishing comprehensive methane monitoring systems, utilizing satellite analyses to detect and address large leaks, repairing aging urban gas pipelines, and prioritizing gas imports from suppliers with the lowest upstream emissions (Leopoldina und SynCom, 2024). Together, these measures aim to provide a robust, data-driven approach to significantly reduce methane emissions. The event was accompanied by a factsheet that was published during the event. After the parliamentary breakfast, the exchange continued with e.g., a dialogue of the two research institutions with policymakers and the Federal Environment Agency on emissions reporting and inventory.
The final evaluation of the parliamentary event highlighted the participants' appreciation for the "clearly summarised facts" and the "reference to short-term opportunities for success." The presentations were commended for being "short, clear, understandable," and for offering "concrete possible solutions." Contributions from members of the Bundestag and various parliamentary groups underscored the need for rapid, decisive, and scientifically grounded implementation of the EU Methane Regulation and related national measures to meet climate targets (Leopoldina und SynCom, 2024). The event demonstrated the potential for collaboration between science and politics in advancing effective climate protection.
References
IPCC. (2007). Climate Change 2007 - The Physical Science Basis, Contribution of Working Group I to the Fourth Assessment Report of the IPCC. Cambridge University Press.
Leopoldina und SynCom, H. E. (2024). Die Klimawirkung von Methan ‒ eine unterschätzte Gefahr. Factsheet. doi:https://doi.org/10.48440/leopoldina_syncom.2024.001
How to cite: Majumder, P., Sielemann, Dr. K., Winkler, Dr. M., Anton, Dr. C., and Heidenreich, M.: Forging Collaborations for Sustainable Climate Futures: A Parliamentary Event on Methane Emissions , EGU General Assembly 2025, Vienna, Austria, 27 Apr–2 May 2025, EGU25-18613, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu25-18613, 2025.
Posters on site: Fri, 2 May, 10:45–12:30 | Hall X4
Forest fires in the Indian Himalayas are becoming more frequent and severe due to climate change induced weather conditions and increasing anthropogenic pressures. These fires release large quantities of greenhouse gases and black carbon, which disrupt the regional carbon budget. The deposition of black carbon on glaciers accelerates melting, contributing to glacial retreat and amplifying regional warming. Additionally, forest fires releases the C stored in vegetation and top layer. This further degrades soil quality, reduces its capacity for carbon sequestration, hinders vegetation regrowth, and aids/fuels soil erosion. Despite these critical impacts, this wide array of feedback effects remain missing from the regional carbon budgeting exercises. Further, community empowerment and participation in natural resource conservation and forest fire management plans remain insufficient, further weakening resilience and response mechanisms.
Analysis of secondary data highlights that, while forest fires are recognized as a significant risk, the development of actionable strategies is still in its nascent stage. Existing plans fail to give enough emphasis on community-based approaches, ignoring the pivotal role of local stakeholders in monitoring, preventing, and managing fires. Annual emissions from forest fires in the Himalayas have a potential to significantly contribute to India’s GHG inventory, undermining national carbon sink targets under the Nationally Determined Contributions.
This study identifies critical gaps in mainstreaming forest fire prevention and mitigation in the regional carbon cycle. Such gaps include improper understanding, inadequate budget allocations, fragmented policy frameworks, limited use of science-driven tools and lack of community engagement. The study emphasizes the need to integrate community empowerment & engagement practices into forest fire management plans, encouraging participation through capacity-building programs, financial incentives, and shared decision-making processes. Additionally, advanced technologies such as remote sensing, AI-ML, and real-time monitoring systems can enhance early warning and prevention efforts. Integrating an active EWS with a quickly mobilised fire-fighting/response cell at the community level, will be a gamechanger.
Bridging the science-policy gap by fostering community-driven and technology-enabled approaches is essential for aligning forest fire management with India’s climate goals. Such efforts can ensure sustainable ecosystems, resilient livelihoods, and effective carbon budgeting in the Indian Himalayas.
How to cite: Joshi, P.: Bridging the Science-Policy Gap in Forest Fire Management: Implications for Climate Action in the Indian Himalayas, EGU General Assembly 2025, Vienna, Austria, 27 Apr–2 May 2025, EGU25-831, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu25-831, 2025.
This presentation explores the concept of a digital twin and examines how it can inspire science communication to embrace interactivity, transparency, systems thinking, empowerment, and dynamic adaptation.
Digital twins are one of the current buzzwords in scientific research and technological development. Originating from Industry 4.0, the concept has gained widespread adoption and is now indispensable in fields such as healthcare, urban planning, aerospace, and particularly Earth system research. We are surrounded by a growing number of digital twins representing environmental compartments, such as soil, plant systems, and groundwater. And one of the most ambitious projects in the history of science is the creation of a digital twin of the entire Earth system (DTE), which is progressing at full speed. This comes as no surprise, given that digital twins (alongside AI) are among the most promising tools for disaster prevention, climate change adaptation, and resource management (e.g., global food security). But what exactly is the secret of the great success of these digital twins, and what is their added value compared to conventional modeling?
On the other hand, science communication has today evolved far beyond the mere dissemination of scientific results. For the natural sciences in particular, this evolution is crucial, as socio-ecological transformation research demonstrates the necessity of individualized, target-group-specific, and dialogical communication to ensure public acceptance. Approaches such as Living Labs and strategic Citizen Science aim to meet these demands.
Inspired by the concept of the digital twin, which serves as a virtual representation of real systems and is used to adapt and improve the outgoing research design through its continuous feedback, the presentation introduces the idea of a "communication twin." This approach encourages the early integration of relevant societal and political target groups, whose dialogical feedback could help optimize research projects. Early integration could strengthen trust in scientific findings and increase the acceptance of innovations by considering the needs and perspectives of the target groups, since they are taken into account in advance. This could also boost the relevance of research and enhance the likelihood of political support and implementation of innovations into concrete measures and actions.
However, this integrative approach also poses challenges, particularly regarding the preservation of academic freedom. The presentation examines how to balance societal and political integration with scientific independence, using a current example of strategic science communication for a new soil-plant climate simulator for the agriculture of the future. Based on the communication twin concept, the presentation showcases best practice examples tailored to various target groups, including leading researchers in the field, policymakers, media and the interested public, and youth education.
Finally, the presentation will invite discussion with a focus on the political target group: How can more activities at the science-policy interface be initiated based on the presented concept to incorporate feedback optimally and dialogically into projects? The talk encourages the audience to collaboratively explore new ways to design effective and sustainable science communication.
How to cite: Ludwig, M.-I.: What Science Communication Can Learn from the Digital Twin, EGU General Assembly 2025, Vienna, Austria, 27 Apr–2 May 2025, EGU25-8595, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu25-8595, 2025.
Under climate change, extreme weather events such as heatwaves now increasingly occur in places that did not experience such extremes in the past. Recurrent and sustained extreme heat can affect many different domains, from health, especially in the vulnerable part of the population, to agriculture (e.g., through drought), energy production and usage, and mountain infrastructure (e.g., through permafrost thawing). These societal impacts of heatwaves could be mitigated to some extent by region-specific planning and warnings. Currently, heatwave warnings are typically issued hours to a few days in advance. However, the time it takes countries, municipalities, and institutions to prepare for heatwaves is often longer than the current timescale of issuing warnings. Preparation measures include the provision of cooling centers, reaching out to the vulnerable population, providing drinking water, or rescheduling outdoor work. This discrepancy between required and available lead times may also explain why heat health action plans for responsible actors to take appropriate and timely measures are often missing. Any extension of these lead times may convince communities of the usefulness of developing such plans in the long-run and better prepare for heatwaves and other weather extremes in the short-run. Strikingly, heatwaves are the most predictable extreme weather events, in principle allowing for lead times and hence warnings of several weeks, i.e., considerably longer than the currently used warning timescales. This contribution explores to what extent the potential for extended planning and warning horizons may contribute to improved policies, planning, actions, and interactions between science and stakeholders given the increasing threats and impacts from extreme heat events under climate change.
How to cite: Domeisen, D. I. V., Büeler, D., Pyrina, M., Wu, R., Vicedo-Cabrera, A. M., Willemse, S., Imamovic, A., Spirig, C., and Tobler, P.: Preparing for extreme heat events in a changing climate, EGU General Assembly 2025, Vienna, Austria, 27 Apr–2 May 2025, EGU25-17814, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu25-17814, 2025.
In England, the practice of flood hydrology underpins both flood forecasting and £6bn of flood management investment by the UK Government. However, operational flood hydrology has failed to innovate and adapt to the changing demands of the 21st century. There is an over reliance of methods that assume stationarity in climate and land use. Uncertainty in hydrology is poorly characterised and communicated to decision-makers. The Environment Agency’s Flood Hydrology Improvements Programme (FHIP) is seeking to make a step-change in flood hydrology in England.
The Environment Agency is the environmental regulator and is also responsible for managing the risk of flooding from main rivers, reservoirs, estuaries and the sea. It has made a commitment to improving flood hydrology by funding the FHIP between 2021-2027. It will design a new benchmarking process to help method developers evaluate their methods for suitability in an operational context, helping to increase the ease and pace of innovation. It will further explore the journey of embedding a new method and uncertainty estimation for operational use to better understand the barriers and to show the lessons learned with those developing alternatives.
This PICO presentation will allow you to explore the full breadth of the FHIP, including its roots in the UK 25-year Flood Hydrology Roadmap, a community codeveloped plan to improve flood hydrology. It will showcase the successes of completed projects - including the review of open methods, the data rescue of paper hydrometric charts, and the development of new data dashboards – and will share the recommendations relevant to all hydrologists that emerged from that work.
Finally, it will look to the future and the plans to the end of the programme in 2027, what comes next, and the challenges that remain.
How to cite: Asadullah, A. and Skinner, C.: Improving operational flood hydrology in England – progress and challenges, EGU General Assembly 2025, Vienna, Austria, 27 Apr–2 May 2025, EGU25-6710, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu25-6710, 2025.
The ERC Synergy project, DEEP PURPLE, has provided since 2020 crucial information about biological, chemical, and physical processes associated with the ice surface melting of the Greenland ice sheet (GrIS), along with ground truth data of biological impurities on the ice. Biological darkening of the ice is fundamentally important because albedo serves as the primary determinant of the surface melt within the ice sheet under a specific climate. Over the period since the commencement of satellite observations in 1981, there has been a consistent decline in the Greenland ice albedo. DEEP PURPLE has demonstrated that biological growth on the ice is not limited by nutrients and it is very likely that biological darkening of the ice will continue inland on the GrIS as climate becomes warmer. As a result from DEEP PURPLE, the Danish Ministry for Climate, Energy and Utilities has financed PROMBIO since 2023, which is a programme for monitoring biological impurities on the GrIS. PROMBIO has successfully developed a methodology for collecting various impurities, including biological substances, from the surface ice and sampling was implemented across 13 weather stations. The resulting data is integrated into the PROMICE database, which is a well-established monitoring programme measuring the GrIS mass balance in near real-time. PROMBIO and DEEP PURPLE collaborates to enhance coverage of both biological and abiotic impurities, improving our understanding of the interplay between climatic factors and physical, chemical, and biological processes, contributing to more accurate climate models and predictions of future melt rates. The combined data from DEEP PURPLE and PROMBIO indicate that the duration of bare ice is a critical factor in the abundance of biological impurities, and different regions of the Greenland ice sheet exhibit varying primary mechanisms for darkening. These findings underscore the complexity of factors driving ice darkening and highlight the need for continued monitoring to inform climate models and policy decisions. The combined fundamental research and monitoring programme presented here will increase certainty on the predictions of the GrIS melt that can be used in the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.
How to cite: Anesio, A., Benning, L. G., Tranter, M., Box, J. E., and Fausto, R. S.: Insights into the biological darkening of the Greenland Ice Sheet: from fundamental research to a monitoring programme, EGU General Assembly 2025, Vienna, Austria, 27 Apr–2 May 2025, EGU25-11182, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu25-11182, 2025.
The Baltic Sea is a vital marine environment, serving not only the nations that border it but also an estimated 100 million people who rely on its resources. However, this region faces a significant environmental and safety challenge due to submerged munitions from historical conflicts. These remnants pose severe risks to marine biodiversity, maritime activities, the economic viability of seafood industries, and the overall health of the Baltic marine ecosystem.
MUNIMAP, the Baltic Sea Munition Remediation Roadmap, is a pioneering initiative aimed at addressing these challenges. The project's primary goal is to develop a modular, adaptable roadmap tailored to the specific conditions and needs of individual countries in the region. This roadmap outlines comprehensive strategies for policy development, site selection, monitoring, and the implementation of effective remediation methods.
The MUNIMAP initiative is supported by an international consortium of 42 organizations from 9 countries around the Baltic Sea. This diverse group includes scientists, public administrators, and practitioners who have long been engaged in addressing underwater munitions issues. Key stakeholders span a wide range of sectors, including environmental management agencies, research institutions, offshore and maritime transportation businesses, public safety organizations, NGOs focused on environmental protection and human rights, tourism industry representatives, underwater heritage protection groups, and local communities such as coastal residents and fishermen.
While collaboration with such a diverse group presents challenges, it also creates a unique opportunity to develop comprehensive solutions. These efforts aim not only to mitigate the immediate risks posed by underwater munitions but also to promote sustainable development and foster cooperative governance across the Baltic Sea region.
How to cite: Jędruch, A., Bełdowski, J., Jakacki, J., Łońska, E., Fabisiak, J., and Künitzer, A.: MUNIMAP: Baltic Sea Munitions Remediation Roadmap, EGU General Assembly 2025, Vienna, Austria, 27 Apr–2 May 2025, EGU25-8828, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu25-8828, 2025.
The Last Interglacial (125 ka) was the most recent period in Earth’s history when global temperatures were approximately 1°C higher than pre-industrial levels, with polar regions experiencing a warming of 3–5°C. This warmer climate led to smaller ice sheets, higher sea levels, and significant shifts in atmospheric and oceanic patterns, including changes in temperature and seasonality. Such changes likely influenced coastal dynamics, altering prevailing winds, wave regimes, and coastal ecosystems like coral reefs. These transformations are preserved in the geological record, providing valuable insights into the potential future of our coasts in a warming world. Proper interpretation of these records can offer invaluable insights for policymakers and stakeholders seeking to address the challenges of coastal adaptation to modern climate change.
This presentation is a contribution to the WARMCOASTS project, which has received funding from the European Research Council under the European Union's Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme (grant agreement n. 802414) and to the project “Frozen in time: ecology of paleo reefs”, funded by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 468589501
How to cite: Rovere, A., Bejarano, S., Boyden, P., Cerrone, C., Chauveau, D., Dean, S., Georgiou, N., Ryan, D. D., Rubio-Sandoval, K., and Wild, C.: The Last Interglacial (125 ka): clues to the future of a warming world and its coasts, EGU General Assembly 2025, Vienna, Austria, 27 Apr–2 May 2025, EGU25-12220, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu25-12220, 2025.
On the interface between research, public relations and politics the German Environment Agency (UBA) is working. They offer evidence-based policy advice for decision-makers at subnational, national and international level, carry out tenders for research projects and publish information material for journalists and citizens. One of its fields of work is climate change. This work at the interface between science, society and policy is presented here using the topic Solar Radiation Modification (SRM) as an example. Climate change itself is a multilayered subject and the concept of solar geoengineering is accordingly complex, both in its atmospheric-physical basics and in social dimensions due to enormous risks. It takes transdisciplinary approaches to cover all facets of this sensitive topic. Hence, the number and financial resources of research projects on SRM are increasing. And yet there are considerable uncertainties and it is questionable whether these can ever be resolved. Furthermore, the undisputable risks of SRM would be sufficient to reject SRM and focus finance and attention fully on mitigation and adaptation. But, due to progressing climate crisis, the search for solutions continues and SRM is brought into play by individual researchers and thinktanks as a supposed techno-fix. As consequence, decision-makers are forced to formulate positions on SRM in political fora. Also, public institutions publish reports about SRM. Those recently gained media attention. Journalists might not always be able to adequately explain the complex interrelationships of SRM approaches in their media narrative, hence causing uncertainty among citizens. Here, UBA's information material on SRM is presented as a transparent source of information for journalists and citizens to make them aware of the potential risks associated with SRM and how it is used for science-based policy advice.
How to cite: Bronkalla, L.: Engagement at the society-science-policy interface at the German Environment Agency (using Solar Radiation Modification as an example), EGU General Assembly 2025, Vienna, Austria, 27 Apr–2 May 2025, EGU25-17850, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu25-17850, 2025.
Improving and standardizing Earth's reference frames to achieve an accuracy of 1 millimeter (mm) and a long-term stability of 0.1 mm/year, as mandated by United Nations Resolution 69/266, is critical for numerous scientific and societal applications. For instance, precise determination of geocenter motion and satellite orbits is essential for accurately quantifying sea-level changes using satellite altimetry. Similarly, monitoring tectonic movements and crustal deformations for geophysical research demands this level of precision. Achieving such accuracy is vital for advancing our understanding of Earth's dynamic processes, improving natural hazard assessments, and supporting civilian applications such as navigation, positioning, and geospatial data geo-referencing.
A deep understanding of Earth's rotation, including periodic orientation changes known as nutations, underpins these goals. The current nutation model, adopted internationally in 2000, requires updating to incorporate the latest scientific insights. The GRACEFUL ERC Synergy Grant seeks to enhance our understanding of Earth's core dynamics, a key driver of reference frame and Earth rotation modeling. By integrating cutting-edge geophysical knowledge, refining computational techniques, leveraging insights from GRACEFUL, and utilizing recent Very Long Baseline Interferometry (VLBI) data, we propose significant improvements to these models.
Additionally, we will benefit from the upcoming ESA GENESIS mission, scheduled for launch in 2028. This mission will co-locate four geodetic techniques, enabling a more precise realization of reference frames. The integration of new Earth rotation models and the unprecedented accuracy expected from GENESIS will allow for the determination of geophysical observables with unparalleled precision, addressing the pressing societal needs outlined above.
In parallel, the GRACEFUL ERC Synergy Grant facilitated the discovery of a 6-year cycle in the entire Earth system, contributing to significant advancements in our understanding of Earth system's complex dynamics.
How to cite: Dehant, V., Mandea, M., and Cazenave, A.: Synergy Grant GRACEFUL and Repercussions for Society., EGU General Assembly 2025, Vienna, Austria, 27 Apr–2 May 2025, EGU25-19573, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu25-19573, 2025.
National geological surveys face continued demand for science advice as nations position themselves for economic prosperity, resilience, and innovation throughout the challenges facing the 21st century. Credible science practice, analytical innovations, big data and artificial intelligence applied to geoscience challenges pave the way for an exciting future. It is also a future that will require national geological surveys to continue to advise governments of the policy impacts from foundational and targeted geoscience research programs. The World Community of Geological Surveys brings together the leadership from national and regional geological survey organizations from around the world to highlight the crucial role that geological survey organizations exercise to generate policy and societal impact from foundational and problem-directed national research programs in areas such as critical minerals, energy transition, climate adaptation and disaster risk reduction. Through case study exemplars, common challenges in the role of geoscience in the science-policy continuum will be illustrated.
How to cite: Talwar, S., Hill, S., Hollis, J., Cunningham, W., van Daalen, T., and Lee, Y. J. and the World Community of Geological Surveys: Geological survey organizations, fundamental research and national science advice: views from the World Community of Geological Surveys, EGU General Assembly 2025, Vienna, Austria, 27 Apr–2 May 2025, EGU25-20762, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu25-20762, 2025.
Slow-onset hazards have a long term and pervasive impact on affected communities. This means that policymakers and researchers should also have robust long term plan for tackling the impacts of these hazards. However, research suggests that slow-onset hazards are ofter overlooked and neglected in both academia as well as policymaking, with a significant part of all disaster related resource devoted to sudden events. A major consequence of this can be seen in riverbank erosion affected communities of Majuli island of India. Disaster management laws in India do not generally recognise slow-onset events like riverbank erosion as hazards and therefore, no relief is provided under these laws to those affected by riverbank erosion. Drawing from my own experiences in the field, I will try to show how this policy is flawed and what consequences the people of Majuli and other riverbank erosion affected places in India are facing because of this? Furthermore, the paper emphasises the urgent need for science-based policies to address slow-onset hazards across India. It calls for increased attention from researchers and policymakers to mitigate the long-term impacts of these hazards and to develop inclusive disaster management strategies that encompass both sudden and slow-onset events.
Keywords: Slow-onset hazards, academia, riverbank erosion, India, science-based policies
How to cite: Sahay, A.: Bridging the gap: the need for science-based policies to address slow-onset hazards in India, EGU General Assembly 2025, Vienna, Austria, 27 Apr–2 May 2025, EGU25-557, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu25-557, 2025.
Science academies are among the most trusted sources of scientific expertise for society and politics due to the independence related to the institutions, and the scientific excellence of their elected members. One of the public missions of the Leopoldina, the German National Academy of Sciences, is to provide evidence-based advice to the German public and policymakers. In addition to various formats and channels such as statements, reports, factsheets, workshops and symposia, the Leopoldina has increasingly developed and published interactive scroll-based thematic – i.e. scrollytelling – websites in recent years.
The development of storytelling websites accompanies the ongoing activities of several Leopoldina working groups. Such low-threshold, educational and entertaining online media increase public awareness and knowledge of policy-relevant topics addressed in Leopoldina statements. By also addressing a different target group, both reach and impact can most likely be increased.
The aim of scrollytelling websites is to transfer knowledge to the public in an easily understandable but scientifically sound way. In addition, science-based practical recommendations and calls for action can be deduced from the content. The Leopoldina's latest scrolly-telling websites deal with topics in the context of global challenges such as biodiversity loss, renaturation, peatland rewetting and equitable food security. This study exemplarily examines the conception, reception and impact of websites that tell science-based stories.
How to cite: Wetterich, S.: Scrolly-telling as a tool to transfer scientific knowledge, EGU General Assembly 2025, Vienna, Austria, 27 Apr–2 May 2025, EGU25-1700, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu25-1700, 2025.
Posters virtual: Wed, 30 Apr, 14:00–15:45 | vPoster spot 1
EGU25-7680 | Posters virtual | VPS1
Integrating disciplines and stakeholders to address climate change challengesWed, 30 Apr, 14:00–15:45 (CEST) | vP1.6
Universities are critical in addressing scientific, environmental, social, and political challenges of climate change. But solving the many problems associated with this grand challenge requires: (1) an interdisciplinary approach connecting university experts from various knowledge domains and organizations; (2) synergy with stakeholders for developing and deploying actionable solutions to adapting to the climate crisis; and (3) communicating research deliverables to the public to inform the adoption of climate-friendly behavior.
Here, we examine the Climate Transformation Programme (CTP) at Nanyang Technological University (NTU) as a case study in interdisciplinary research, evidence-based policymaking, and stakeholder engagement for climate action in Southeast Asia. The CTP framework integrates expertise from science, technology, social sciences, and the arts and translates it into actionable items for decision-makers through a three-fold stakeholder engagement approach. This strategy includes engagement with government agencies, industry partners, and community groups.
To highlight the importance of an interdisciplinary approach within CTP, Kim et al. (2023) combined whole-genome sequencing with reconstructions of landscape change of Southeast Asia[1]. We showed that rapid sea-level rise drove early settlers in Southeast Asia to migrate during the prehistoric period. Our work was the first reported instance to provide proof that sea-level rise changed the genetic makeup of human populations in Southeast Asia – a legacy that continues to impact current populations, affecting the genetic diversity of the region today.
Through the CTP corporate partners network, researchers establish mutually beneficial alliances with businesses committed to developing long-term resilience to the climate crisis. To support the adoption of context-appropriate and feedback-driven climate solutions, partnerships with governmental and international organizations should be fostered. For example, Yim et al. (2024) estimated the global health impacts of air pollution over the past 40 years and its association with climate variability[2]. We revealed that 135 million premature deaths were attributable to PM2.5 air pollution during this period, with climate variability exacerbating health risks. This research was recognized at the 2024 World Health Organization (WHO) annual meeting and is employed in partnership with Prudential Insurance Company to assess health impact on individuals of Southeast Asia.
Effective climate communication is key to mobilizing the public to adopt pro-climate behaviors. Using plastic waste as an example, Xiong et al. (2024) investigated if virtual reality (VR) is a viable tool that could overcome several challenges facing climate communication[3]. Our finding indicates policymakers could adopt VR technologies to increase public members’ interest in learning about climate issues. In designing pro-climate behavioral interventions, policymakers should focus on facilitating individuals’ autonomous motivation by giving them a sense of control.
[1] Kim, H.L., Li, T., Kalsi, N. et al. (2023) Prehistoric human migration between Sundaland and South Asia was driven by sea-level rise. Commun Biol 6, 150. https://doi.org/10.1038/s42003-023-04510-0
[2] Yim, S. H. L., Li, Y., et al. (2024). Global health impacts of ambient fine particulate pollution associated with climate variability. Environment International, 186, 108587. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envint.2024.108587
[3] Xiong, S. R., Ho, S. S., et al. (2024). Virtual Environment, Real Impacts: A Self-determination Perspective on the use of Virtual Reality for Pro-environmental Behavior Interventions. Environmental Communication, 18(5), 628–647. https://doi.org/10.1080/17524032.2024.2361270
How to cite: Tsyrulneva, I., Kim, H. L., Yim, S. H. L., Ho, S. S., and Horton, B. P.: Integrating disciplines and stakeholders to address climate change challenges, EGU General Assembly 2025, Vienna, Austria, 27 Apr–2 May 2025, EGU25-7680, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu25-7680, 2025.
Additional speaker
- Denis Naughten