Interactive open access publishing – transparent peer review and public discussion of preprints

Interactive open access publishing has been applied in our journals since 2001 and is ever since applied in all 20 EGU journals. The two-stage publication process combines rapid, open dissemination of scientific results with a transparent and interactive peer-review process that is conducted on EGU’s preprint repository and community platform EGUsphere. All contributions to the scientific discussion by authors, editors, peer reviewers and other members of the scientific community are public and fully citable (with DOI), ensuring transparency and recognition for all participants in the scientific discussion.

 In the first stage, submissions are published promptly as openly accessible manuscripts during interactive discussion phase for several weeks. These preprints ensure immediate visibility, establish priority of discovery and allow new results to be shared without delay. In the second stage, authors revise their manuscripts in response to referee reports and community comments.

Despite its early introduction in 2001, interactive open access publishing remains rare in the geosciences and also in the wider scientific publishing landscape. Our experience shows that public discussion fosters constructive scientific exchange, improves manuscript quality, and strengthens accountability and trust in the review process, while maintaining rigorous editorial oversight. Reviewers receive recognition for their contributions, and readers gain direct insight into how scientific conclusions are evaluated and refined.

This session will highlight the benefits and advantages of EGU’s interactive publishing model compared to traditional peer review. All members of the scientific community, i.e., authors, editors, reviewers, and readers, are invited to contribute their perspectives and questions, helping to further develop our publishing system that is transparent, community-driven, and not-for-profit.