Highlights at a glance

08:30 – How can geoscience unions and societies effectively integrate science into global policy decisions? (GDB5 Room E1); Image Analysis in Earth Sciences (SC5.14 Room -2.85/86); Intro to Earth Datacube Wrangling with Standards-Based Clients and Servers (SC5.16 Room -2.61/62); The January 1, 2024 Mw7.5 Noto Peninsula, Japan, earthquake, associated tsunami, and earthquake swarm (SM1.3 Room D3)
10:45 – Science for policy: Critical skills for policy engagement (SC2.3 Room -2.85/86); Surviving in Academia as a Parent (SC4.1 Room -2.61/62); Move or perish: What needs to change in academic mobility? (GDB8 Room E1); Rivers’ morphological response to extreme events and anthropogenic impacts (GM11.2: orals Room -2.20)
12:45 – Arthur Holmes Medal Lecture by Claudio Faccenna: ‘Orogeny and mantle dynamics : Holmes (1931) revisited’ (MAL3 Room E1); Seismology 101 (SC5.4 Room N2)
14:00 – Hannes Alfvén Medal Lecture by Sandra Catherine Chapman: ‘Multiscale matters: when coupling across multiple scales drives the dynamics of solar system plasmas’ (MAL33-ST Room E2); The LGBT Pride group at EGU: Current progress, and challenges for LGBT people in the Earth system sciences, and ideas for how to overcome them (SC1.3 Room -2.85/86); Transdisciplinary research: how to learn from each other while fostering specific expertise (SC4.10 Room -2.61/62); Plate motions were constant through geological time (GDB1 Room E1); Copernicus Publications and PubCom meet ECS: what to keep, drop, improve in OA publishing? (SPM147 Room 2.32)
16:15 – Modelling soil erosion process from crop fields to hillslope: trends and perspectives under global change (SSS2.2: PICO PICO spot 2); Geodynamics 101: Numerical modelling (SC5.5 Room -2.85/86); Workshop on rapid and open hazard assessment tools: FastFlood .org and FastRocks .org (SC6.7 Room -2.61/62); The Great EGU Climate Debate: The Anthropocene – Epochalypse Now? (GDB3 Room E1)
19:00 – Igniting Academic Activism for Urgent Climate Action (SC2.7 Room M1); Breaking Boundaries: Elevating Science communication in the Global South Through High-Impact Journals (SC2.9 (green) Room N2); European Research Council (ERC) Funding Opportunities in Geosciences (SC4.4 Room N1); Medal and Award lectures

How can geoscience unions and societies effectively integrate science into global policy decisions?

As themes of climate change, environment, nature, and hazards dominate global headlines, the need for sound, timely, and digestible scientific advice in public policymaking is on the rise. Many Unions and Societies representing breadth of the geoscience community are working to put geoscience at the heart of emergent and evolving policy topics by operating some kind of science-policy function. By working to promote evidence-informed solutions to global societal challenges, these units aim to integrate science into global policy, and represent the geoscience community in global policy considerations, but are they delivering? This debate will explore the challenges and successes geoscience unions and societies worldwide have experience by engaging in various ways with the science policy process. It will explore whether such representative organisations are fulfilling the expectations of the communities they represent, and ask how they could expand and evolve the science policy service that they provide.

GDB5: 08:30–10:15 (CEST) Room E1

Medal and Award lectures

Arthur Holmes Medal Lecture by Claudio Faccenna: ‘Orogeny and mantle dynamics : Holmes (1931) revisited’ (MAL3: 12:45–13:45 (CEST) Room E1)
Hannes Alfvén Medal Lecture by Sandra Catherine Chapman: ‘Multiscale matters: when coupling across multiple scales drives the dynamics of solar system plasmas’ (MAL33-ST: 14:35–15:05 (CEST) Room E2)
Vilhelm Bjerknes Medal Lecture by Lucy Carpenter: ‘Discovering global-scale processes in the marine atmosphere’ and Arne Richter Award for Outstanding ECS Lecture by Nadia Bloemendaal: ‘Weathering the STORM: Challenges and opportunities in tropical cyclone risk research’ (MAL11-AS: 19:00–19:55 (CEST) Room K2)
Julia and Johannes Weertman Medal Lecture by Gwenn E. Flowers: ‘Understanding glacier processes to decode the drivers of glacier change’ and Arne Richter Award for Outstanding ECS Lecture by Laura A.Stevens: ‘Supraglacial Lake Drainage: from process puzzle to subglacial diagnostic’ (MAL15-CR: 19:00–20:00 (CEST) Room F1)
Louis Néel Medal Lecture by Patrick Baud: ‘Inelastic compaction in porous carbonates’ and EMRP Division Outstanding ECS Award Lecture by Sarah Incel: ‘Deformation and reaction of plagioclase-rich rocks at conditions of the lower continental crust’ (MAL16-EMRP: 19:00–20:00 (CEST) Room G1)
Augustus Love Medal Lecture by Taras Gerya: ‘New Frontiers in Geodynamics’ and GD Division Outstanding ECS Award Lecture by Anne Glerum: ‘Geodynamic controls on sediment-hosted lead-zinc deposits in continental rifts’ (MAL19-GD: 19:00–20:005 (CEST) Room K1)

Short courses

Image Analysis in Earth Sciences (SC5.14: 08:30–10:15 (CEST) Room -2.85/86)
Intro to Earth Datacube Wrangling with Standards-Based Clients and Servers (SC5.16: 08:30–10:15 (CEST) Room -2.61/62)
Science for policy: Critical skills for policy engagement (SC2.3: 10:45–12:30 (CEST) Room -2.85/86)
Surviving in Academia as a Parent (SC4.1: 10:45–12:30 (CEST) Room -2.61/62)
Seismology 101 (SC5.4: 12:45–13:45 (CEST) Room N2)
The LGBT Pride group at EGU: Current progress, and challenges for LGBT people in the Earth system sciences, and ideas for how to overcome them (SC1.3: 14:00–15:45 (CEST) Room -2.85/86)
Transdisciplinary research: how to learn from each other while fostering specific expertise (SC4.10: 14:00–15:45 (CEST) Room -2.61/62)
Geodynamics 101: Numerical modelling (SC5.5: 16:15–18:00 (CEST) Room -2.85/86)
Workshop on rapid and open hazard assessment tools: FastFlood .org and FastRocks .org (SC6.7: 16:15–18:00 (CEST) Room -2.61/62)
Igniting Academic Activism for Urgent Climate Action (SC2.7: 19:00–20:00 (CEST) Room M1)
Breaking Boundaries: Elevating Science communication in the Global South Through High-Impact Journals (SC2.9: 19:00–20:00 (CEST) (green) Room N2)
European Research Council (ERC) Funding Opportunities in Geosciences (SC4.4: 19:00–20:00 (CEST) Room N1)

Christiaan Huygens Medal Lecture by Nemesio M. Pérez: ‘The silent degassing of volcanoes: a useful tool for volcanic surveillance and a significant contributor to the global CO2 emission from subaerial volcanism’ and GI Division Outstanding ECS Award Lecture by Livia Lantini: ‘Towards Sustainable Futures in Tree Assessment using Ground Penetrating Radar: Insights, Developments and Novel Perspectives’ (MAL20-GI: 19:00–20:00 (CEST) Room -2.31)
Henry Darcy Medal Lecture by Alberto Guadagnini: ‘A view into the richness of processes in porous media’ (MAL23-HS: 19:00–20:00 (CEST) Room B)
Lewis Fry Richardson Medal Lecture by Annick Pouquet: ‘On a few characteristics of geophysical turbulent flows’ and NP Division Outstanding ECS Award Lecture by Simone Benella: ‘Exploring space plasma fluctuations at kinetic scales through stochastic process theory’ (MAL27-NP: 19:00–20:00 (CEST) Room -2.91)
David Bates Medal Lecture by Franck Montmessin: ‘Deciphering Mars’ water cycle with missions and models’ and PS Division Outstanding ECS Award Lecture by Lucia Mandon: ‘Hyperspectral mapping of a kilometer of mantle rock core: insight into active serpentinization systems’ (MAL29-PS: 19:00–20:00 (CEST) Room E2)
Beno Gutenberg Medal Lecture by Jaroslava Plomerová: ‘Seismic images of the continental lithosphere’ and SM Division Outstanding ECS Award Lecture by Stephen P. Hicks: ‘Uncovering the tectonic secrets of the Atlantic with broadband ocean-bottom seismology’ (MAL30-SM: 19:00–20:00 (CEST) Room G2)

The Great EGU Climate Debate: The Anthropocene – Epochalypse Now?

For the first time in Earth’s history, one species has developed such power to shape the planet that a new geological age has been identified and named in its honour: that age is The Anthropocene, and the species is us. Our power and influence are now so great that our actions are the primary factors impacting the planet’s landscapes, climate, environment, ecology, and ultimately its future habitability for us, and all other living species. Against a backdrop of unprecedented extreme weather events and their impacts, there are worrying signs of a green backlash, with individuals, political groups, and industry protesting the steps that are being taken to transition us toward a net zero and resilient future. In this Great Debate, we will explore the critical role of communicating our scientific results to make sure society will effectively mitigate these threats. We will debate the vital role of scientists in addressing this societal greenlash, as well as the increase in greenwashing, and our role in shaping solutions to avoid a catastrophic mass extinction event. Furthermore, we will discuss the tools and pathways needed to ensure that we are able to take everyone with us on our way to a greener and more resilient future.

GDB3: 16:15–18:00 (CEST) Room E1

Meet our Artists in Residence – Ilias Tsagas

Ilias Tsagas is a poet, and an educator and journalist in energy policy, with a particular interest in environmental and eco-poetry. At the General Assembly he will be creating erasure poetry, also known as blackout poetry, from the text he encounters at the meeting. Erasure poetry is a form of poetry where the poet takes an existing text and erases, blacks outs, or otherwise obscures a large portion of that text, creating an entirely new work from what remains.

Head over to his booth in Foyer D and talk to him about your research and learn more about the art he will be creating this week!

Plate motions were constant through geological time

Is the velocity of tectonic plate movement constant, or does it fluctuate through geological time? Does the rate of seafloor spreading vary at individual mid-ocean ridges? Is there a link between plate velocity, subduction flux and the magmatic flare-ups in convergent margins? Could the peaks in global spectra of U-Pb zircon ages record periods of accelerated mantle convection leading to faster subduction? How realistic are models of rifting or subduction that assume constant plate motion? The panelists will debate the notion that plate motions are constant. To support their arguments they will draw on observational and physical arguments spanning the full range of solid-earth disciplines. We explicitly encourage audience participation.

GDB1: 14:00–15:45 (CEST) Room E1

The January 1, 2024 Mw7.5 Noto Peninsula, Japan, earthquake, associated tsunami, and earthquake swarm

On New Year’s Day 2024, a shallow Mw 7.5 earthquake hit the Noto Peninsula on the back-arc side of Central Japan. Very intense shaking caused more than 200 casualties and widespread damage to the built infrastructure. The quake triggered a tsunami, numerous landslides, rockfall, and widespread liquefaction. The north of the Peninsula moved by several meters during the rupture. This earthquake is the largest event of a sustained seismic swarm that started in 2020. In this late breaking session, we will review early analysis of the earthquake, the associated tsunami, its effect on surface processes, and the consequences on the population, infrastructure, and emergency response.

SM1.3: Orals, 08:30–10:15 (CEST) Room D3

Earth resilience, tipping points, planetary boundaries and human-Earth system interactions in the Anthropocene

Recent assessments on the integrity of the Earth system and planetary health recognize the deteriorating resilience of the Earth system, with planetary-scale human impacts leading to increasing transgression of planetary boundaries constituting a new geological epoch: the Anthropocene. Earth resilience, the capacity of the Earth system to resist, recover and regenerate from anthropogenic pressures, critically depends on the nonlinear interplay of positive and negative feedbacks of biophysical and increasingly also socio-economic processes and human-Earth system interactions. This session will also explore the ways that rising anthropogenic pressures are increasing the risk of the human-Earth system hitting the ceiling of some of the self-regulating feedbacks of the Earth System, and of crossing several key tipping points.

ITS4.1/CL0.1.7: orals 08:30–12:15 (CEST), 14:00–15:30 (CEST) Room N2

Move or perish: What needs to change in academic mobility?

The academic landscape consistently emphasizes the importance of mobility. Researchers, particularly those in the early stage of their careers, undergo increasing pressures as international mobility becomes a key requirement for securing academic positions. Academic mobility fosters global collaboration, enriches research perspectives, and increases the productivity of the individual and the research group, thereby accelerating innovation, but it comes with a myriad of challenges; particularly for academics in relationships (whether with other academics or partners pursuing different career paths), third-country nationals, and individuals facing social inequalities in the access to opportunities and resources. In this Great Debate, we ask essential questions about academic mobility and consider the perspective of different nationals, policies around researcher mobility in the EU, present and proposed institutional frameworks for inequalities we see in academic mobility and gendered implications.

GDB8: 10:45–12:30 (CEST) Room E1

Copernicus Publications and PubCom meet ECS: what to keep, drop, improve in OA publishing?

The EGU Publications Committee and Copernicus Publications would like to expand the discussions about open access publishing to include the perspectives of ECS from all disciplines. We are interested in hearing your ideas and suggestions for improvements in publications-related activities within EGU. This interactive session will have the format of a discussion, where the ECS will be able to express their thoughts and ask any questions they may have. Journal editors and anyone interested in the topic are also welcome to join us.

SPM147: 14:00–15:30 (CEST) Room 2.32

Redeploying existing oil and gas technology to benefit the development of sustainable energy resources

Geoscience underpins many aspects of the energy mix that fuels our planet and offers a range of solutions for reducing global greenhouse gas emissions as the world progresses towards net zero. The aim of this session is to explore and develop the contribution of geology, geophysics and petrophysics to the development of sustainable energy resources in the transition to low-carbon energy.

ERE1.8: Orals 14:00–15:45 (CEST), 16:15–18:00 (CEST) Room 0.96/97, onsite posters Wed, 17 Apr, 10:45–12:30 (CEST) Hall X4, virtual posters Wed, 17 Apr, 14:00–15:45 (CEST) vHall X4

Rivers’ morphological response to extreme events and anthropogenic impacts

River morphology is inherently dynamic, shaped by a complex interplay of unsteady driving variables controlled by the water, sediment, and wood regimes. Natural events like floods and droughts, as well as human activities, can disrupt these fundamental factors. In response to these changes, rivers exhibit complex morphological variations that are very challenging to predict. This session will explore morphological responses of rivers to human interventions and extreme events (i.e., floods and drought).

GM11.2: orals 10:45–12:25 (CEST) Room -2.20, onsite posters Wed, 17 Apr, 10:45–12:30 (CEST) Hall X3, virtual posters Wed, 17 Apr, 14:00–15:45 (CEST) vHall X3

EGU Exhibition

Don’t miss out the EGU Exhibition where you will get a chance to talk with industry representatives and members of other academic, scientific and publishing organisations. Several of the Exhibitors are running special events throughout the week, check the Exhibition events portal for a range of events.

Today at the Data Help Desk lunchtime sessions: Martina Stockhauser on ‘Best practices in data management and data traceability in the IPCC’

12:45 – 13:45 (CEST) Booth X212

Opening times of the Exhibition:
Monday, 15 April to Thursday, 18 April 2024: daily from 10:00 to 18:00 (CEST), Friday, 19 April 2024: 10:00–13:00 (CEST)

List of Exhibitors

Modelling soil erosion process from crop fields to hillslope: trends and perspectives under global change

Water erosion is one of the most widespread forms of soil degradation and agricultural productivity loss as well as a substantial driver in morphogenesis and landscape evolution. In the context of global change, the erosion process is expected to intensify due to an alarming potential for climate change, mainly due to an increase in the frequency of extreme precipitation and localised events. Furthermore, the anthropic action involving changes in land use and increasing erosive crops can contribute to the aggravation of the phenomenon. This session will explore a variety of subjects in this field, related to soil erosion and erosion management and assessment.

SSS2.2: PICO 16:15–18:00 (CEST) PICO spot 2