Due to recent changes to the Austrian events guidelines as well as uncertainty over the state of COVID in early April, the European Geosciences Union (EGU) has decided to move the date of its annual General Assembly to the 23-27 May 2022.

Following the abstract submission deadline, which saw an impressive 12,500 submissions, the EGU Programme Committee were faced with some difficult choices due to the Austrian government’s new regulations for large events, which limit the number of attendees at in-person events to 2000 people. These restrictions, coupled with an increasing anxiety about the feasibility of holding an in-person meeting in early April expressed by many EGU members, prompted the Programme Committee to look for a new solution.

Important changes to note
1. The date of the hybrid General Assembly EGU22 is now moved to 23-27 May 2022

2. There will now only be one format for presentations. All presentations will be ‘short orals’ with between 15 and 20 abstracts per 1.5 hour timeslot. All sessions will host a mix of in-person and online presentations, viewable both in-person and online, giving greater accessibility for all sessions. More details about the format are available here

3. Submission of late abstracts is available until 26 January 2022, at 13.00CET. Late abstract fees have been reduced this year to the regular abstract submission rate of 45€ and must be submitted by the session convener, who should be contacted directly for help (more information here)

A decision after much deliberation
The decision to move the dates of EGU22 has been a difficult one, and has not been taken lightly. Never before has EGU changed the date of the General Assembly, but EGU wanted to avoid an online-only meeting for a third consecutive year, when so many people are increasingly fatigued by virtual meetings. This is also a view supported by 73% of abstract authors, who indicated a preference to attend EGU22 in-person.

EGU realises that this change in date of the meeting will bring its own barriers and disruptions, which may be insurmountable for some people. It is our hope and expectation that by late May, the new date of the meeting, global COVID-19 infection rates will be significantly lower and the restrictions on large, in-person events in Austria will be relaxed.

Following extensive discussion between the EGU Programme Committee and Executive Board, our conference partner Copernicus, the Austrian Hygiene experts and the Austria Centre Vienna, we have come up with what we hope is a suitable solution for EGU22 that allows both in-person and on-line participation for all of the scientific sessions.

We would like to thank our community for joining us on this journey back to meeting in person, and toward a fully hybrid format for the General Assembly. Stay tuned to our website, the EGU22 website and social media for further updates. For additional specific questions check our FAQ (attached).

The European Geosciences Union (EGU) is the leading organisation for Earth, planetary and space science research in Europe. With our partner organisations worldwide, we foster fundamental geoscience research, alongside applied research that addresses key societal and environmental challenges. Our vision is to realise a sustainable and just future for humanity and for the planet. We publish a number of diverse scientific journals, which use an innovative open access format, and organise topical meetings, and education and outreach activities. Follow the EGU on Twitter and Facebook.

• “EGU22”: https://egu22.eu/
• FAQs
• Late abstract submission guidelines