A healthy and biodiverse environment is an essential component of many aspects of life on Earth, including human society, and even the world’s GDP. Restoring natural environments that are out of balance is a task necessary not only for perceived wild areas, like forests and wetlands, but also for urban areas, freshwater ecosystems, and our oceans.

On 15 November 2022, 14:00 – 15:30 CET the EGU, in collaboration with the European Parliament Intergroup on Climate Change, Biodiversity and Sustainable Development, will host the event, “Supporting EU’s biodiversity targets by bridging the science-policy divide” inside the European Parliament. This event will highlight the areas in which Europe’s Earth science and research communities are providing support for the EU Biodiversity Strategy for 2030 and the Nature Restoration Law’s ambitious targets by providing key information and solution-oriented scientific advice. It will outline specific areas where scientists can be of help to policymakers, highlight the advice provided in the EGU response to the Nature Restoration Law document, and focus on the benefits of taking a solutions-directed, research-based approach.

Co-hosted by Members of the European Parliament César Luena and Jutta Paulus, the event will create a space for scientists and policymakers to come together and discuss options to meet the EU’s overarching goals, overcome current challenges, and ensure that the EU’s biodiversity targets can be effectively implemented. Not only will it address specific issues related to the Nature Restoration Law and biodiversity, but also to assess how greater collaboration between the two communities can be achieved.

All EGU members are invited to attend; please register in advance for online attendance here and in-person attendance here. If you would like more information, please contact the EGU Policy Manager Chloe Hill via policy@egu.eu.

Established in 1994, the European Parliament Intergroup on ‘Climate Change, Biodiversity and Sustainable Development brings together Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) from all political groups and Parliamentary Committees to find sustainable solutions to some of the greatest challenges of our time. This balanced forum of discussion allows MEPs to listen, debate and shape ideas and policies based on contributions from the different stakeholders (relevant experts, NGOs, private sector, researchers and academics) in the presence of the European Commission, EU Presidency and EU Member States.

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. Our 20,000 members span many key scientific areas that can enhance the policy-making process including, but not limited to, natural hazards, biodiversity, pollution, climate change, soil science and raw-material sourcing.

• Online participation registration
• In-person participation registration
• EGU policy pages