EGU’s reaction to IPCC report on Global Warming of 1.5°C Press release 9 October 2018 Yesterday, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), a United Nations scientific and intergovernmental body, published the summary for policymakers of its Global Warming of 1.5ºC (SR15) report. EGU representatives react to the findings. Read more
Monthly news from EGU: Science policy, bombing raids, glacial geoengineering (September 2018) 1 October 2018 The September 2018 edition of the EGU email newsletter, the monthly information service for Union members, is now available. Read more
EGU and EFG establish dialogue with policy makers on how the geosciences can help overcome Europe’s societal challenges 28 September 2018 On 26 September 2018, the European Geosciences Union (EGU) and the European Federation of Geologists (EFG) have jointly convened the ‘Horizon Geoscience: overcoming societal challenges, creating change’ dinner debate. Held at the Royal Academy of Belgium, the event has gathered nearly 80 policymakers from European institutions, media representatives, and geoscience professionals from different sectors and fields of expertise. Read more
Impact of WWII bombing raids felt at edge of space Press release 26 September 2018 Bombing raids by Allied forces during the Second World War not only caused devastation on the ground but also sent shockwaves through Earth’s atmosphere which were detected at the edge of space, according to new research. University of Reading researchers have revealed the shockwaves produced by huge bombs dropped by Allied planes on European cities were big enough to weaken the electrified upper atmosphere – the ionosphere – above the UK, 1000km away. The results are published today in the European Geosciences Union journal Annales Geophysicae. Read more
Glacial engineering could limit sea-level rise, if we get our emissions under control Press release 20 September 2018 Targeted engineering projects to hold off glacier melting could slow down the collapse of ice sheets and limit sea-level rise, according to a new study published in the European Geosciences Union journal The Cryosphere. While an intervention similar in size to existing large civil engineering projects could only have a 30% chance of success, a larger project would have better odds of holding off ice-sheet collapse. But study authors Michael Wolovick and John Moore caution that reducing emissions still remains key to stopping climate change and its dramatic effects. Read more
EGU 2019 call for sessions: deadline approaching 3 September 2018 The call for session proposals for the EGU 2019 General Assembly is currently open. Until 6 September you can suggest new sessions with conveners and description, or you can propose modifications to current ones. Please note that, similarly to last year, the 6 September deadline also applies to short courses. The deadline to submit proposals for Union Symposia and Great Debates was 15 August. The next EGU General Assembly is taking place in Vienna, Austria on 7–12 April 2019. Read more
Deadline for climate action – Act strongly before 2035 to keep warming below 2°C Press release 30 August 2018 If governments don’t act decisively by 2035 to fight climate change, humanity could cross a point of no return after which limiting global warming below 2°C in 2100 will be unlikely, according to a new study by scientists in the UK and the Netherlands. The research also shows the deadline to limit warming to 1.5°C has already passed, unless radical climate action is taken. The study is published today in the European Geosciences Union journal Earth System Dynamics. Read more
Monthly news from EGU: Fatal landslides, elections, call for sessions (August 2018) 30 August 2018 The August 2018 edition of the EGU email newsletter, the monthly information service for Union members, is now available. Read more
Landslides triggered by human activity on the rise Press release 23 August 2018 More than 50,000 people were killed by landslides around the world between 2004 and 2016, according to a new study by researchers at UK’s Sheffield University. The team, who compiled data on over 4800 fatal landslides during the 13-year period, also revealed for the first time that landslides resulting from human activity have increased over time. The research is published today in the European Geosciences Union journal Natural Hazards and Earth System Sciences. Read more
EGU Committee on Education seeking tertiary education specialists 13 August 2018 The Committee on Education, which coordinates the EGU activities related to secondary and tertiary education, is looking for new committee members that specialise in educational aspects of tertiary education in the geosciences. Read more