Dear EGU Expert,

This month’s Science for Policy Newsletter highlights steps that you can take to start engaging with policy including applying for a European Parliament Traineeship position, this month’s GeoPolicy Blog post, upcoming science for policy events, an opportunity to submit your Nature for Europe story, and open calls for EGU Engagement Grants and Training Schools!

If you have any further questions or comments about the EGU24 policy programme or policy opportunities that exist for scientists in Europe, don’t hesitate to get in touch via policy@egu.eu or on the EGU’s official Science for Policy Twitter Account @EGU_Policy.

Best wishes,
Chloe Hill, EGU Policy Manager

The call for European Parliamentary Research Service Traineeships is currently open. These five-month traineeships are offered through the Robert Schuman Programme and include positions in 23 different areas.

These traineeships are a fantastic opportunity for researchers interested in supporting evidence-informed policymaking and helping to integrate science into the policymaking process. They are also a great way to build networks and connections. You can read more and submit your application here until 31 May 2024 for a traineeship that starts on 1 October 2024.

While many researchers would like to start engaging with policymaking and provide expertise to support evidence-informed policies, it can often be difficult to know where to start! This month’s GeoPolicy blog post was created with the help of the EGU’s Science for Policy Working Group and outlines 10 steps you can take to start your science for policy engagement today! Some of these steps include tips to improve your skills for policy impact while others provide links to initiatives you can participate in. Examples include registering as an expert for the European Commission, connecting with specific policy units that require evidence such as the Union Civil Protection Knowledge Network and applying for policy internships, traineeships, and pairing schemes. Read the full list here!

The EGU has a regularly updated External Science for Policy Events Calendar that lists upcoming policy-related events that might be of interest to geoscientists who are interested in engaging more with policymaking. These events can introduce you to the science-policy interface or a particular policy area, help you to gain a better understanding of the needs of policymakers, provide inspiration for future research, connect you with potential collaboration partners outside of academia, and allow you to promote your work and expertise! If you’re hosting your own policy-related event, you can also submit it to be considered and added to this list of events.

In response to the recent backtracking on crucial European policy initiatives outlined in the Green Deal, the Europe for Nature platform has been established by a group of researchers to illustrate the role of nature by harnessing collective expertise and insights of scientists across Europe. This platform invites experts in environmental changes, their environmental and/or societal impacts, and possible solutions to submit their expertise in story form based on one of the questions listed on this page.

The call for applications for EGU’s annual Public Engagement Grant is now open! This scheme aims to celebrate and recognise excellent science communication in the Earth, planetary, and space sciences. Grants are awarded to EGU members interested in developing an outreach project to raise awareness of the geosciences outside the scientific community – including with policymakers.

Three applicants judged to have proposed the most innovative and effective project will each be awarded a grant of €1500 to help further develop the idea and put it into practice. They will also receive one free registration per project to attend the EGU General Assembly in 2026. You can read more about the EGU Public Engagement Award and apply here by 17 June 2024.

EGU training schools offer early career scientists specialist training opportunities they do not normally have access to in their home institutions. Training schools can be positioned near emerging research opportunities, rapidly evolving fields, interdisciplinary approaches or highly specialised skills – including those relating to science for policy. You can read more about EGU Public Training Schools and request support here by 17 June 2024.