February 26, 2021
Biden’s first 30 days in office: what it’s meant for science
President Biden campaigned on bringing science back to the center of policy. Knowing this, AGU shared a First 100 Days Memo with the Biden-Harris Transition team, laying out key priorities for climate change, the role of science, and a strong, diverse and inclusive scientific workforce. Now, a little more than a month into the Biden administration, we take a closer look at what progress has – and has not – …
February 18, 2021
A new webinar & new opportunity to engage U.S. policymakers
2021 has brought with it a new Congress and a new U.S. administration, which means new opportunities to engage policymakers and share with them the value of the Earth and space sciences. Join our upcoming webinar Whether you are new to science policy and want to learn more about federal policy processes or are experienced but just want to improve the effectiveness of your engagements, AGU and its …
January 25, 2021
Join us in welcoming your new Members of Congress
The 117th Congress was sworn in on 3 January and has already been busy laying out priorities and drafting legislation. Join us on 25-29 January and reach out to your new member of Congress, follow them on social media, introduce yourself and let them know why #ScienceIsEssential. Introducing yourself now will help ensure science stays on the minds of members as they set their priorities for the new Congress. The AGU Action Center automatically connects you …
January 6, 2021
A new Congress and a new administration: what to expect in 2021
The year 2020 was monumental for U.S. elections: more than 159 million people voted, the highest number ever recorded in an election. President Joseph R. Biden’s win was certified on 6 January by Congress. Already, President Biden has shared his priorities for his time in office: COVID-19, economic recovery, addressing racial equity and climate change. Democrats maintained control of the House of Representatives and flipped the Senate, giving President-elect Biden …
December 22, 2020
Science stands steady in Fiscal Year 2021 spending
Amid contentious negotiation for a new COVID-19 stimulus package and several continuing resolutions, Congress finally passed the fiscal year 2021 spending package. Overall, federal science agency budgets saw slight boosts in funding. Notably, NOAA’s Climate Research office saw a 7% increase and NSF has been directed to issue a report on the extent of the damage to the Arecibo Observatory in Puerto Rico. Additionally, the Forest and Rangeland Service within …
December 1, 2020
Legal Education for Scientists at #AGU20
The Climate Science Legal Defense Fund (CSLDF) and AGU work together to help scientists from all geoscience disciplines understand their legal rights and responsibilities—knowledge that’s an essential part of every researcher’s professional development. This is the ninth year we’re partnering on the Legal Education for Scientists Program, and we’re offering a range of events at the 2020 Fall Meeting. Among our events are three workshops featuring attorneys from CSLDF and …
November 23, 2020
Science Policy Events at Fall Meeting 2020
AGU’s annual Fall Meeting is just around the corner! Although Fall Meeting 2020 will look a little different than years past, we are thrilled to have the Earth and space science community together again in one virtual space. The Public Affairs Team has been busy preparing a packed schedule of science policy events for our members–whether you want to hear from experts on what the recent U.S. election means for …
November 19, 2020
Science stalls in Senate spending bills: Part 2
While Congress is still at odds over COVID-19 pandemic relief, we are nearly two months past the end of the fiscal year without a new budget. The House passed its spending bills in July, the Senate delivered their FY21 spending in mid-November. We are breaking down the spending and programmatic highlights for federal Earth and space science agencies, including highlights from the reports and comparing funding across the House, Senate, …
Science stalls in Senate spending bills: Part 1
While Congress is still at odds over COVID-19 pandemic relief, we are nearly two months past the end of the fiscal year without a new budget. The House passed its spending bills in July, the Senate delivered their FY21 spending in mid-November. Over the next two posts, we will detail the spending and programmatic highlights for federal Earth and space science agencies, including highlights from the reports and comparing funding …
November 16, 2020
The Western US in Flames – What’s Going On?
by: Shane Coffield, PhD Candidate in Earth System Science at UC Irvine It feels difficult to believe that the Australian bushfires happened just earlier this year. Since then, a pandemic, social unrest, and a pivotal U.S. election have dominated the news cycle. Through all of this, however, the climate crisis hasn’t taken a break. The wildfires in the Western US are a stark reminder of that truth. They are …
