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24 April 2025
All in this Together: Protecting the Global Scientific Enterprise
AGU is a global community. Across 6 continents, in 200 countries and regions, we connect with one another, championing research, discovery, and solutions. Borders, languages, time zones, and customs might zig zag their way across our membership map, but science remains our guiding star and our uniting purpose. It’s even woven into an official AGU position statement: the Earth and space sciences are borderless and their data, a world heritage. …
21 April 2025
Remembering Pope Francis’ Climate Leadership
AGU mourns the passing of Pope Francis. A champion for people around the world, His Holiness staked out important new ground in spreading awareness, education and hope in facing the global climate crisis. Many actions by Pope Francis speak to his commitment to the climate issue. In 2015, in a first time papal encyclical on climate, Laudato Si, Pope Francis cited the vulnerability of poorer populations and nations to climate …
11 April 2025
The U.S. National Climate Assessment Must Stay on Track — Our Future Depends on It
Climate change is no longer a distant threat—it is a present and accelerating crisis reshaping every facet of life. Decades of rigorous, peer-reviewed science leave no room for doubt that human-driven climate change is fueling more extreme weather, endangering lives and disrupting economies. In 2024 alone, the United States faced 27 disasters that resulted in more than $1 billion each in losses and claimed more than 550 lives, from Hurricane …
31 March 2025
AGU Statement on the Earthquake in Myanmar
Our hearts are with the people of Myanmar and the surrounding region following the powerful 7.7-magnitude earthquake on Friday that has caused widespread devastation. We mourn the loss of life and express our support for those who have been injured, displaced, or impacted by this tragedy. Our thoughts are also with the emergency responders, humanitarian organizations, and scientific community members who are working tirelessly in the wake of this disaster. …
14 March 2025
A Continuing Resolution Is a Blow to U.S. Science — and the Public
The American public deserves better. Science drives progress, but it can’t do that with stopgap funding and political gridlock. It’s time to end the cycle. Science needs certainty and sustained financial growth – and the recognition by Congress that undermining science shortchanges American competitiveness in the world. Unfortunately, even the most thoughtfully crafted spending bill from Congress means little if the executive branch refuses to implement it in good faith. …
5 March 2025
The State of the Science Union
What You Didn’t Hear Last Night but Need to Know Last night, President Trump addressed a joint session of Congress. Titled “The Renewal of the American Dream,” there was heavy emphasis on the economy, border security, and foreign relations, but what you didn’t hear was the realities of a hollowing out of the federal workforce that has weakened critical scientific expertise, abdicated climate leadership, shrunk important research, and frozen global …
18 February 2025
Standing Together for Science: How to Support the Federal Scientific Workforce
In my last From the Prow post on 14 February, I expressed AGU’s alarm regarding the Administration’s intent to massively erode the federal scientific workforce. Today, I want to update you on some of the ways AGU is taking action, and on how we can help you to communicate your own concerns and real life impacts to your elected officials. Let me start by saying to our members in the …
14 February 2025
Standing Together With a Generation of Federal Scientists
Science is the backbone of our society. Robust, sustained commitment to research leads to discoveries and innovations that enrich all aspects of our lives. Over the last few weeks, we have been witnessing the Administration dismantle the scientific enterprise. These actions are weakening the economy, undercutting national security and endangering the health and well-being of all Americans. This week’s Executive Order threatens to eviscerate the staff of NOAA, NASA, the …
3 February 2025
Standing Together for Science: Supporting Our Community Amid Federal Funding Challenges
I am sharing an update to my January 27 From the Prow message regarding the Executive Orders and directives coming from the United States federal government and how they are affecting AGU’s members and the broader scientific community. We are requesting your input on how these federal directives have been impacting you and your work, as your shared experiences are vital to our advocacy efforts. Based on what we know …
27 January 2025
Standing Together Supporting Science and Our Work in the New Administration
Last week we witnessed a hallmark of U.S. democracy – the peaceful transition of power. It was a hard-fought election, one that was deeply emotional for all. And that is what makes the tradition and spectacle of the transition of power from one President to the next all the more important. While we are still digesting the new proactive Executive Orders issued last week, AGU underscores its commitment to continuing …
10 January 2025
Statement on the Los Angeles Wildfires
Our hearts go out to all those affected by the devastating California wildfires, which are destroying homes, displacing communities, and overwhelming firefighting efforts as they burn through thousands of acres with alarming speed. AGU recognizes the immense challenges faced by residents and is grateful for the tireless efforts of first responders and organizations rendering aid to those in need. Scientists play a critical role in advancing solutions to better predict, …
21 December 2024
Second Averted U.S. Government Shutdown of FY25
For the second time in the fiscal year 2025 appropriations cycle, the U.S. House of Representatives and Senate have agreed to a short-term funding measure to avert a government shutdown. With yet another temporary solution, the future of U.S. science remains in jeopardy. AGU urgently calls on lawmakers to prioritize stability and investment in scientific research by passing a robust and sustainable budget for fiscal year 2025. Budget impasses threaten …
27 November 2024
AGU at COP29 and CBD16: Connecting Biodiversity and Climate Action
Over the past few months, I’ve been honored to represent AGU at two key global events: the UN Biodiversity Conference 2024 in Cali, Colombia (CBD16), and the UN Climate Change Conference in Baku, Azerbaijan (COP29). Reflecting on these meetings, it’s clear that the outcomes fall short of the urgency demanded by the biodiversity and climate crisis. At COP29, critical issues like equitable funding for climate adaptation, activation of the loss …
19 November 2024
Inside the 2024 AGU Election: Results and Participation Insights
In AGU’s 2024 biennial election, which concluded on 29 October, members elected 62 new leaders to serve two-year terms from 2025 to 2026. The Leadership Development/Governance Committee sincerely thanks all members who took part in the election, whether by casting a vote or being considered for office. Your engagement and dedication are the cornerstones of AGU’s vibrant and forward-thinking community. To explore the individual results and learn more about the …
Benjamin Zaitchik Elected AGU President-Elect for 2025-2026 Term
AGU members have elected Benjamin Zaitchik as the organization’s next president-elect, alongside 61 other Union officers, Board members, section and College of Fellows officers, and student/early career representatives to the AGU Council for the 2025-2026 leadership term. Benjamin Zaitchik, a professor of Earth and planetary sciences and department chair at Johns Hopkins University, has a diverse background in geosciences and public policy. His AGU involvement includes founding leadership roles in …
7 November 2024
Post U.S. Elections: What’s Next for Science?
The United States presidential election presents new realities for the world and for our work in building a vibrant community for Earth and space sciences. And AGU is committed to meeting this moment. We stand ready. Ready to continue being a voice for sound science policy and funding priorities. Ready to provide wider pathways for inclusivity and opportunity. Ready to support and amplify discovery and solution science. And ready to …
23 October 2024
Ethical Framework Aims to Counter Risks of Geoengineering Research
Record heat, devastating storms, punishing drought. Our world continues to see the unrelenting impacts of climate change. It clearly requires urgent action but as the research community increasingly investigates climate intervention methods to address this challenge, we see an alarming lack of ethical guidance. This is why, powered in partnership and driven by broad collaboration, AGU facilitated the Ethical Framework Principles for Climate Intervention Research. Through a two-year process that included an open …
11 October 2024
Weathering Storms Around the World
The scale and scope of Hurricane Milton’s destructive path is overwhelming. Communities along Florida’s west and east coasts, as well as Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula, are just beginning to assess the damage. This event comes on top of the widespread damage of Hurricane Helene and its mounting death toll across North Carolina, Tennessee, Georgia, and South Carolina. In just the past few months we have also witnessed the effects of Typhoon …
30 September 2024
AGU Updates Critical Position Statements on Climate, Communications and Data
We are pleased to announce the approval of three updated position statements that will help shape the future of climate action, science communication and data sharing. AGU position statements—created, revised and approved by members with feedback and support from experts in related fields—are what enable AGU to take adaptive stances on significant policy issues ranging from climate change to national security. These statements, which are updated in a recurring four-year …
5 September 2024
Experiment. Learn. Adapt.: Ranked Choice Voting in the 2024 AGU Elections
AGU is an organization committed to a culture of Experiment / Learn / Adapt. In response to voter input over many elections, the Leadership Development / Governance Committee chose to test ranked choice voting in 4 elections – International Secretary, Board Director, Council Students and Council Early Career Scientists. In case you’re not familiar, this is an increasingly popular electoral system that allows voters to rank candidates by preference, meaning …
