European Academies Science Advisory Council (EASAC)

#Brussels is mulling a new European grid package. It aims to enhance the EU’s competitiveness by building a more efficient energy system to help individuals and businesses to access affordable, secure and clean #energy. With a focus on electricity, it will also cover hydrogen and other infrastructure categories included in the Trans-European Network for Energy framework. The European Commission has launched a consultation, seeking feedback on the current implementation and impact of the EU regulatory framework for #grids, including the permitting frameworks for grids, #renewable energy generation and storage. EASAC's recent energy reports provide ample insights into these issues, which is why our Energy Programme has responded to the call. You can find: our contribution here 👉 https://lnkd.in/ehkDM4b9, and our full reports here 👉 https://lnkd.in/et7wQXiU William Gillett Neven Duic Paula Kivimaa Hanna-Leena Pesonen Claire Dupont Rana Adib Rudolf Hielscher BERTA MARTINEZ GARCIA Tom Howes

Get ready for the autumn season of EU policymaking and #science advice with our latest newsletter! Featuring updates on #wildfire prevention, #energy #security, #neonicotinoids, academic freedom and transformative change. Read also about the upcoming launch of our Report on #Meat Alternatives and other activities within our #biosciences, #environment and #energy programmes. ➡️ https://lnkd.in/eRuS2tjF] #scicomm #scienceadvice #EU #policy

"Collaboration between human expertise and AI, if implemented responsibly, could lead the way to a more effective and humane healthcare system" On yesterday's "AI Appreciation Day", we have asked Professor Alison Noble about the future of AI in healthcare. In which areas can AI be helpful in our healthcare system, and in which areas do we need to tread carefully? Alison is a Technikos Professor of Biomedical Engineering at the University of Oxford, EASAC Council Member and Working Group Member nominated by the Royal Society to the AI in Healthcare project lead jointly by EASAC and Federation of European Academies of Medicine (FEAM). According to Alison, one of the most significant benefits AI may offer would be earlier and more accurate diagnoses by identifying subtle patterns in complex data like medical images or genetic profiles that human eyes might miss or just cannot see. This may lead to personalized treatment plans tailored to individual needs, improving efficacy and reducing side effects: "Imagine AI predicting a patient's response to a particular medication, or flagging early signs of a chronic disease. For practitioners, we are already seeing the benefit of AI streamlining administrative tasks, freeing up time to focus on direct patient care." But it is definitely early days, and there are also significant challenges. Read the full interview here: https://lnkd.in/ePPij-Tk #AI #healthcare European Health and Digital Executive Agency (HaDEA) The InterAcademy Partnership (IAP) Global Young Academy The Royal Society

Mark your calendars: We're launching a new Report! Join us to discuss "Meat Alternatives" on 4 September in Brussels and online Modern agriculture and livestock farming are vital for #food production and #safety. Yet, they come with a lot of negative impact on resources, some of them even critical to humanity's survival. Think of #biodiversity loss, land and water use, #deforestation, the suffering of animals and the greenhouse gas #emissions. Meat production in particular has a large greenhouse gas footprint. Increasing attention is therefore being paid to possible #meat alternatives. These include both plant-based substitutes as well as insect-based products, fermentation products and cultivated meat. Our upcoming report examines the viability of such alternatives: What are the technical challenges and prospects to scale up the production so that they really can provide a significant fraction of our food? What is their environmental footprint, and how much can they contribute to a healthy diet? What are the safety concerns? And to what extent will consumer attitudes affect the acceptance of new product alternatives? The Report comes at a moment when the Danish presidency of the EU is promoting an EU Action Plan for Plant-Based Foods and an EU Protein Strategy. Clearly, many of the issues addressed in this report are immediately relevant to the discussion about these initiatives. The event will be livestreamed on our YouTube channel starting at 12:30h CEST https://lnkd.in/emYDZxZw Rudolf Hielscher BERTA MARTINEZ GARCIA #meatalternatives #vegan #foodsafety #limitstogrowth #environment #crueltyfree #itsscience #ProteinStrategy Rosa Castro Bert Rima André Knottnerus European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) The InterAcademy Partnership (IAP) Global Young Academy To attend live or receive a reminder for the online viewing, please register here

🌍 Speakers announced! As part of a broader collaboration between the InterAcademy Partnership, European Academies' Science Advisory Council and the Mongolian Academy of Sciences in the lead-up to the International Year of Rengelands and Pastoralists (YIRP) in 2026 and beyond, join us for the 🌿 IAP Webinar - Pastoralism and Grasslands: Science and Policy for Regenerative Rangeland Management 🌿 Selected speakers from Mongolia, Hungary, Kenya and Tanzania will elaborate on possible options for reversing current trends, including how regenerative management – rooted in both modern science and Indigenous knowledge – can offer a more sustainable future for people and the planet. 📅 15 July 2025 🕘 07:00-08:30 UTC; 09:00-10:30 CEST (Rome); 10:00-11:30 EAT (Nairobi); 15:00-16:30 PM ULAT (Ulaanbaatar) 📍 Register at:  https://lnkd.in/deJWXjy4 ✔️ Valkó, Orsolya, DSc, Head of Scientific Secretariat, Scientific Advisor, HUN-REN Centre for Ecological Research, Institute of Ecology and Botany ✔️ Ts.Bat-Oyun, Head of Agrometeorological Division, Information and Research Institute of Meteorology, Hydrology and Environment, Mongolia ✔️ Dorothy A. Amwata, Associate Professor, Dean School of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences, Murang'a University of Technology, Kenya ✔️ Joseph Moses Oleshangay, human rights lawyer and activist in Tanzania ✔️ Thomas Elmqvist, EASAC Environment Programme Director and Prof. Stockholm Resilience Centre Kenya National Academy Of Sciences European Academies Science Advisory Council (EASAC)) Network of African Science Academies Mongolian Academy of Sciences

Semi-natural grasslands are among the most species-rich ecosystems on earth, offering a unique example of how long-term, low-intensity human activities can enhance #biodiversity. They are disappearing fast, but there is hope: 2026 is the International Year of Rangelands and Pastoralists #IYRP2026. As part of a broader collaboration, The InterAcademy Partnership (IAP), European Academies' Science Advisory Council and the Mongolian Academy of Sciences are hosting a webinar to take a comprehensive view of grasslands and showcase the latest scientific and policy insights. The event will explore options for reversing current trends, including how regenerative management, rooted in both modern science and Indigenous knowledge, can offer a more sustainable future for people and the planet. It will convene interdisciplinary experts from around the world who will share perspectives from diverse policy and ecological contexts. 📅 : Tuesday, 15 July 2025 ⏰ : 07:00-08:30 UTC; 09:00-10:30 CEST (Rome); 10:00-11:30 EAT (Nairobi); 15:00-16:30 PM ULAT (Ulaanbaatar). ✒️ Register here: https://lnkd.in/eT3pQrXj You will then receive the time in your local time zone. Explore with us how regenerative management & traditional knowledge can secure a #sustainable future for these vital ecosystems: https://lnkd.in/e3SUCVj9 #grasslands #science

Apply Now 📢 25 new scholarships for US reasearchers 🌍✈️The Austrian Academy of Sciences (OeAW) is proud to announce a major step in international collaboration: €10 million in funding from the Fonds Zukunft Österreich (FZÖ) to launch the APART-USA programme 🎓🔬 What’s it about? 25 prestigious four-year fellowships will be awarded to outstanding postdocs from the U.S., giving them the opportunity to conduct research at top Austrian universities and research institutions. 🇦🇹🤝🇺🇸 Strengthening transatlantic ties This initiative not only enhances Austria’s research landscape, but also fosters deeper scientific exchange between the USA and Austria. As OeAW President Heinz Faßmann said: “The right signal in these turbulent times.” Curious? 🤓 Learn more: https://lnkd.in/d62vVmBf #research #postdoc #science #Austria #USA #academia #internationalcollaboration #OeAW #FZÖ #innovatio

Europe is facing a historic #heatwave, with wildfire risks increasing. And right at the start of the tourist season, many more people will be travelling to Mediterranean areas with particularly high fire risks. In Crete, Greece, a wildfire has just prompted evacuations of hundreds of residents and tourists. Firefighters are still trying to contain the blaze. So, especially if you are heading for a Southern European destination for your vacation, take a few minutes to improve your fire literacy. It could save your life. In this short video, Bachisio Arca, Wildfire Specialist of the Italian National Research Council | CNR · Institute of BioEconomy, advises tourists on how to behave in case of a wildfire. Bachisio holds a PhD in Agrometeorology and Ecophysiology. 📽️ https://lnkd.in/e7Cv_G26 For more info on #wildfires and how #policymakers could improve #prevention, check out EASAC's report: 🧯 https://lnkd.in/e2nJf9Gt

We want you! EASAC is seeking a Programme Director for its Energy Programme. If you are passionate about energy and want to make a difference with evidence-based policy advice, this part-time job may be for you. 👉 https://lnkd.in/eu5fa4Rr Interested candidates are requested to send their CV and a motivation letter to the EASAC Secretariat by 10 August, 2025 #scienceadvice #job #energypolicy #europeanunion #itsscience

Continue to increase not curtail renewable energy The Renewables 2025 Global Status Report published by REN21 shows that even as renewable energy hits record highs, progress is faltering – undermined by unclear policies, mounting trade restrictions and deepening market volatility amid rising global energy demand. 2024 and early 2025 saw major economies roll back or delay climate and sustainable energy measures, from the US withdrawal from the Paris Agreement to New Zealand reversing its ban on offshore oil and gas exploration, while the UK announced it is stepping back from its planned ban on the sale of new gas boilers by 2035. EASAC’s Energy Programme Director, Dr William Gillett, highlights the risks to #security and #competitiveness if policymakers in Europe adopted similar moves and backslide on agreed targets and policies. „Europe is highly dependent on fossil fuel imports. Failing to quickly transition to sustainable alternatives constitutes a serious security risk and jeopardises Europe’s competitiveness. Our reliance on #oil and #gas imports makes us vulnerable and exposes us to political blackmail. Take the recent escalation of the conflict between Iran, Israel and the US: The mere fear of disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz has already driven up global oil prices, with Brent crude futures reaching a six-month high.“ The Strait of Hormuz is a narrow passage between Iran and Oman. At its tightest point, it’s only about 33 km wide - roughly the same as the English Channel. It is one of the world’s busiest and most important shipping routes. About 25% of all oil traded globally pass through it. „Instead of falling back into old habits, policymakers should seize the opportunity to push forward policies and invest in the system infrastructure needed to accommodate the highest possible shares of today’s low-cost #renewables, with a focus on #electricity and district heating infrastructure, sector coupling, and #storage. This will be our best bet for both higher resilience to avoid more crises like the Iberian blackout, and better affordability of our energy supplies. I am glad to see that the European Parliament seems to support pushing forward in this direction.“ The text adopted by the European Parliament on 19 June calls for more effective rules and procedures to attract private investment in addition to public funding, and to ensure that electricity network tariffs reflect real costs. It emphasises the need to address grid bottlenecks and prevent the curtailment of renewable energy. 👉 REN21: https://lnkd.in/ehnKrmd8 👉 EASAC: https://lnkd.in/dvE-bNwg 👉 IEA: https://lnkd.in/gs_-JNSh 👉 European Parliament: https://lnkd.in/dARgN6rd #energysecurity #iran #energyprices