Influencing Science Policy
One of ESA’s strategic priorities is to promote the use of ecological science to address environmental challenges by communicating ecological knowledge relevant for decision-making to policymakers, resources managers and the public, and every year our Public Affairs Office, Policy Section and many members who engage local, national and even international leaders work hard to advocate for policy and business decisions that are informed by good ecological science.
In 2022, we issued 32 advocacy letters (of our own and with allied organizations) as part of our regular outreach to government. But more importantly, we directly involved our members in that work – we held individual webinars on the National Climate Assessment and National Nature Assessment, held a debrief with members to report back from COP26, with more than 230 in attendance, and badged several members for COP27. At the Annual Meeting, staff and members held 10 different events related to science policy, likewise with several hundred in attendance.
But the highlight was being able to host 44 winners of the Graduate Student Policy Award for our annual two-day event meant to help build the next generation of policy advocates. Despite once again having to hold GSPA activities completely virtually, participants nonetheless received a full day of policy training, then each got to meet with a Member of Congress’s staff to share their perspectives as scientists with expertise in some of the most important subject matter of our time.