As I sat watching with hundreds of other Observers and COP 28 participants from around the world in an huge overflow hall down the corridor, I felt the magnitude of the climate emergency before us greater than ever. Spontaneous applause erupts at different sections of the address as people listen intently peering over their laptops and gifted COP28 water bottles, there was not an empty seat to be found.
The Ecological Society of America (ESA) calls on world leaders attending the United Nations Climate Change Conference of Parties (COP28) in Dubai, United Arab Emirates (UAE), to pledge immediate action to reduce carbon dioxide (CO2) and other greenhouse gas emissions to limit rising global temperatures initially to 2.0⁰ C and eventually below 1.5⁰ C above pre-industrial levels.
I write to inform you of an important upcoming change to Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment. Our December 2023 issue will be the last we produce in print; thereafter, Frontiers will transition to online-only publication.
We are very excited to be adding new value to ESA membership for this coming year. In May, the Governing Board approved a plan to support programming geared toward the career development—scientific, practical and aspirational—of ecologists. A portion of our budget spent off proceeds from the strategic reserve now enables us to develop virtual content opportunities on a wide range…
Guest Post by Dr. Laura A. Meyerson For the last 4.5 years, I have had the honor of working with a core team of 86 experts from 47 countries to help produce a global assessment of invasive alien species. The report was launched on September 4, 2023, in Bonn, Germany by the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services…
Large conferences leave a large environmental footprint – with air travel, accommodations, and production of single-use items all generating substantial carbon emissions and impacts on surrounding wildlife and habitats. As a way of offsetting a portion of the environmental costs of its Annual Meeting, ESA contributes $5 for each meeting registrant, which the Society then donates to a local project…
ESA voices its strong commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion and support for its members. The Supreme Court ruling today reversed decades of progress under affirmative action by severely limiting the use of race in college admissions. The ruling is misguided, harms society and affects historically excluded students’ abilities to achieve and flourish within educational institutions. Ecology is a field…
by ESA President Sharon Collinge As current president of ESA, I was pleased to be able to travel to Washington, DC, to chair the most recent ESA Governing Board meeting, May 16-17. The meeting was hybrid, with five board members meeting in person with the executive director and senior staff in DC, and the other six members participating virtually. The…
The Ecological Society of America (ESA), representing 8,000 research ecologists and environmental scientists, is greatly concerned about the unintended consequences to nature and human health because of the United States Supreme Court decision in the Sackett v. EPA case that excludes the majority of wetlands from protection under the Clean Water Act. The ruling ignores the best available science and…
By Tim Nuttle, 2023 Program Chair In 2022, the Meetings Committee recommended changes for the ESA Annual Meeting program to adapt and meet attendees’ needs. The Governing Board approved these changes to go into effect for this year’s meeting in Portland. The goal: To accommodate as many presentation submissions as possible across the range of professional ecological practice. You can…
Last month, Ecological Society of America leaders and staff were among the 6,000+ attendees for the National Diversity in STEAM conference, hosted by SACNAS (Society for Advancement of Chicanos/Hispanics & Native Americans in Science) in San Juan, Puerto Rico. ESA President Sharon Collinge, Diversity Committee Chair Carmen Cid, Diversity Committee member Conchi Rodriguez Fourquet, Professional Programs Coordinator Sandra Del Rio,…
by Lin Meng, Council Speaker The ESA Governing Board 2022 Fall Meeting was held from Nov. 1 to 2, 2022, at the ESA office in Washington, DC. The board members and ESA staff discussed past ESA activities, decisions to be made, current opportunities and plans for ESA. I was excited to attend the Governing Board meeting for the first time…