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Amplified spending constraints, political division necessitates policy engagement by scientists

When Congress returns from the August recess, it will have just a few weeks (10 scheduled legislative working days total) to pass legislation to keep the government funded beyond Sept. 30 when the current fiscal year ends. Both the House and Senate have introduced appropriations bills for Fiscal Year (FY) 2016. Congressional Republicans, now in control of both the…

ESA Policy News July 29: White House teams with businesses to advance climate pledge, agriculture spending bills advance, ESA responds to Senate COMPETES comment request

Here are some highlights from the latest ESA Policy News by Policy Analyst Terence Houston. Read the full Policy News here. WHITE HOUSE: COMPANIES UNITE WITH PRESIDENT OBAMA ON CLIMATE PLEDGE Thirteen of the largest companies in the United States are joining the Obama administration in the American Business Act on Climate Pledge: Alcoa, Apple, Bank of America, Berkshire Hathaway Energy,…

ESA Policy News July 15: Flag debate stifles Interior funding bill, Senate seeks science community input for new COMPETES bill, Obama designates new monuments

Here are some highlights from the latest ESA Policy News by Policy Analyst Terence Houston. Read the full Policy News here. APPROPRIATIONS: BILL FUNDING INTERIOR, EPA STALLS IN HOUSE On July 9, House Speaker John Boehner (R-OH) pulled the Fiscal Year 2016 Interior, Environment and Related Agencies appropriations bill over a contentious amendment related to the confederate flag. The appropriations bill…

ESA Policy News July 1: White House voices concern with Senate CJS funding bill, Supreme Court rebuffs air pollution rule, ESA commends pope for climate emphasis

Here are some highlights from the latest ESA Policy News by Policy Analyst Terence Houston. Read the full Policy News here. APPROPRIATIONS: WHITE HOUSE VOICES CONCERN WITH SENATE CJS BILL On June 24, the White House Office of Management and Budget submitted a letter to the Senate Appropriations Committee expressing concern with the Senate Commerce Justice and Science Appropriations Act of…

ESA Policy News June 17: Congress advances bills funding NSF, Interior appropriations, Captive chimpanzees get endangered species protections

Here are some highlights from the latest ESA Policy News by Policy Analyst Terence Houston. Read the full Policy News here. APPROPRIATIONS: HOUSE, SENATE CJS BILLS ADVANCE Over the past few weeks, the House and Senate have moved their Fiscal Year (FY) 2016 Commerce, Justice and Science (CJS) appropriations bills, which include funding for key science agencies. The House FY 2016 CJS…

Baron on earth stewardship and promoting a sustainable society

A key component of advancing earth stewardship involves communicating ecological science to stakeholders outside the ecological community. Continued outreach to policymakers at all levels of government is critical for sustaining investment and resources for all fields of science as well as building relationships that foster collaboration. Yet, now more than ever, success in the advancement of earth stewardship efforts necessitates…

ESA Policy News June 3: America COMPETES narrowly passes, Clean Water Rule finalized, Sage grouse protection plan released

Here are some highlights from the latest ESA Policy News by Policy Analyst Terence Houston. Read the full Policy News here. RESEARCH: AMERICA COMPETES REAUTHORIZATION NARROWLY PASSES HOUSE On May 20, the US House of Representatives passed H.R. 1806, the America COMPETES Reauthorization Act, by a vote of 217-205. No Democrats supported the bill and 23 Republicans broke with party leaders…

ESA Policy News May 20: America COMPETES reauthorization set for House floor vote, ESA GSPA winners visit Capitol Hill, NSF report analyzes STEM workforce

Here are some highlights from the latest ESA Policy News by Policy Analyst Terence Houston. Read the full Policy News here. SCIENCE: AMERICA COMPETES REAUTHORIZATION BILL HITS HOUSE FLOOR This week, the US House of Representatives will vote on H.R. 1806, the America COMPETES Reauthorization Act of 2015. The bill reauthorizes funding for the National Science Foundation (NSF), the National Institutes…

ESA Policy News April 29: Scientific societies weigh in on America COMPETES reauthorization, relay support for federal participation at conferences, oppose ‘climate riders’

Here are some highlights from the latest ESA Policy News by Policy Analyst Terence Houston. Read the full Policy News here. HOUSE: SCIENCE COMMITTEE APPROVES AMERICA COMPETES REAUTHORIZATION On April 22, the House Science, Space and Technology Committee passed Chairman Lamar Smith’s (R-TX) bill to reauthorize the America COMPETES Act. The bill passed by a party-line vote of 19-16. H.R. 1806,…

ESA Policy News April 15: California orders new water restrictions, EPA moves to protect pollinators, NOAA initiates algal bloom ‘early warning system’

Here are some highlights from the latest ESA Policy News by Policy Analyst Terence Houston. Read the full Policy News here. DROUGHT: CALIFORNIA ORDERS MANDATORY CUTS IN WATER USAGE On April 1, California Gov. Jerry Brown issued a landmark executive order requiring state residents to cut their water usage by 25 percent through February 28, 2016. The first-ever water restrictions…

ESA Policy News April 1: House, Senate pass FY 2016 budgets, Obama orders federal agencies to cut carbon emissions, NSF releases public access policy

Here are some highlights from the latest ESA Policy News by Policy Analyst Terence Houston. Read the full Policy News here. BUDGET: HOUSE AND SENATE FY 2016 BUDGET PROPOSALS ADVANCE IN CONGRESS In late March, the House and Senate Budget Committees released their respective budgets for Fiscal Year 2016 that begins Sept. 30. The House passed its FY 2016 budget (H.Con.Res….

ESA Announces 2015 Graduate Student Policy Award Recipients

Graduate students from University of Illinois at Chicago, Princeton University, Oregon State University and University of Texas at Austin will speak with federal lawmakers about sustaining support for science WASHINGTON, DC – The Ecological Society of America (ESA), the world’s largest professional society of ecological scientists, is pleased to announce this year’s Graduate Student Policy Award winners. The award affords…

COP16 Dispatch: Week 2 From the Classroom to the Conference Floor, A Student’s Journey in Biodiversity Diplomacy

At COP16, Alexa Theodoropoulos balanced schoolwork with engaging in key biodiversity discussions. She witnessed the urgency of action and the crucial role of youth in shaping global commitments. While progress was made, she emphasizes that accountability is essential and that students have a responsibility to ensure these goals lead to real change.

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COP16 Dispatch: Week 2 Open Source and LLMs, Reflections from the Back Row of COP16

Cristian Román shares unique insights from attending COP16 in Cali, Colombia, exploring the interplay of science, policy, and equity. Highlights include challenges with proprietary biodiversity tools, ethical concerns surrounding AI in policy compliance, and academia’s role in negotiations, raising critical questions about accessibility, collaboration, and power dynamics.

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COP16 Dispatch: Week 2 How Does Science Participate in the Biodiversity Convention? The Case of Invasive Species at COP16

At COP16 in Cali, October 2024, Alejandra Osejo-Varona, PhD Candidate in Anthropology at Rice University, shares insights on how scientists and decision-makers collaborated to address invasive alien species (IAS). The conference presented scientific tools and assessments, such as the IPBES report and IUCN toolkit, to guide the implementation of Target 6 of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework.

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COP16 Dispatch: Week 1 From the talk to the World, Women Scientists Discuss Citizen Science

Women scientists and community leaders are reshaping conservation through citizen science, integrating Indigenous knowledge, and advocating for policy change. At COP16-Columbia, Cindy Julianty and Tanya Majdumar showcased how grassroots initiatives led by women empower local communities, preserve biodiversity, and ensure sustainable conservation efforts. Their stories highlight resilience, innovation, and a call for global action.

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