New ESG Policy Brief series

The Earth System Governance (ESG) Project’s Scientific Steering Committee has adopted a protocol for the development and publication of ESG Policy Briefs.

The protocol establishes policy briefs as the Project’s primary outlet for policy-relevant outputs and responds to growing interest from the community in producing such publications. Publishing policy briefs will be a priority moving forward, while working papers will be directed to other appropriate outlets.

The development of policy briefs will be supported when anchored in an ESG key group, as per the definition below. The protocol also introduces an editorial and quality review process, coordinated by the International Office and supported by editors in the Scientific Steering Committee.

Aims of the series

To provide a standardized platform through which ESG key groups* can communicate policy-relevant findings to audiences beyond academia.
To contribute directly to the ESG Project’s objective of informing and advising decision-making at the science-policy interface.

* ESG key groups are defined as Research Centres, Taskforces, Working Groups, and the South-South Initiative. This can include collaborations between ESG key groups and other networks and/or projects, ideally affiliated with the ESG Project.

** The Early Career Committee is not included among the key groups, as defined for the purpose of this protocol. Early career researchers are instead encouraged to engage through key groups, collaborating with senior scholars to contribute to policy briefs within those structures.

Scope and eligibility

The network publishes policy briefs authored by individuals or groups with support from ESG key groups, as defined above. Key group leaders may initiate and lead the development of a policy brief themselves and/or accept proposals that they choose to support. This ensures that outputs are well anchored within the network and remain aligned with ESG priorities. Extending support to individual members outside these groups could create unsustainable demand and reduce coordination and quality control.

Formatting requirements

Length: minimum 2, maximum 4 pages.
Include a short description of whether and how AI was used in the development of the brief. If AI was used extensively, and in a way deemed to conflict with scientific integrity, the ESG Project reserves the right to reject the submission.
The International Office will do the layout and include a suitable disclaimer.