Equinox Process

2024 Equinox Summit

The second Equinox Summit will be held on 26 March 2024 in Brussels. As ever, Equinox is dedicated to accelerating the transfer of knowledge to policy for urgent action.

With this event, JPI Climate builds on the achievements of the first edition by exploring a number of products that can be pursued to keep science up-to-date across the European research area. These products will span the thematic areas that Equinox seeks to cover:  

• Achieving climate neutrality
• Climate resilience
• Managing the transition and transformation
• Complementary analysis: fundamental science

Download Programme

Date: 26 March 2024, 13:00-17:30 CET

Location: BIP Meeting Center, Rue Royale 2-4, 1000 Brussels, Belgium

More information about speakers and panel members

Please note attendance is only by invitation. Contact equinoxsummit@belspo.be if you would like to request an invitation

2023 Summit

We convened the first edition of the Equinox Summit, with the support of the European Commission, on March 21 & 22, 2023. At its conclusion, the participating countries requested that JPI Climate identify how this could be achieved and to report back on this at a subsequent edition in March 2024. 

• Read the Equinox Summit Statement, delivered at the conclusion of this event

The main objectives of this event were 

1. To recognise and highlight European excellence and relevance in climate science & innovation, such as

•  European leadership in the IPCC 6^th Assessment Cycle
•  Current and emerging initiatives such as Copernicus, DestinE, ICOS, the EU Horizon Europe climate related Missions, flagship activities including EIT Climate KIC, relevant work of the Joint Research Center, the European Research Council and the contributions of initiatives such as the Global Carbon Project (GCP).
• Ongoing research supports for transnational collaborative research in Horizon Europe and aligned research across the ERA via JPI Climate.

2. To consider a mechanism for Europe to accelerate the provision and transfer excellence of knowledge to address major aspects of the climate change challenge for our societies

• Provide a forum for articulation of political support for the 2-year European scientific assessment/stocktaking process.
• Ensure future European leadership in climate science and promote this as model for cooperation with other global regions.

JPI Climate has taken part in the United Nations Climate Change Conferences (COPs) to promote the goals of the Equinox Process across the European research area. 

• At COP27 (Sharm el-Sheikh, 17 November 2022) JPI Climate with the support of the MAGICA project organised a side event and proposed a new European structure which addresses strategic gaps, and which will significantly enhance the profile and use of the outcomes from European investments in research and systematic observations. This envisions a European scientific assessment and stocktaking process, that is focused on three key interlinked challenges i.e. achievement of climate neutrality, climate resilience and management of transition and societal transformation (social & economic).

  Frank Mc Govern, Chair of the JPI Climate presented the initiative and facilitated a dialogue with high level representatives of EU Member States, Academia and financing actors.

  The side event on the official COP27 YouTube channel.

• At COP28 (Dubai, 11 December 2023), JPI Climate organised a side event focused on the past and future work of Equinox. Watch it below:

Equinox on the agenda for high level Climate Ambassadors Meeting, October 7^th-8^th 2024

JPI Climate will present the innovative science-to-policy Equinox Process when EU Climate Ambassadors meet at the invitation of the Hungarian Presidency of the EU.

Delegations from the European External Action Service (EEAS) and DG CLIMA from the European Commission will be welcomed to Budapest for the dialogue on international climate diplomacy issues.

The meeting will open with addresses by Dr Barbara Botos, Hungary’s Ambassador at Large for Climate, and Anthony Agotha, Special Envoy for Climate and Environment Diplomacy at EEAS.

Equinox will feature in a Day 1 Plenary discussion on the role of science in climate and energy policy. The Equinox Process is a mechanism for accelerating the transfer of knowledge for policy and action that also aims to support the development of the next generation of scientists and expert science communicators.

The Plenary will focus on delegates’ common aim of accelerating the provision and transfer of climate change knowledge to support European policies and actions. This includes supporting the implementation of the European Green Deal and similar policy frameworks at European and national level. The Equinox Process addresses the key thematic areas of climate neutrality, climate resilience, and managing transition in a just and equitable manner.

It also aims to support the development of the next generation of scientists and expert science communicators. Reports on the Equinox Process are European-focused but have a global vision and scope. They are aimed at assisting the IPCC during the 7th Assessment Cycle and, where appropriate, to provide input to the technical dialogue for the next Global Stocktake (2027-2028).

Day 2 will invite representatives of the youth department of Hungary’s National Society of Conservationists (NSC), UNICEF young climate envoys and the Hungarian Youth Delegate.

The agenda also gives insights into recent international climate summits, conferences and workshops and will discuss the draft conclusions of the European Parliament’s Committee on Environment, Public Health and Food Safety (ENVI).

JPI Climate and the MAGICA project are grateful to the Hungarian Ministry of Energy and Dr Botos for organising this event under the Hungarian Presidency of the Council of the European Union. An update following the meeting will be published on the JPI Climate and MAGICA websites.

JPI Climate has participated in other events to promote the goals of the Equinox Process across the European research area. 

• At Think2030 Dialogue Spain, JPI Climate organised the session: Science for policy – How to engage with policy makers?

You can download the policy brief for the discussion points and recommendations from this session