AGI Releases 2024 'Critical Needs' Policy Resource

With a new administration and congress starting to shape policy, the American Geosciences Institute (AGI) and its federation of geoscience Member Societies have unveiled a powerful resource on critical issues for the incoming presidential administration, federal agencies, and the U.S. Congress. The six-part document series, "Critical Needs: Geosciences Meeting the Needs of the Nation", lays out ways that the geoscience community's knowledge, experience, and ingenuity can support solutions for our nation's most urgent challenges.

"The geosciences play a crucial role in our ability to manage the challenges and opportunities in areas such as food, energy, infrastructure, technology, natural disasters, and the job market," said AGI Executive Director Jonathan Arthur. "AGI and its Member Societies are proud to help inform the critical conversations taking place and important decisions being made in policy arenas today."

Every four years, AGI's Member Societies come together to develop a shared statement on the country's critical needs that geoscience directly impacts. The resulting guidance not only identifies needs but provides actionable insights into how the geosciences address those challenges. The document series is distributed to administration leadership, key congressional committees and members with related interests, and relevant federal agencies.

The 2024 edition focuses on six leading policy issues and introduces the myriad of ways the geosciences can support solutions to the challenges in those policy spaces. To ensure a direct connection to policymaker needs, the 2024 Critical Needs document series frames issues in terms that policymakers frequently address, including the economy, infrastructure, innovation, national security, public safety, and diplomacy. Each document includes exemplars of geoscience impact, case studies, related National Academy of Sciences reports, examples of relevant policy, and non-profit organizations providing non-partisan expertise.

"Geoscientists are essential partners in tackling issues such as critical minerals, water availability, and energy security," said AGI Past-President David Wunsch, who chairs the Critical Needs committee. "This document series shows how their expertise can help shape a stronger, more resilient future."

The six parts of the Critical Needs document series:

• Geosciences Supporting a Vibrant Economy
• Geoscience Solutions for Future Infrastructure
• Geosciences Partnering in Innovating the Future
• Geoscience's Crucial Role in National Security Strategies
• Geoscience Protecting the Public
• Geoscience's Role in Building U.S. Influence Across the World