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Chalk it up to 2020.

The cancellation of the in-person EGU General Assembly this spring meant that the Plenary, the Union’s annual business meeting, had to be postponed, and this has had some awkward repercussions. The most visible is that the leaders elected by EGU members last autumn have not yet been able to take office because the official handover happens during the Plenary. This includes EGU’s future President, Helen Glaves and the EGU General Secretary, Giuliana Panieri, who were voted in last October.

To take care of this and other unfinished business, EGU has scheduled a virtual Plenary meeting that will take place on 22 October at 12:30 CEST. Although the in-person Plenary in Vienna typically has hundreds of attendees, EGU’s leaders are concerned that not as many of EGU members will take the time out of their busy days to log in to the Zoom meeting.

“I would like to personally invite EGU members to attend this important meeting,” says EGU President Alberto Montanari, who will chair the gathering. “During a time of economic contraction caused by the pandemic, it’s important for everyone to be aware of EGU’s strategies and finances.”

During the Plenary, members will hear brief reports on EGU’s 2019–2020 finances. There will also be a report on recent EGU activities, including Sharing Geoscience Online, the virtual replacement for the EGU General Assembly 2020, says Montanari. “This report is particularly important,” he says, “because significant innovations will be introduced to the next General Assembly as well as to EGU’s outreach, policy, communications, and educational activities as a forward-looking response to the ongoing emergency.”

During the meeting EGU members will be introduced to future Division Presidents who were elected last autumn and are already serving as the Deputy Presidents of their divisions. The Plenary will also offer an opportunity to publicly thank outgoing Council members for their service. “EGU greatly appreciates the dedication these volunteers have shown to the Union and their colleagues,” says Montanari.

EGU members can register in advance using this link up until the start of the meeting, which will last a maximum of 75 minutes. “Every approval will be crucial,” says Montanari, “and EGU would greatly appreciate your participation.”

Following is the agenda for the EGU Plenary 2020:

1. Welcome by EGU President Alberto Montanari
2. Check on the presence of a quorum
3. Approval of the agenda
4. Report by the EGU President for the years 2019-2020
5. Report by the EGU Treasurer on the fiscal calendar year 2019
6. Auditor report for 2019
7. Discharge of the Executive Board and election of the 2020 auditors
8. Inauguration of the new officers
9. Election of the next Union Treasurer in autumn 2020
10. Any Other Business