Scientific Committee

European Green Belt Scientific Committee

The European Green Belt Scientific Committee supports the European Green Belt by safeguarding research integrity, strengthening scientific cooperation across the network, and providing independent scientific advice for initiatives and projects.

 

Tasks of the Scientific Committee
  • Provide scientific advice for European Green Belt initiatives and projects, and connect relevant experts across the network.
  • Help identify research priorities and align scientific work with broader European Green Belt projects.
  • Promote and stimulate scientific activity focused on topics related to the European Green Belt.
  • Support the quality, ethics, and visibility of scientific outputs linked to the European Green Belt.
  • Maintain the online repository of scientific publications related to the European Green Belt.
 
How does the Scientific Committee work?

The Scientific Committee is an advisory body within the European Green Belt Association. Its work is coordinated through regular communication among members, as well as through meetings focused on specific tasks or requests from the Association, when needed.
The Committee provides scientific input in response to requests from European Green Belt Association members and projects.

The Committee may also proactively identify areas where scientific expertise can add value. The Committee formulates advice collectively, drawing on the expertise of its members and, when appropriate, additional expertise from the wider European Green Belt network.

Decisions and recommendations are developed through discussion and consensus. When potential conflicts of interest arise, members declare them and refrain from participating in related discussions or decisions. The committee operates transparently and documents its activities and recommendations as necessary.

The Scientific Committee supports the use of agreed-upon guidance documents and standard approaches for scientific communication related to the European Green Belt and contributes to maintaining shared resources, such as publication repositories.

 
How to join the Scientific Committee?

The Scientific Committee is inclusive by design. All members of the European Green Belt Association, supporters, and affiliates of the European Green Belt Initiative who conduct scientific research related to the European Green Belt are invited to join the committee.

The Committee unites researchers and experts from various countries, disciplines, and professional backgrounds who contribute their knowledge on a voluntary basis. Members are expected to actively participate in the Committee's activities, contribute their expertise in accordance with its scope, and adhere to the established principles and operating procedures.

New members are nominated by members of the European Green Belt Association and affiliates and formally appointed by the Association's Board. Membership has no fixed term and normally continues until a member resigns or is removed. 
If you are interested in joining the Scientific Committee or would like to learn more about its work, please contact egbscientificcommittee(at)gajanet.pl.

 

European Green Belt affiliation and acknowledgements

To ensure consistent visibility and recognition across the European Green Belt network, we encourage all members and partners who publish research dedicated to the European Green Belt or work carried out within its area to follow a simple set of publishing practices.
Please make sure you:

  • Use the official European Green Belt affiliation line and the standard wording provided in the Scientific Committee publication content templates.
  • Include Acknowledgements section when relevant, e.g., if your work benefited from European Green Belt networking, shared data, access support, or scientific advice.
  • Include a Funding Statement when your work received financial support connected to the European Green Belt, e.g., through a research or Publication Mini Grant.
  • Inform the Scientific Committee early, ideally at the start of the research project or when drafting the manuscript, if you plan to use European Green Belt affiliation or branding or request listing in the online repository.

This helps keep scientific outputs consistent, makes contributions easier to recognize across the network, and supports accurate listing in shared European Green Belt resources.
 

Publication Mini-Grant

The Publication Mini-Grant is a time-limited funding program that provides small-scale financial support to cover eligible costs associated with publishing scientific outputs related to the European Green Belt. The program aims to eliminate practical barriers to publication, facilitate the prompt dissemination of results, and enhance the visibility and accessibility of European Green Belt-related research.

The program prioritizes publications that strengthen the evidence base for conservation and sustainable development along the European Green Belt, as well as publications that clearly and consistently acknowledge the European Green Belt and related projects. Where possible, the program encourages open-access publication so that results can be widely read and used by researchers, practitioners, decision-makers, and the general public. 

Eligible costs are publication-related costs, such as open-access publishing fees and other charges required by the publisher, in line with the Publication Mini-Grant Rules.

 
How to apply
  1. Read the Publication Mini-Grant Rules.
  2. Download and complete the Publication Mini-Grant Application Form (documents can be found on the right side of this page).
  3. Email your application to association(at)europeangreenbelt.org

Submission deadlines

Applications are accepted at the following points in time (for the year 2026): 

  • Submission deadline 30 April 2026: Feedback on decision latest end of June 2026
  • Submission deadline 30 July 2026: Feedback on decision latest end of September 2026

  • Submission deadline 30 October 2026: Feedback on decision latest mid-December 2026

     

Members of the Scientific Committee

Jakub Skorupski, Green Federation “GAIA”, Poland, Chairperson

Liana Geidezis, BUND, Friends of the Earth Germany, Germany, Vice-Chairperson

Melanie Kreutz, BUND, Friends of the Earth Germany, Germany

Francesca Visintin, Rete Italiana EGB, Italy

 
Contact

For scientific collaboration and general enquiries please contact egbscientificcommittee(at)gajanet.pl.