Why Transatlantic Collaboration in Science Matters More than Ever
A weather balloon, once launched daily to gather essential atmospheric data, now lies grounded — not because of technical failure, but due to the withdrawal of a key U.S. partner. This silent absence in our skies is more than symbolic: it underscores how fragile our scientific infrastructure becomes when global collaboration is weakened. In times when Europe celebrates its climate leadership, this serves as a sobering reminder that resilience cannot be self-contained — our systems are only as strong as the ties that bind them.
In times of accelerating climate disruption, societal polarisation, and geopolitical fragmentation we must stop thinking of the Atlantic as something that separates us, and start seeing it as shared ground, where our responsibilities and futures are deeply connected.
Climate science, mitigation and adaptation strategies, the energy transformation, biodiversity loss: These important action areas require cooperation that transcends borders, institutions, and political legacies. This is urgent as we continue to witness the consequences of science denial and short-sighted policies. In a recent interview with Deutsche Welle, I reflected on the global ramifications of the anti-scientific stance taken by U.S. President Donald Trump. His administration’s systematic dismantling of climate policy frameworks, withdrawal from the Paris Agreement, and suppression of federal climate science not only undermines trust in public institutions but also creates dramatic vacuums in global leadership.
Now we must repair, rebuild, and restructure. In doing this, it is not enough to return to our previous paradigms. Instead, we need to fundamentally rethink how to approach all at once–climate, energy and societal transformation–including building equity, diversity, and inclusivity in our policies aimed to protect planetary boundaries.
Climate science is not a technocratic endeavor alone. It must involve women, minority and marginalized communities, as well as indigenous people. These often systematically excluded groups have historically contributed the least to climate change but suffer the most from its consequences. Their lived experience, resource stewardship, and cultural resilience are essential lessons to integrate into the global solution toolkit. Without integrating their voices, we risk reproducing the same systemic injustices that created our current crises.
Likewise, the transformation of our energy systems must go hand in hand with societal transformation. Transitioning away from fossil fuels is not an easy task, and the international community struggles to pressure industries into greener practices. The challenge is not simply one of replacing technologies but about reshaping the very systems that govern and lead our economies, labor markets, and societies. As the World Business Council on Sustainable Development (WBCSD) highlights, net zero goals can only be achieved if they are implemented in a just transition framework that ensures that no one is left behind – including the most vulnerable. It underscores that business leaders must no longer ask whether they can afford sustainability, but whether they can afford not to contribute to future worth living.
This transformation must be achieved in the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, which offer a framework not only for action, but for coherence. Its Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) challenge us to consider the complex interplay between climate action (SDG 13), life on earth (SDG 15), gender equality and reducing inequalities (SDGs 5 &10). Yet they must be interpreted beyond silos and towards a more holistic framework.
Approaches such as doughnut economics by Kate Raworth transcend traditional conceptual borders: They frame sustainable development as a space between a social foundation (where human rights are respected) and an ecological ceiling (where planetary boundaries are acknowledged). The framework offers a unique challenge for transatlantic climate policies to work toward a fair and safe future — one where our shared future is on the line.
One stepping stone of this agenda is biodiversity protection. Climate crisis and biodiversity loss are not parallel challenges but are deeply interconnected processes. Current science shows that preserving ecosystem integrity is not only a mitigation strategy (e.g. carbon sinks in forests and wetlands) but also a requisite for resilience in human and natural systems.
Innovative, participatory, and locally tailored environmental governance is urgently needed for new scientific formats that can provide annual up-to-date assessments to complement the longer reporting cycles of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) and the Intergovernmental Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES). The researcher Friedrich Bohn and his team at the Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research (UFZ) propose a model for integrating ecological, social, and economic perspectives into actionable policy fields.
Bohn and his colleagues emphasize an unorthodox path: one based on courage! Courage to:
recognize uncertainty not as weakness, but as a reason for humility, iteration, and continuous learning in science and governance;
deal with trade-offs transparently – acknowledging that no policy is without risks, but that honesty builds trust;
question dominant narratives – including economic growth models that disregard ecological limits or ignore historical injustices; and
invest in long-term resilience rather than short-term profit — supporting adaptation measures, social equity, and ecological restoration even when immediate returns are not visible.
The new approach seeks to involve communities not just as stakeholders, but as co-creators of knowledge and value – especially those, whose voices have often been excluded in the past. Two powerful examples that might inspire others:
Through the Indigenous Guardians program in Canada, First Nations communities monitor, manage, and protect their traditional territories in collaboration with scientists and policymakers. The partnerships blend local ecological knowledge with top-notch conservation science, leading to more culturally grounded and ecologically effective outcomes. In doing so, they reshape environmental governance as a practice of mutual respect, shared authority, and co-learning.
In Europe, E.ON’s partnership with Coventry City shows how co-creation can reshape energy transitions: local residents helped design energy-efficiency solutions tailored to their neighborhoods, from home upgrades to green apprenticeships — proving that shared ownership can build long-term resilience.
Courage also means elevating rights in diplomacy: Under former Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock and former Development Minister Svenja Schulze, Germany launched its first Feminist Foreign Policy, committing to gender equity across foreign aid, peacebuilding, and climate policy. In conflict-ridden countries such as Honduras, Baerbock placed the rights and voices of displaced women at the center of international engagement — even when that meant confronting geopolitical resistance.
Courage cannot be delegated. It must be cultivated across science, policy, business, and civil society alike. It is the backbone of a just and effective climate strategy. This aligns strongly with the mission of the European Climate Research Alliance (ECRA). Our collaborative programs on polar change, high-impact events, the hydrological cycle, and sea-level rise—are designed to foster precisely this kind of integration and dialogue.
We need more transatlantic partnerships that not only share data and methods, but also challenge each other to think bolder, act faster and stay grounded in justice. From polar, marine, bio- or geosphere research, to energy system modeling, from community adaptation to coastal resilience, the Atlantic should not divide us. Let’s build bridges where there are currently walls. Let’s turn challenges into shared solutions. Let’s face the climate crisis together in a science-based presence and not a science-fiction future.
About the Author
Sissi Knispel de Acosta is a geoecologist with an interdisciplinary background in hydrology, ecology, and climate impact research. With experience in both scientific institutions and environmental NGOs, she seeks to unite science, policy, and society. Since 2022, Sissi has served as General Secretary of the European Climate Research Alliance (ECRA), coordinating expert communities across Europe and contributing to high-level climate policy processes. Her own work focuses on adaptation, extreme events, biodiversity, and inclusive climate governance.