The Spanish government has officially approved the creation of a new scientific working group dedicated to addressing the climate crisis. This initiative, spearheaded by the Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities alongside the Ministry for Ecological Transition and Demographic Challenge, aims to integrate rigorous expert knowledge into the nation's public decision-making processes. According to officials, the panel is expected to be fully operational by the autumn.
The mandate of this new group is to provide independent, multidisciplinary analysis to government departments. Its responsibilities include issuing reports based on scientific evidence, developing response protocols, and outlining potential future scenarios related to the climate emergency. Furthermore, the panel will provide guidance for public policies in both routine circumstances and during times of crisis or emergency.
The panel’s organizational structure will consist of two distinct levels. An organizational and technical committee will oversee the workflow, coordinate the selection of experts, and manage report requests. A separate scientific council will be responsible for conducting studies and providing specialized advice. This council will include ten researchers of recognized standing with expertise in fields such as climate science, ecology, water resources, health, sustainable agriculture, geography, environmental law, engineering for ecological transition, environmental sociology, and behavioral sciences.
The selection process for the scientific staff is scheduled to begin over the summer. This initiative fulfills the first pillar of the State Pact on the Climate Emergency, which was originally introduced by the government in September 2025. The proposal was developed through a participatory process that incorporated nearly 4,000 contributions from approximately 1,300 stakeholders. The Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities stated that this working group will provide the independent and rigorous analysis necessary to strengthen the integration of expert knowledge into government policy.
Other responsibilities include drawing up response protocols and answering queries to guide public policies both in normal circumstances and during "crises and emergencies". It will also carry out foresight exercises to anticipate future scenarios arising from the climate emergency.
