eLTER’s Whole System Approach aims to address major European environmental and socio-ecological gradients, requiring broad geopolitical coverage. User communities from 26 national LTER networks are actively engaged in the eLTER ESFRI process.
The eLTER Preparatory Phase Project (PPP) has made notable progress in establishing governance and operational structures. The eLTER Interim Council has approved key documents, including the eLTER Strategic Plan, Central Services host selection process, core elements of the eLTER ERIC statutes, and the Service Portfolio development process. Other achievements include the establishment of the Integrated Governance according to previously adopted strategic goals, criteria for site and platform categorisation, and ethical guidelines.
A crucial component for shaping the RI’s structure and financial sustainability is the eLTER Standard Observations to be mandatorily executed at sites and platforms. Along with the Cost-Benefit Analysis, Financial Principles, and future Funding Model, these observations are key to determining RI costs and acceptability.
Efforts to develop the socio-economic impact assessment (SEIA) framework have advanced, including the selection of indicators and creation of a prototype framework. The eLTER Risk Inventory and Registry were also established to manage unforeseen events. Service Portfolio development continues in alignment with European Open Science Cloud (EOSC) principles, and a human resources strategy is underway to support future RI personnel needs.
Collaboration with European and international organisations has progressed through formal and informal agreements. Communication, dissemination, and marketing structures are in place to engage the scientific community and stakeholders. Private sector engagement has been strengthened through consultations, and a risk management framework was developed to mitigate risks during both the implementation and operational phases. Progress has also been made on key performance indicators (KPIs) and stakeholder integration.
Ongoing work includes the development of the eLTER access policy, legal entity formation, financial modelling, and cost-benefit analyses, all aimed at ensuring the RI’s long-term sustainability. The Service Portfolio has been further developed, offering accessible services to stakeholders, with user consultations refining service specifications for the operational phase.
Concerning the eLTER RI physical infrastructure design, progress has been made in categorising sites and platforms, and as mentioned above, the Standard Observations framework, essential for site labelling and distributed operationalisation. Outreach, communication, and capacity-building efforts have also continued, with updates to the eLTER website, expanded social media presence, and revised outreach materials, including brochures and banners; and the eLTER Grand Campaign has gathered visual content from sites across the network.
