SOIL 

EGUsphere, the innovative open-access repository created by the European Geosciences Union and Copernicus Publications, is growing. For the first time, authors will be able to upload preprints to the online resource, taking advantage of EGU’s pioneering public peer-review process, whilst preparing their papers for future release.

At the end of the year, we would like to express our deep gratitude for our collaboration with all editors, referees, and authors in 2021. Please take a look at our Christmas card. Since our virtual office is closed from 23 Dec to 2 Jan and a significant number of editors and referees pause their work over the Christmas days, we extended all journal review deadlines: deadlines expiring shortly before or over Christmas have been extended to the week after and deadlines expiring after Christmas or over New Year have been extended to after New Year’s Day. Season's greetings and a happy New Year. Please stay healthy.

In April 2021 the EGU Publications Committee launched the first author survey to routinely ask authors about their publishing experience in EGU journals, in order to learn more about how EGU and Copernicus can serve the scientific community with their publications. Over the last 6 months, 160 contact authors answered the survey representing about 10% of the papers published during this time. We are delighted about the positive feedback and thank all authors. Please read the full report.