date: Thu Nov 20 17:09:54 2003 from: Mike Hulme subject: Re: Email for Editorial Board Climate Policy to: Climate Policy Mike, I hope to be able to join the editorial team meeting in Milan and also am happy to continue as a member of the editorial board if you so wish me to do. See you in Milan, Mike At 11:36 19/11/2003 +0000, you wrote: Dear Editorial Board This years Board meeting will again be held at the COP and the main item on the agenda will concern fundamental decisions about the future of the journal. It appears that more people are coming to Milan for the second week and we propose a Board meeting for Tuesday 9 December. You will be aware from the papers to last years Board meeting, and from the Annual Report which brought some of these elements and was circulated in January, that the relationship with Elsevier has not been an easy one, and there has not been positive progress. The initial contracts expire at the end of this year. I append a note on the process that has been gone through since I first, in April, formally raised with Elsevier my concerns and questions about the journals future in the context of contract renewal. During this period I was approached by another publisher asking if I might contemplate working with them to launch a journal / magazine targeted at the international climate change policy community. They seem much more 'tuned in' to the kind of things the wider community might need, and far more commited to the idea of a journal of this nature. This other publisher has expressed interest in the possibility of acquiring Climate Policy from Elsevier should this become an option. I am still awaiting final decisions from Elsevier about whether another division wishes to take on the journal and if so what terms they may offer. I aim to secure a firm clear offer or statement from the other publisher in advance of the Editorial Board Meeting. At the Board meeting, I thus expect to be seeking guidance of the Board either about the choice between two options, or about the detailed terms of relaunching the journal with a new publisher. In addition, at the Board meeting we need to undertake a comprehensive review of Board membership, taking account of the extent to which members have been able to make contributions since the journals launch, and to approach a number of new persons. PLEASE LET US KNOW IF IN PRINCIPLE YOU DO WISH TO CONTINUE ON THE BOARD. I also intend to review the Associate Editors and their roles. So far, Axel Michaelowa and Yoshiki Yamagata have responded to a recent enquiry about this with strong commitment to continue and enhance their engagement. I do hope that you can attend the Board meeting, which will unquestionably be the most important since the journals establishment, and I would also appreciate any written comments from those unable to attend. With best wishes, Michael Grubb