Monday, 1 July 2024

674 scholars from 53 countries warned our leaders for years

Six hundred and seventy-four scholars from 53 countries, believe that:

“Only if policymakers begin to discuss this threat of societal collapse might communities and nations begin to prepare and so reduce its likelihood, speed, severity, harm to the most vulnerable, and to nature.”

Each signatory, with doctoral degree, endorsed a public warning on societal disruption and collapse due to environmental change. They cover more than 20 major academic disciplines, including ecology and climatology, thereby conclusively demonstrating that preparations for societal collapse are being taken seriously by experts from around the world. The announcement of the final list of signatories concludes a 3-year initiative to promote awareness of the scientific basis for exploring how to reduce the damage from societal disruption, breakdown, and collapse, due to environmental change.

The original public letter was first released in December 2020. It was covered in newspapers including the Guardian and Le Monde: #ScholarsWarning on collapse risk (iflas.blogspot.com)

Since then, this initiative of scholars produced four open letters to either the general public or participants in key international summits, with associated media outreach. Additionally, over 60 scholars were trained in leadership and communications. That course has now been developed into an online open-enrolment short course – Leading Through Collapse – which attracts people from public, private, voluntary, and academic sectors.  

The publication of the final list of signatories (below) concludes the Scholars’ Warning initiative. Co-founder of the initiative, Professor Jem Bendell, shared his thoughts on the conclusion of the initiative on his blog:

“The range of signatories demonstrates clearly that any scientists or commentators who claim that warnings and preparations for societal collapse are unscientifically fringe beliefs are either grossly misinformed or deliberately misleading. Editors, journalists, ‘factcheckers’ and ‘online safety groups’ who ignore or disparage such views when covering the topics of climate change, biodiversity loss, and energy futures, can now be challenged by readers, colleagues, funders and advertisers. Therefore, digital platforms should desist from any further ‘visibility filtering’ or ‘de-amplifying’ of analyses of collapse risk, as they have done in the past. Unfortunately lobby groups like CCDH are mistakenly including such expert opinion as part of ‘new denial’ and encouraging censorship by global digital platforms. That is despite no evidence in their own reports that ‘alarmist’ or ‘doomist’ readings of the environmental situation are a significant part of online dismissal of climate action, and activist movements demonstrating the contrary. Therefore, digital platforms could be undermining humanity’s right to know expert opinion on our predicament and to prepare accordingly in their communities. Consequently, both advertisers and governments should immediately require greater transparency about any ‘de-amplifying’ of collapse awareness by digital platforms, as part of a wider uncovering of BigTech’s sentiment manipulation on any current affairs.”  

As a result of the ongoing obfuscation of the nature of the climate and ecological emergency by the institutions and administrators of incumbent power, many scholars are ceasing their petitioning for action that won’t materialise and turning to how to cope with unfolding disruption. Co-founder of the initiative, Dr Pablo Servigne explained that:

“Senior executives are afraid of fear.  They are afraid of it in themselves, in their colleagues and in the general public. That fear is blocking their ability to make sense of the situation and choose wisely. The inability to recognize our fears is not something that is easily solved. Therefore, we are drawn to collaborate with the increasing numbers of people who are ready, rather than warn, or complain about, those who can’t engage, for their own deep-seated reasons.”

The four open letters after the initial warning:

Hot Air from Glasgow Means it's Time for Radical Leadership - say over 200 scholars. Letter to delegates to the UN climate conference in Glasgow in 2021.

People will suffer more if professionals delude themselves about sustainable development – Letter to UN delegates at a Disaster Risk Reduction Summit, in 2022.

Scholars' Oath to the Future – 165 scholars from around the world commit to help youth cope with climate chaos, at the UN climate summit in Egypt, in 2022.

Is it time for climatologists to apologise to activists? An open letter from 70 international scholars, in 2023.

 

Signatories

(In a personal capacity only, alphabetical by first name).

Dr Adele Aubrey Humanitarian and Conflict Response Institute, University of Manchester, UK

Professor Emeritus Adi Ophir, Brown University, US

Adjunct Professor Adrián Almazán, Universidad de Deusto, ES

Professor Adrielle Mitchell, Nazareth College, US

Dr Adrien Biassin, LUMIA, FR

Associate Professor Ahmed Afzaal, Concordia College, Moorhead, MN, US

Dr Aimee Maxwell, Deep Adaptation, AU

Dr Alain Girault, INRIA, FR

Dr Alberte Bondeau, Senior Scientist, CNRS, FR

Professor Aled Jones, Anglia Ruskin University, UK

Dr Aleksis Pirinen, Lund University, SE

Dr Alessia Lo Porto - Lefebure, Dean for Academic Affairs, French School of Public Health, FR

Dr Alexandra-Ellen Appel, Greenpeace, US

Assistant Professor Alexandre Gondran, École nationale de l'aviation civile (ENAC), FR

Professor Alexis Catanzaro, University Jean Monnet, FR

Dr Alfred SPIRA, Paris Saclay University, FR

Dr Alice Canabate, Vice-Présidente de la Fondation de l'Ecologie politique, FR

Associate Professor Alison Mohr, University of Nottingham, UK

Dr Alison Whybrow, The Vedere Partnership Ltd, UK

Associate Professor Alix Goguey, Grenoble Alpes University, FR

Dr Amanda Shuman, University of Freiburg, DE

Dr Amber Tomas, Consultant, Amber Tomas Statistical Consultancy, AU

Associate Professor Anders Hayden, Dalhousie University, CA

Dr Andrea Marais-Potgieter, Nature Nexus Academy, ZA

Associate Professor Andreas Birgegård, Karolinska Institutet, SE

Professor Andreas Krebs, University of Bonn, CH

Dr Andrew Boswell, Consultant, Climate Emergency Planning and Policy, UK

Dr Andrew Glikson, ANU, AU

Dr Andrew Hoaen, University of Worcester, AT

Professor Emeritus, Andrew Jameton, University of Nebraska Medical Center, US

Dr Andrew Mathewson, University of Washington, US

Dr Andrew Norton (retired), Max Planck Institute for Gravitational Physics, AU

Professor Andy Morse, University of Liverpool, UK

Dr Angela Jansen, Research Collective for Decolonizing Fashion, BE

Dr Ann Braun, Consultant, Development Evaluation | Monitoring & Evaluation Support, AU

Dr Anne Fox, Axis Communications AB, SE

Dr Anne Munro-Kua, Cheras, AMK Transformations, MY

Dr Anne-Sophie Novel, De Moins en Mieux, FR

Assistant Professor Anneke Sools, University of Twente, NL

Dr Anthony Goodchild (retired), Animal & Plant Health Agency, UK

Assistant Professor Anthony Thomas, University of Poitiers, FR

Dr Arnaud Chalin, Immunologist, FR

Dr Arnold van Vliet, Wageningen University, AT

Dr Arthur Weaver, Scientist, US

Dr Ashley South, Chiang Mai University, TH

Professor Aurélien Barrau, Université Grenoble-Alpes, FR

Associate Professor Auriane Lamine, Université Catholique de Louvain, BE

Dr Balint Toth, Paris-Sorbonne University, SE

Dr Barbara Browning, Lagepp, Lyon, US

Dr Barry Gills, University of Helsinki, UK

Professor Barry McMullin, Dublin City University, IE

Associate Professor Beau Coleman, University of Alberta, CA

Professor Béla Viskolcz, University of Miskolc, HU

Professor Ben McCall, University of Dayton, US

Assistant Professor Benjamin Belfort, Strasbourg University, FR

Dr Benjamin Tyl, APESA, FR

Dr Benoit Assémat, Fédération des Syndicats Vétérinaires, FR

Professor Benoit Pichon, Université de Strasbourg, FR

Dr Benoît Rossignol, Université Paris 1, FR

Professor Benoît Schmaltz, Law, Université Jean Monnet, FR

Dr Bernard Domi (retired), Rennes, FR

Professor Bernard Tourancheau, University Grenoble Alps, FR

Dr Bernardino Roca, Hospital General Universitario of Castellon, ES

Professor Bernhard Egger, Seoul National University, KR

Professor Bertrand Hespel, University of Namur, BE

Professor Betsy Bolton, Swarthmore College, US

Professor Bill Tomlinson, University of California, Irvine, US

Assistant Professor Birgit Penzenstadler, Chalmers University of Technology, DK

Dr Blair Feltmate, Head of Intact Centre, University of Waterloo, CA

Professor Blaise Boles, Kirkwood College, DE

Professor Bobby Banerjee, City University of London, UK

Professor Brannon Andersen, Furman University, HR

Professor Brian Stewart, Wesleyan University, US

Dr Britt Wray, Stanford University, CA

Professor Bronwen Morgan, UNSW Sydney, AU

Dr Bruno Corbara, Université Clermont Auvergne, FR

Dr Bruno Gayral, CEA-Grenoble, NL

Professor Bruno Villalba, AgroParisTech, FR

Professor Byron Miller, University of Calgary, CA

Dr Candida Shinn, Marine and Environmental Sciences Centre , US

Professor Carlos de Castro, Applied Physics Department, University of Valladolid, ES

Professor Carlos Sanchez, UNAM, MX

Dr Carol Wellwood, Botanist & Agroecologist, UK

Professor Carola Klöck, Sciences Po Paris, DE

Adjunct Dr Caroline Smith, University of Tasmania, AU

Professor Caroline Verzat, ESCP, FR

Dr Caroline Zaoui, Entrepreneur, Novobiom, BE

Dr Carolyn Baker, Author & Life Coach, US

Professor Carr Everbach, Swarthmore College, US

Associate Professor Casey Boyle, University of Texas-Austin, US

Dr Caspar Hallmann, Radboud University, NL

Dr Catherine Price, Child Development Service, AU

Dr Cathy Fitzgerald, Haumea Ecoversity, IE

Dr Cathy Lemer, Elevatio, FR

Dr Cécile Renouard, President, Campus de la Transition, NL

Professor Cédric Sueur, Université de Strasbourg, FR

Dr Celine Perea, Universite Grenoble Alpes, FR

Dr Charles Le Feuvre, Deputy Executive Director, Psychology for a Safe Climate, Melbourne, Australia, AU

Associate Professor Charles Vanwynsberghe, ISEN Yncréa Ouest, AE

Dr Charles-André Bost, Director of Research, CNRS, FR

Dr Charlotte von Bülow, University of the West of England, UK

Associate Professor Charly Bank, University of Toronto, CA

Dr Chong Kee Tan, Founder, Labishire Homestead Commons, US

Dr Chris Murray, Emeritus Staff Scientist, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, WA, US

Professor Chris Rhodes, Fresh-lands Environmental Actions, UK

Dr Chrislain Eric Kenfack, University of Alberta, CA

Dr Christian Culioi, Médecins sans Frontières, FR

Dr Christian Kessler, Charité Medical University Berlin, DE

Dr Christian Mahieu, ANIS-Catalyst, FR

Dr Christian Schulz, Consultant, Technical University Munich, DE

Associate Professor Christina Lindkvist, Malmö University, SE

Professor Christof Mauch, Director, Rachel Carson Center for Environment and Society, DE

Associate Professor Christoph Becker, University of Toronto, CA

Dr Christophe Sempels, Head of Research, Lumia, FR

Dr Christopher Lyon, University of Leeds, UK

Professor Christopher Peet, The King's University, Edmonton, AB, CA

Dr Claire Collot, Industrie Pharmaceutique, FR

Professor Claire Petitmengin, Mines Telecom Institute, Paris, FR

Dr Clara Breteau, Université de Caen, FR

Associate Professor Clara Jodry, UNISTRA, AZ

Dr Clare Walters, CEO, Absolute Specialists Ltd, UK

Dr Claude Monteil, University of Tououse, FR

Dr Claudio Pereira, Director, Koru transformacion Instituto de Ecopsicologia Chile Colombia, CO

Dr Clelia Sirami, INRAE, FR

Dr Clémence Marque, Adrastia, FR

Dr Clifford Pickett, Swarthmore, US

Professor Colin Butler, Australian National University, AU

Dr Constance L. Neely, Facilitation for Sustainable Development, US

Dr Cyprien Gay, CNRS, FR

Dr Cyrille Cléran, Université Buissonnière de Haute-Bretagne, FR

Dr Jacques DACHARY (retired), NEGAWATT, PT

Dr Dalila Bovet, Université Paris Nanterre, FR

Adjunct Research Professor Daniel Buckles, Carleton University, CA

Dr Daniel Grégorio, UPHF-ISH, FR

Dr Daniel Lacour, Physicist, CNRS, FR

Dr Daniel Morse, University of Bristol, UK

Professor Daniel Reyes Lara, Universidad de Guadalajara, MX

Dr Daniel Ruiz, SSSUP, IT

Associate Professor Darlene Juschka, University of Regina, CA

Professor David Aubin, Sorbonne Université, FR

Professor Emeritus, David Bazett-Jones, University of Toronto, CA

Dr David Bryson, US

Professor David Crookall, UCA, FR

Dr David F Murphy, Initiative for Leadership & Sustainability (IFLAS), University of Cumbria, CA

Dr David Gould, Walden University, US

Professor David Karowe, Western Michigan University, US

Dr David Mark Welch, Marine Biological Laboratory, US

Dr David Orr, Oberlin College, US

Professor David Phillips, University of Southampton, UK

Dr David Schenck (retired), US

Associate Professor David Sheeren, Toulouse INP-ENSAT, FR

Dr David Wheeler, Founder, Sustainable Transitions, CR

Dr David Windt, Reflective X-ray Optics LLC, US

Dr Deena Metzger, Daré, US

Professor Denis Dupré, Grenoble Alpes University, FR

Professor Derk Loorbach, Erasmus University, DRIFT, NL

Dr Diana Pritchard, Head of Learning Evaluation and Enhancement, University of Bedfordshire, UK

Professor Diego Cisneros-Heredia, Universidad San Francisco de Quito, EC

Dr Dietmar Weinmann, CNRS, DE

Honorary Professor Dominique Bourg, University of Lausanne, FR

Full Professor Dominique Méda, University Paris Dauphine-PSL, FR

Dr Donald Strauss, Urban Sustainability Department, Antioch University Los Angeles, US

Dr Susanne Moser, Director, Susanne Moser Research & Consulting, US

Dr Sonja Kaiser, TUBAF, DE

Dr Edina Eberhardt-Toth, ICN Business School, FR

Associate Professor Edo Andriesse, Seoul National University, KR

Dr Elena Albrecht, Plant researcher, FR

Dr Elena Granda, University of Alcalá, ES

Dr Eléonore Fauré, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, SE

Associate Professor Éléonore Mounoud, CentraleSupalac, FR

Dr Elia Valentini, University of Essex, UK

Associate Professor Elina Eriksson, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, SE

Dr Elisabeth Oelmann, Pharmaindustry, UK

Dr Elise Marquis, AE

Dr Elizabeth Bragg, Sustainable Futures Australia, AU

Dr Elizabeth Downing, Climate Educator, Awakening Wisdom Yoga and Meditation, US

Dr Elizabeth Manchester, UK

Dr Elizabeth Vander Meer, Research and Policy Manager, University of Edinburgh, UK

Dr Elizabeth Weekes, Guy's & St Thomas NHS Foundation Trust, UK

Dr Elodie Portanier, IFREMER, FR

Dr Eloy Revilla Sanchez, Director, Estacion Biologica de Doñana CSIC, ES

Dr Els van Ooijen, Psychotherapist, Nepenthe Consulting, UK

Dr Elspeth Crawford (retired), University of Edinburgh, UK

Dr Emeline Baudet, Georgetown University, NL

Dr Emilie Mathieu, CNRS, FR

Dr Emily Stutzman, Planet Earth, US

Dr Emmanuel Prados, Head of Research, INRIA, FR

Assistant Professor Emmanuel Zilberberg, ESCP Business Scholl, FR

Dr Emmanuelle Brun, FR

Associate Professor Eric Cavalcanti, Griffith University, AU

Dr Erica de Greef, CoFounder, African Fashion Research Institute, ZA

Dr Estienne Rodary, Research Director, Institut de recherche pour le développement (IRD), FR

Dr Etienne-Pascal Journet, CNRS, FR

Professor Eva Lantsoght, Universidad San Francisco de Quito, EC

Dr Evelin Lindner, Founding President, Human Dignity and Humiliation Studies, PT

Assistant Professor Fae Dremock, Ithaca College, US

Dr Federico Monaco, University of Parma, AT

Professor Felicia Morgan, University of West Florida, US

Dr Fleur Visser, University of Worcester, UK

Dr Florence Vieban, La Ceinture Verte, FR

Dr Florian Kletty, CNRS, FR

Dr Floriane Clement, INRAE, FR

Dr Fran Martin, Honorary Research Fellow (retired), University of Exeter, UK

Reverend, Frances Ward, Church of England, UK

Dr Francesca Volpe, Cultore della materia, University of Siena, IT

Professor Francesco Gonella, Ca' Foscari University of Venice, IT

Dr Francis Chopin, University of Strasbourg, DE

Dr Francis Putz, University of Florida, BE

Professor Francisca Salas, Université de Paris, FR

Assistant Professor Franck Corset, Université Grenoble Alpes, FR

Dr Franck Schoefs, Université de Nantes, FR

Dr Francois Criscuolo, CNRS, FR

Dr François Jarrige, Université de Bourgogne, MU

Dr Francoise Billebaud, Bordeaux University, FR

Dr Frank Frantisak (retired), CA

Visiting Professor Franz Baumann, New York University, AT

Dr Fred Rohrer, Pedagogical University St.Gallen, CH

Dr Frederic Boone, Institut de Recherche en Astrophysique et Planétologie (IRAP), FR

Professor Frédéric Monier, Avignon University, FR

Dr Frédéric Pascal, Esc Clermont and Strate Deign, FR

Dr Frederic Sultana (retired), FR

Dr Freya Higgins-Desbiolles, University of South Australia, AU

Dr Gabriel Davies, Durham University, MX

Professor Gaël Giraud, Georgetown university, FR

Dr Gary Wockner, Director, Save The World's Rivers, US

Dr Gauthier Chapelle, Researcher, GIRAF, BE

Dr Gavin Daly, University of Liverpool, UK

Dr Genevieve Azam, Jean Jaurès University, Toulouse, FR

Dr Geoff Berry, International Ecopsychology Society, AU

Emeritus Professor Geoffrey Samuel, Cardiff University, UK

Dr George Simpson, Author, UK

Dr Gerardo Aquino, Goldsmiths, University of London, UK

Dr Gerardo Wadel, Facultad de Arquitectura y Urbanismo, Universidad Nacional de La Plata, ES

Dr Gerd Bongs, DE

Dr Geremy Panthou, Université Grenoble Alpes, FR

Dr German Bonilla, UNIL, CH

Dr Germán Llerena del Castillo, Univertity Autonomous of Barcelona (UAB), ES

Professor Gesa Weyhenmeyer, Uppsala University, SE

Assistant Professor Ghislaine Bouvier, Bordeaux University, FR

Dr Gianluca Grimalda, Kiel Institute for the World Economy, DE

Dr Gillian Ross, Author and meditation teacher, AU

Associate Professor Giovanni Strona, University of Helsinki, FI

Assistant Professor Giuseppe Barbiero, Laboratory of Affective Ecology, University of Valle d'Aosta, IT

Dr Glenn Albrecht (retired), University of Sydney, AU

Professor Glenn Jaecks, American River College, US

Dr Gordon Rowland, Center for Faculty Excellence, Ithaca College, US

Dr Greg Lennon, CarLen5050, US

Professor Grégoire Wallenborn, Université Libre de Bruxelles, FI

Dr Gregor Corbin, TU Kaiserslautern, DE

Dr Grégory Derville, Université de Lille, FR

Dr Grete Arro, Tallinn University, EE

Dr Grian A. Cutanda, Executive Director, The Earth Stories Collection, ES

Dr Gwen Fischer, Deep Adaptation Forum, US

Dr Gwenaël Imfeld, Research Director, CNRS, FR

Dr Hamilton Carvalho, USP, BR

Professor Hamish Cunningham, University of Sheffield, UK

Professor Hannah Dugdale, University of Groningen, NL

Dr Hans Eickhoff, Degrowth Network, PT

Professor Hans Schaefers, University of Applied Sciences Hamburg, DE

Dr Haris Shekeris, Sustainable Change Research Network, CY

Professor Heather Sullivan-Catlin, State University of New York - Potsdam, US

Adjunct Professor Heather Young-Leslie, University of Alberta, CA

Dr Hedy Bryant, HARK Facilitation Services, AU

Dr Heike Schröder, Queen's University Belfast, UK

Dr Heiko Keller, Senior project manager, Institute for Energy and Environmental Research Heidelberg, DE

Dr Henrik Nordborg, Rapperswil, OST Ostschweizer Fachhochschule, CH

Dr Hiroshi Hasegawa, Forwarding to Japanese Scientists, The Research Institute for Saving Mother Earth, JP

Dr Hope McManus, Language and Linguistics Researcher

Dr Howard Wiseman, Research Centre Director, Griffith University, AU

Dr Humphrey Chris, ETH Zurich Center for Development and Cooperation, CH

Dr Iain Stewart, Director, Sustainable Earth Institute, University of Plymouth, DE

Dr Ian Chapman, University of Cumbria, UK

Dr Ian Sturrock, Teesside University, UK

Dr Igor Polskiy, Global Ecovillage Network, RU

Associate Professor Ika Darnhofer, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, AT

Dr Imke Hindrichs, Autonomous University of Morelos, Mexico, MX

Dr Ingela Bursjöö, University of Gothenburg, SE

Associate Professor Ira Allen, Northern Arizona University, US

Dr Irene Malvestio, Universitat de Barcelona, IT

Professor Isabelle Ferreras, University of Louvain, NL

Dr Isabelle Joing, Université de Lille, FR

Dr Isabelle Schürch, University of Bern, CH

Dr Isabelle Soraru, Université de Strasbourg, FR

Professor James Engell, Harvard University Center for the Environment, US

Dr Jamilia Jeenbaeva, Founder, Dialecticon Climate, ELEK Dilgir, KG

Professor Jan van Boeckel, Hanze University of Applied Sciences, NL

Professor Jane Elliott, University of Exeter, UK

Professor Emerita Jane Rogers, Sheffield Hallam University, UK

Dr Jara Falkenburg, National Health Service, UK

Professor Jason Wirth, Seattle University, US

Dr Jean Pierre Malrieu, Avignon Université, FR

Dr Jean Rumbold, La Trobe University, AU

Dr Jean Valayer, PJV Energy, FR

Assistant Professor Jean-Baptiste Durand, Univ. Grenoble Alpes, FR

Professor Emeritus, Jean-Jacques Quisquater, UCLouvain, Louvain-la-Neuve, BE

Associate Professor Jean-Michel Huctin, Unversity of Versailles Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines, FR

Dr Jean-Michel Hupé, CNRS, FR

Dr Jean-Philippe Vidal, INRAE, FR

Dr Jeffrey Douglass, UK

Dr Jelel Ezzine, University of Tunis El Manar, TN

Professor Jem Bendell, University of Cumbria, NL

Dr Jennifer Bissonnette, Interim Director, Nature Lab, Rhode Island School of Design, US

Dr Jennifer Fendya, Clinical psychologist, US

Professor Jeremie Cave, Sciences Po Toulouse, FR

Assistant Professor Jeremy Jimenez, SUNY Cortland, US

Dr Jerome Noel Petit, Pew, FR

Professor Jillian Buriak, University of Alberta, CA

Dr Jim R Stewart, Researcher, OceanForesters, US

Dr Joachim Schütz, CEO, Alex2020, CH

Dr Joana Campos, Researcher, CIIMAR, PT

Dr Joe Vipond, University of Calgary, CA

Professor Joel Dubin, University of Waterloo, UK

Dr Joel Levey, Founder, Wisdom at Work, US

Dr Johannes Scheppach, Charité University Medicine Berlin, DE

Emeritus Professor John Adams, Saybrook University, US

Dr John Colvin, Director, Emerald Nwetwork Ltd, UK

Professor John Foran, UCSB, US

Professor John Fousek, New York University, AU

Professor John Hiemstra, The King's University, CA

Adjunct Professor John James, University of New South Wales, AU

Dr John Phelps, Burke Indivisible, US

Dr John Rapko, College of Marin, US

Professor John Vokey, University of Lethbridge, CA

Associate Professor Jolene Armstrong, Athabasca University, US

Dr Jonathan Leighton, Executive Director, Organisation for the Prevention of Intense Suffering (OPIS), GR

Dr Jonathan Lilly, Theiss Research, CA

Dr Jonathan Logan, Extinction Rebellion America, US

Professor Jorg Heukelbach, One Health Institute Heukelbach, DE

Dr Jorge Leandro Rosa, Institute of Philosophy, University of Porto, PT

Professor Emeritus, Jorgen Randers, BI Norwegian School of Management, FR

Professor Jörn Altmann, Seoul National University, KR

Professor José De Teresa, Univ. Autónoma Metropolitana - Iztapalapa, FR

Associate Professor José-Anastasio Urra-Urbieta, Universitat de València (Spain), ES

Dr Josepha Wessels, Malmö University, SE

Dr Josh Goldstein, university of southern California, US

Dr Josie McLean, Principal and Founder, The Partnership Pty Ltd, AU

Dr Josyane Ronchail, Laboratory LOCEAN, FR

Dr Joy Carter, Winchester University, UK

Professor Joyce Green, University of Regina, CA

Dr Joyce Salvage (retired), National-Louis University, US

Assistant Professor JP Sapinski, Université de Moncton, CA

Dr Juan Jesus Haro Mora, Review Analyst in Genetics, US

Professor Juan-Camilo Cardenas, Universidad de los Andes, CO

Dr Judith Mann, Clinical Psychologist, NHS, UK

Dr Judith McNeill (retired), University of New England, AU

Dr Julia Kim-Cohen, University of Illinois at Chicago, US

Professor Julian Carrey, INSA Toulouse, FR

Professor Juliane Floury, L'institut Agro / Agrocampus Ouest, FR

Dr Julie Boyer Dumont, Université Jean Monnet Saint-Etienne, FR

Dr Julie Lavie, University of Bordeaux, FR

Dr Juliet Norton, Purdue University, US

Dr Justine A Huxley, St Ethelburga's Centre for Reconciliation and Peace, UK

Dr Kahina Meziane, FR

Dr Kai Chan, UBC, CA

Dr Kalina Raskin, Ceebios, FR

Dr Karen Atkinson, University of Liverpool, UK

Dr Karen Cohen, Public Health Physician (retired), New Mexico Department of Health, US

Dr Karine Leblanc, CNRS, FR

Dr Kate Swindells, HEART Community Group, UK

Dr Katherine Snow, Founder, Gaia Morgan Group, US

Dr Katy Coates, Consultant, NHS, UK

Dr Katy Fox, Mycelium Design, BE

Professor Kelly Anthony, University of Waterloo, CA

Dr Kelly McKinney, John Abbott College, CA

Dr Kelly Widdicks, Lancaster University, UK

Assistant Professor Kent Williams, Acadia University, CA

Dr Kerryn Higgs, University of Tasmania, School of Political Science, AU

Dr Kirsten Shukla, Consultant, Oxford Health NHS Trust, UK

Dr Kris Nelson, University of Massachusetts Amherst, US

Professor Krista Hiser, University of Hawaii System, US

Adjunct Professor Lajos Brons, Lakeland University, JP

Dr Lara Mani, Centre for the Study of Existential Risk, University of Cambridge, UK

Professor Lars Tranvik, Uppsala University, SE

Dr Laura Kehoe, University of Oxford, FR

Assistant Professor Laura Roop, University of Pittsburgh, US

Dr Laure Teulières, Toulouse Jean Jaurès University, FR

Assistant Professor Lauren Mohn, Swarthmore College, US

Assistant Professor Laurence Delattre, University of Lille, FR

Dr Laurent Duret, Research Director, CNRS, FR

Professor Laurent Houssiau, University of Namur, BE

Professor Laurie Adkin, University of Alberta, CA

Professor Laurie Guimond, Université du Québec à Montréal, CA

Professor Assistant, Laurie Marrauld, EHESP, FR

Dr Leandro Caniglia, President, Fundacion Argentina de Smalltalk, AR

Dr Leif Ohlsson (retired), Peace & Development Research Institute, University of Gothenburg, SE

Assistant Professor Lenny Van Bussel, Wageningen University, NL

Dr Leo van Kampenhout, Utrecht University, NL

Dr Leonid Yurganov, Univwesity of Maryland Baltimore County, US

Dr Lilas Courtot, UCL Cancer Research, FR

Dr Liliana Terradas, Universidad de la Republica, UY

Dr Lilli Papaloïzos, University of Basel Switzerland, FR

Dr Linda Vogelsong, Founder, WovenStory Productions, US

Associate Professor Lisa Nathan, University of British Columbia, CA

Dr Lisa Schipper, Environmental Change Institute, University of Oxford, UK

Dr Lise Abravanel, GP, Université Paris 13 Bobigny, NL

Assistant Research Professor Louise Farquharson, University of Alaska Fairbanks, US

Dr Loys Maingon, Strathcona Wilderness Institute, CA

Dr Lucie Debeffe, INRAE-CEFS, FR

Professor Lummina Horlings, University of Groningen, The Netherlands, NL

Professor Lynette Shultz, University of Alberta, CA

Dr Madis Vasser, Estonian Green Movement, EE

Dr Magali Ollagnier-Beldame, CNRS, FR

Dr Maggie Turp, Climate Psychology Alliance, UK

Professor Makere Stewart-Harawira, University of Alberta, CA

Dr Malika Virah-Sawmy, Humboldt Universidad zu Berlin, DE

Dr Manuel M. Morales Plaza, Director, Instituto Ecogein, ES

Dr Marc Deconchat, INRAE, FR

Emeritus Professor Marc Defumier, AgroParisTech, FR

Dr Marc Lachieze-Rey (retired), CNRS, FR

Dr Marc Wilson (retired), AU

Dr Marceau Minot, University of Rouen Normandy, FR

Dr Marco Massetti, FUNDACIÓ FICAT, Barcelona, NL

Dr Marco Miozzo, CTTC/CERCA, ES

Professor Marek Oziewicz, University of Minnesota, US

Dr Maria Johansson, SE

Dr María Sierra Pacheco, Universidad Iberoamericana, MX

Dr Marian Langhus, Emergency Response Coordinator (retired), New Climate Guides, CA

Professor Mariana Chilton, Director, Center for Hunger-Free Communities, Drexel University, US

Dr Marie Christine Aubin (retired), APRIL, PT

Dr Marie Gevers, Université de Namur, BE

Professor Emerita, Marie Wilson Nelson, National Louis University, US

Dr Marie-Antoinette Mélières, Université Grenoble-Alpes, FR

Dr Marie-Claire Pierret, University of Strasbourg, NL

Dr Marieke Van Lichtervelde, University of Toulouse, FR

Dr MARIO Hüttenhofer, University of Konstanz, DE

Dr Marion Princaud, Founder, Waste Hunter, FR

Dr Marion Troia (retired), NL

Dr Maristella Svampa, CONICET, Argentina, BR

Professor Marjolein Visser, Université Libre de Bruxelles, BE

Professor Mark Alan Hughes, University of Pennsylvania, US

Dr Mark Charlesworth, Bishop Grosseteste University, UK

Dr Mark Chater, Writer and researcher, FR

Hsiao Endowed Professor Mark Hixon, University of Hawaii, US

Professor Emeritus, Mark Phillips, San Francisco State University, US

Professor Mark Wallace, Swarthmore College, US

Dr Markus Egermann, Head of Research, Leibniz Institute of Ecological Urban and Regiional Development, DE

Dr Marla Fisher, US

Dr Marshall Tuttle (retired), Langston University, US

Dr Martin Bowen, Research Director, CNRS, FR

Professor Martin Scheringer, Masaryk University Brno, CH

Dr Martin Siefkes, University of Technology Chemnitz, DE

Dr Martin Weinel, Cardiff University, UK

Professor Martine Benoit, Université de Lille, FR

Associate Professor Mathieu Mangeot, INRIA, STEEP team, FR

Dr Mathilde Szuba, Sciences Po Lille, FR

Dr Matt Colborn, Alef Trust, UK

Dr Matt York, University College Cork, IE

Dr Matthew Burke, Leadership for the Ecozoic, US

Dr Max Pinsard, Manager, Low-tech Lab Montreal, FR

Assistant Professor Maxim Vlasov, Umeå School of Business, Economics and Statistics, SE

Dr Melissa Sterry, Bioratorium, UK

Dr Mervyn de Borniol, FR

Dr Michael Albert, SOAS University of London, UK

Professor Michael Arts, Ryerson University, CA

Dr Michael Friedrich, University of Hohenheim, Germany, DE

Associate Professor Michael Mills, Loyola Marymount University, US

Dr Michael Ortega, CNRS, FR

Dr Michael Palkowski, University of East London, UK

Dr Michael Rao, ENS de Lyon, FR

Professor Michael Roos, Ruhr University Bochum, DE

Professor Michael Smith, Ithaca College, US

Dr Michał Pałasz, Jagiellonian University in Krakow, Poland, PL

Dr Michel Cucchi, Assistant Director, University Hospital of Lille, FR

Dr Michel Dobrijevic, Université de Bordeaux, FR

Dr Michelle Merrill, Founder, Novasutras, US

Dr Mickael Coriat, IRAP - University Toulouse, FR

Dr Miguel Angel Gardetti, Director, Sustainable Textil Center, AR

Associate Professor Miguel Brandao, KTH Royal institute of technology, US

Dr Miguel Martínez Ramos, Universitat Jaume I, ES

Dr Miguel Pajares, University of Barcelona, ES

Dr Mike Joy, Victoria University, JP

Dr Milena Stefanovic, Programme Manager, European Fund for the Balkans, RS

Dr Minna Kanerva, University of Bremen, DE

Professor Miriam Diamond, University of Toronto, CA

Dr Mohamed Ali Touzi, TN

Dr Morgan Phillips, The Glacier Trust, UK

Dr Natalia Eernstman, Plymouth College of Art, UK

Associate Professor Natalie Loveless, University of Alberta, CA

Dr Natasha Hurley-Walker, Curtin University, AU

Dr Nathanaël Wallenhorst, UCO, FR

Emeritus Professor Nick Cowern, Newcastle University, UK

Dr Nick Hostettler, School of Politics and International Relations, Queen Mary University of London, UK

Asst Professor Nico Jenkins, Maine College of Art, US

Professor Nicolas Dendoncker, University of Namur, BE

Dr Nicolas Gratiot, Institut de Recherche pour le Développement, FR

Associate Professor Nicolas Vereecken, Université libre de Bruxelles, BE

Dr Nikola Biliškov, Rudjer Boskovic Institute, Zagreb, HR

Professor Noel B. Salazar, KU Leuven, IN

Dr Nolwenn Lesparre, CNRS, FR

Dr Numa Bertola, Epfl, CH

Dr Olivier Coen, INRAE, FR

Professor Olivier De Schutter, UC Louvain, AT

Dr Omar Al Hammal, IPSA, FR

Professor Orrin Shindell, Trinity University, US

Dr Pablo Servigne, Author and speaker, FR

Dr Panos Mantziaras, Director, Fondation Braillard Architectes, Genève, FR

Dr Pascal Lambert, Engineering and R&D services, FR

Dr Pascal Lorance, Ifremer, FR

Dr Pascal Maugis, LSCE, FR

Dr Patricia Alarcon, Instituto de Investigación para la Gestión del Riesgo, MX

Professor Patricia E. Perkins, York University, Toronto, CA

Dr Patricia Morgan, UNSW, AU

Dr Patrick Smith (retired), ID

Professor Paul Morgan, West Chester University of Pennsylvania, US

Dr Paulina Pankowska, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, NL

Associate Professor Pauline Marty, Université de Technologie de Troyes, FR

Dr Pauline Rummel, Georg-August-Universität Göttingen, DE

Professor Paulo Nussenzveig, Physics Institute, University of Sao Paulo, BR

Professor Emerita, Peggy Delaney, UC Santa Cruz, US

Professor Peter Choate, Mount Royal University, CA

Professor Peter Kabachnik, College of Staten Island, CUNY, US

Dr Peter Kindfield, Founder and Lead Teacher, Hilltop Education Connections, US

Dr Peter Päppinghaus (retired), DE

Dr Peter Roopnarine, Curator, California Academy of Sciences, US

Professor Peter Sainsbury, University of Notre Dame Australia, AU

Dr Peter Sturm, INRIA, FR

Associate Professor Petra Verdonk, Amsterdam UMC-VU University, NL

Dr Philippe Layrargues, Universidade de Brasília, BR

Associate Professor Philippe Marquet, univ. Lille, FR

Dr Philippe Ricordeau (retired), NL

Dr Philippe-e Roche, CNRS, FR

Dr Phillip Coop (retired), University of New England, AU

Professor Phoebe Barnard, University of Washington, US

Dr Pierre Besson

Dr Pierre Ceccaldi, R & I Consultant, FR

Professor Pierre Yves Schobbens, University of Namur, BE

Professor Pierre-Emmanuel Caprace, UCLouvain, BE

Professor Pierre-Henri Gouyon, Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, FR

Dr Pierre-Jacques Hamard, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, US

Dr Pietro Altermatt, Principal Scientist, Trinasolar, DE

Professor Emeritus, Pritam Singh, Oxford Brookes University, Oxford, UK

Dr Rachel Forgasz, Monash University, AU

Dr Rachel Taylor, Federation University, AU

Dr Rachelle Adam, Hebrew University, IL

Professor Emeritus, Rae Andre, Northeastern University, US

Dr Raj Thamotheram, Founder, Preventable Surprises, UK

Dr Rebecca Johnson, University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust, UK

Dr Rebecca Martin, District Council, NZ

Dr Rebecca Schreiber, University of Münster, Germany, DE

Dr Renaud Toussaint, CNRS, FR

Dr Richard Donovan, California Institute for Telecommunications and Information Technologies, FR

Emeritus Professor Richard Gill, Mathematical Institute, Leiden University, NL

Dr Richard Jabot, Audencia, FR

Professor Richard Koch, Adrian College, US

Professor Richard Moodey, Gannon University, Erie, PA, US

Dr Richard Parncutt, University of Graz, AT

Dr Richard Smart, Geotechnical engineer, AU

Dr Rob Blakemore, VermEcology, AU

Dr Robert Hicks, Founder, Student Math Action Research Team, CA

Emeritus Professor Robert Jensen, University of Texas at Austin, US

Dr Robert R. Janes, Coalition of Museums for Climate Justice, CA

Teaching Professor Robert Turner, University of Washington Bothell, US

Professor Robin Cox, Director, ResilienceByDesign Lab, Royal Roads University, CA

Dr Roel van Klink, German Institute for Integrative Biodiversity Research, DE

Dr Ronald Parry, Rice University, US

Dr Rory Varrato, Teachers College, Columbia University in the City of New York, US

Adjunct Professor Roy Tasker, Western Sydney University, AU

Professor Ruben Heleno, University of Coimbra, PT

Professor Emeritus, Rupert Read, Climate Majority Project, UK

Professor Russell West-Pavlov, University of Tübingen, DE

Professor Ruth Irwin, RMIT University, NZ

Dr Sabahat Lodhi, Head of Science, BBIS, UK

Dr Sally Prebble, University of Auckland, NZ

Professor Samuel Mann, Otago Polytechnic, NZ

Dr Sandra Niessen, Founding member, Research Collective for Decolonizing Fashion, NL

Associate Professor Sandra Rein, University of Alberta, CA

Dr Sandra Wooltorton, Nulungu Research Institute, AU

Dr Sanna Thomas, Co-founder/chair, Tiburon Climate Action Committee, CA, US

Dr Sara Asu Schroer, University of Oslo, NO

Dr Sarah Ollier, Loughborough university, UK

Dr Sarah Schwöbel, TU Dresden, DE

Dr Sarah Williams, University of Cumbria, UK

Dr Saskia van Oosterhout, Global Campfire South Africa, ZA

Dr Scott Elrod, Associate Director of Licensing, Stanford University, NL

Professor Sean Kelly, California Institute of Integral Studies, US

Dr Sébastien Bohler, Editor in chief, Pour la Science, FR

Professor Sebastien Payan, Sorbonne University, NA

Dr Serge Fenet, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, FR

Dr Shana Melnysyn, Research Grants manager, University of California Humanities Research Institute, US

Professor Shawn Rosenheim, Williams College, US

Professor Emerita, Shelagh Campbell, University of Alberta, CA

Dr Sherry Falsetti, Enlighten Mind Body Wellness LLC, US

Dr Sian Evans, University of Worcester, UK

Dr Silvia Mongili, University of Cagliari, IT

Professor Emeritus, Simon Cottle, Cardiff University, UK

Dr Sophie Eberhardt, Lépac, FR

Professor Sophie Javerzat, University of Bordeaux, FR

Dr Sophie Larivet, Animator, La Fresque du Climat, FR

Dr Sparsha Saha, Harvard University, US

Dr Staffan Schmidt, Malmö University, SE

Professor Stef Craps, Ghent University, BE

Dr Stefania Pinna, Sea project ASD, IT

Dr Stefano Mammola, Finnish Museum of Natural History, FI

Dr Stella Nyambura Mbau, Consultant, LOABOWA, KE

Dr Stéphane Douady, Director of Research, CNRS, NL

Dr Stephane Faure, CNRS - LPCNO, FR

Dr Stephane Gipouloux, DDTM 64, FR

Professor Stéphane Vuilleumier, Université de Strasbourg, FR

Dr Stephanie Heil, Linköping University, FR

Dr Stephen Healy, UNSW, AU

Professor Stephen Keen, UCL, UK/HU

Visiting Professor Stephen Martin, University of the West of England, UK

Emeritus Professor Stephen Sterling, University of Plymouth, NL

Professor Stephen Zavestoski, University of San Francisco, US

Professor Steve Hallett, Purdue University, US

Dr Steven Salmony, AWAREness Campaign on The Human Population, US

Dr Stuart Hill, Western Sydney University, AU

Dr Susan Bailey, Edith Cowan University, AU

Dr Susana Velasco, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, FR/ES

Professor Sylvain Payraudeau, ENGEES, Strasbourg, FR

Assistant Professor Sylvain Weill, ENGEES, Strasbourg,

Dr Tadzio Mueller, Climate Justice Analyst, Rosa Luxemburg Stiftung, DE

Dr Terry Rankin (retired), US

Professor Terry Smith, Columbia College (MO), US

Dr Théo Vischel, University of Grenoble Alpes, FR

Dr Thibault Sana, INRAE, FR

Dr Thierry Masson, CNRS, FR

Dr Thomas Desaunay, Entrepreneur, Low-tech Yonne, FR

Professor Emeritus, Thomas Love, Linfield University, US

Dr Thomas Marois, Senior Lecturer, SOAS University of London, UK

Professor Tim Garrett, University of Utah, US

Dr Tim Hewlett, Scientists’ Rebellion, UK

Dr Timothée Nicolas, CNRS, FR

Professor Tina Fields, Naropa University, US

Dr Tina Sabel-Grau, TU Berlin, DE

Dr Tobit Caudwell, Université de Bourgogne, FR

Dr Tom Barker, Centre for Alternative Technology, UK

Dr Tom Doig, University of Queensland, AU

Dr Tom Kelly, Executive Director, UNH Sustainability Institute, US

Dr Tomáš J Oberding, University of Phoenix, US

Assistant Professor Tomasz Ganicz, Technical Univeristy of Lodz, PL

Professor Tony Pereira, President & CEO, Institute for Eco-Sustainable Engineering, US

Dr Travis Cox, Naropa University, US

Professor Emeritus, Trevor Hancock, School of Public Health and Social Policy, University of Victoria, CA

Dr Trommenschlager Marion, University Rennes, FR

Dr Tsilla Boisselet, SCImPULSE Foundation, NO

Professor Ugo Bardi, University of Florence, IT

Dr Valentin Maron, Université Toulouse Jean Jaures, FR

Professor Valentina Carbone, ESCP, FR

Dr Valérie Brunel, KAIROS Accompagnement & Recherche / PROJET TALOUAN, FR

Professor Vanesa Rios Milagres VRM, Instituto Federal de Educação Ciência e Tecnologia de Brasília, BR

Dr Venance Journé, CNRS, FR

Dr Veronica Norma Rodríguez Ávila, Chalchi, MX

Professor Veronique Delvaux, University of Mons, BE

Assistant Professor Véronique Germain, University of Bordeaux, FR

Dr Vicki Little, Monash University Malaysia, VN

Dr Victor M. Toledo, Natipnal University of Mexico UNAM, MX

Dr Victoria Sachsé, Université de Strasbourg, NL

Dr Victoria Stevens, BC Parks, CA

Professor Vinh-Kim Nguyen, Graduate Institute for International and Development Studies Geneva, CH

Professor Volker Quaschning, Berlin University of Applied Sciences, DE

Dr Wanchat Theeranaew, Case Western Reserve University, US

Professor Wayne Teel, James Madison University, US

Emeritus Professor Wendy Hollway, Open University, UK

Professor Wendy Rogers, Macquarie University, Sydney, AU

Dr Wendy Wiseman, University of California Santa Barbara, US

Dr Wes Jackson, President Emeritus, The Land Institute, US

Emeritus Professor Will Steffen, Australian National University, AU

Professor William Carroll, University of Victoria, CA

Professor Emeritus, William Rees, University of British Columbia, CA

Dr William Welsh, Scholar/Practitioner, US

Professor Wolfgang Cramer, CNRS, FR

Dr Wolfgang Knorr, Lund University, GR

Dr Wolfgang Nitschke, CNRS, FR

Assistant Professor Wolmet Barendregt, Eindhoven University of Technology, NL

Dr Xavier Ricard Lanata, Directorate of Treasury, Ministry of Economy and Finance, FR

Dr Ye Tao, Rowland Institute at Harvard, US

Professor Yin Paradies, Deakin University, AU

Dr Yohannes Negesse, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire, GP

Professor Yoshihiko Wada, Doshisha University, JP

Dr Yves Cochet, Former Minister for the Environment, Institut Momentum, FR

Dr Yves Handrich, Centre National de La Recherche Scientifique, FR

Dr Zaheer Allam, Deakin University, MU



 

 

 

Thursday, 19 October 2023

Is it time for climatologists to apologise to activists? An open letter from international scholars.

Seventy scholars from 16 countries have signed a public letter in support of climate activists who were undermined by senior climatologists, ahead of those activists facing persecution and prosecution. The rapidly changing climate demonstrates that the activists were closer to the truth than many of the scientists. Although it might be too late to preserve the freedom of many activists, the seventy scholars call for public apologies from senior climatologists. The text of the letter follows below, and the list of signatories below that. 

Discussing the open letter, Professor Colin Butler, of Australia National University, explained that "peril lies in understating the risk to global civilisation from unabated climate change (and other aspects of limits to growth); I call on my colleagues to show leadership and courage." Climate scientist Dr Wolfgang Knorr of Lund University (Sweden) said: "what we need of both politicians and experts is nothing more than honesty - say you don't care about the climate crisis, or act in way that does justice to the vastness of the threat."

Focusing on the unfair treatment of climate activists, Professor in Science Education, Dr Caroline Smith, from the University of Tasmania (Australia) said: "Shooting the messengers is a disgraceful state of affairs. We send congratulations and strength to those courageous scientists who continue to speak out for all our futures." In the Netherlands, Dr Lummina Horlings, Professor of Socio-Spatial Planning (University of Groningen) said: "we should be grateful to activists such as Extinction Rebellion who play an active role to stop the subsidy of fossil fuels." French Agronomist Dr Etienne-Pascal Journet (CNRS) said: "While the climatic and ecological upheaval has never been so obvious, propaganda against the wise, courageous and peaceful activists is abounding, supported by various lobbies, think tanks, the government, and opportunistic political parties." Also from France, Pierre-Henri Gouyon, Professor of Ecology (Natural History Museum, France) said: "Trying to warn humanity of the climate and biodiversity crisis should be 'haloed' not criminalised."

Reflecting how global heating threatens to disrupt everything in society, the open letter is signed by academics from many disciplines, not just climatology. It comes after the public statement issued by the co-founders of activist group Extinction Rebellion, Gail Bradbrook, Roger Hallam and Clare Farrell, about the unhelpful pressures on them from some climatologists over recent years and the need for more courageous truth telling in a world with a rapidly changing climate. Emeritus Professor Jem Bendell with the University of Cumbria in the UK said: “It’s time that more scholars back the activists who are being proven right on the climate. It’s ridiculous that bravely accurate activists like XR's Gail, Roger and Clare now face prison, while their loudly inaccurate critics in the climatology profession face just another payday.”

If you want to help amplify this message, please search social media posts for those scientists who have publicly criticised activists like Extinction Rebellion, and politely ask them for their latest opinion, now that reality shows the activists were closer to the truth than they were. For instance, on this Twitter list of scientists, the following search terms will identify those who have previously criticised or condemned climate activists: alarmism, alarmist, catastrophist, doom, doomist, doomism. If you link to this letter, that may help them to see the strength of concern. 

Climate Activists Deserve our Support

Around the world, peaceful environmental activists are being vilified by the media, prosecuted by the state and, in some countries, murdered with impunity. Worldwide, one environmental activist is being killed every other day [1], and people who seek to defend our planet are losing their freedoms to do so [2]. Sadly, a globalist-funded network of propaganda against such activists has distorted the media, social media and political responses [3]. That is despite the now rapidly changing climate proving that humanity owes climate activists our gratitude and leaders owe them an apology [4]. In this age of consequences, the appropriate response must be to gather environmental activists in dialogue with scientists and wider civil society, to explore why the activists often better assessed the risks from environmental change, why societies were so resistant to that truth, and how to enable better decision making in future. 

As researchers who signed the initial ‘Scholars’ Warning on Societal Disruption and Collapse’ three years ago [5], we have been aware of the limitations of institutionalised scientific research to provide insight into both the reality and risks in highly complex systems, such as the global environment. For instance, we knew that both the consensus and averaging requirements of the reporting from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) led to downplaying data and findings that were crucial to understanding the world’s climate [6]. The recent speed and impact of global heating demonstrates that those generalist scholars and citizen scientists associated with campaign groups like Extinction Rebellion, were better able to identify the risks to humanity, and were often better able to bring this to the attention of the public than employed climatologists.

Although hundreds of scientists have welcomed such activism [7], it is a tragedy that some senior climatologists criticised peaceful activists in recent years, inadvertently undermining their credibility with the public and encouraging draconian legislation and punishments [8]. We lament this misleading and counterproductive approach to science communication by some of our senior colleagues. Instead, we congratulate those scientists who have themselves become protestors, like members of Scientist Rebellion, and encourage others to join them [9].

It is neither conspiracy-minded nor disrespectful towards scientists to agree with the extensive scholarship showing us that research silos, hierarchies, and funding considerations lead to suboptimal conclusions on real world implications. There is an urgent need not to allow the same siloed and hierarchical approaches that hampered institutional climatology in the past to dominate its future in this new era of societal disruption [10]. Because there is a lot still to be done to reduce harm, despite the tragic circumstances facing us all. Life on Earth, including humanity, will not tolerate further institutionally-caused blind spots on catastrophic threats. Therefore, as signatories, we call for more efforts to bring well-researched activists together with generalist scholars and career scientists, to better understand the complex system that is the biosphere and climate.

To support that, not only do we invite new signatories for the Scholars’ Warning declaration, but also welcome public apologies from those scholars who used their status to undermine the sense of both hazard and urgency that the environmental activists were promoting over recent years. As activists are being persecuted and prosecuted right now, the time for such apologies is also right now. 

[70 scientists from 16 countries signed, with their names listed below]. 

--

1] The NGO Global Witness claims that, on average, somewhere in the world an environmental activist is killed every other day, with 177 known to have been murdered in 2022. https://geographical.co.uk/news/177-environmental-activists-killed-in-2022 

2] In the West, peaceful environmental activists are being criminalised and prosecuted like never before. Many face custodial sentences this autumn. Even peacefully reminding juries of the law is being criminalised in Britain. “There are a number of human rights that are currently not being respected by EU states,” said Michel Forst, the U.N. special rapporteur on environmental defenders. https://www.politico.eu/article/europe-governments-crackdown-climate-change-activists-action-last-generation-extinction-rebellion/ 

3] Backed by some of the world's largest anti-environmental corporations, The Atlas Network of think tanks has successfully been promoting the demonisation of environmental activists.. https://newrepublic.com/article/175488/meet-shadowy-global-network-vilifying-climate-protesters 

4] Ocean and air temperature anomalies and associated impacts are frightening. See: World breaches key 1.5C warming mark for record number of days - BBC News

5] See www.scholarswarning.net 

6] This has been known for many years, and actively ignored by many top scientists and those that wish to align with them. From 2017, see What Lies Beneath? The Scientific Understatement of Climate Risks and Chapter 1 of Deep Adaptation on bias and limits in climatology.

7] Unfortunately criticism of climate activists and their analysis of the situation has even been expressed publicly by some scientists who previously supported them. https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2021/apr/19/environment-protest-being-criminalised-around-world-say-experts 

8] On this problem we note the important statement from XR co-founders https://rebellion.global/blog/2023/10/19/reflections-5-years-on/

9] See https://scientistrebellion.org/ 

10] See the 2023 report from the Post Carbon Institute: Welcome to the Great Unraveling: Navigating the Polycrisis of Environmental and Social Breakdown

Signatories, in their personal capacity:

Dr Wolfgang Knorr, Climate Scientist, Lund University, Sweden. 

Dr. Colin Butler, Honorary Professor of Public Health, Australian National University, Australia

Dr. Lummina Horlings, Professor Socio-Spatial Planning, University of Groningen, The Netherlands.

Dr. Pascal Maugis, Climatologist, LSCE, France

Dr. Carlos de Castro, Professor of Physics, University of Valladolid, Spain.

Dr. Wolfgang Nitschke, Senior Scientist, CNRS, France

Dr. Jem Bendell, Emeritus Professor, University of Cumbria, UK.

Dr. Pierre-Henri Gouyon, Professor of Ecology, Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, France

Dr. Rupert Read, Emeritus Professor, University of East Anglia & co-founder Climate Majority Project

Dr. Michal Palasz, assistant researcher, Jagiellonian University in Krakow, Poland

Dr. Deena Metzger, Teacher/Writer, Daré, USA

Dr. JP Sapinski, Assistant Professor of Environmental Studies, Université de Moncton, Canada

Dr. Els van Ooijen, Psychotherapist, Nepenthe Consulting, Netherlands

Dr. Supot Chunhachoti-ananta, Lecturer, Srinakharinwirot University, Thailand

Dr. Tomáš J Oberding PhD, Teaching Faculty, University of Phoenix, USA

Dr. Sandra Niessen, founding member, Research Collective for Decolonizing Fashion, Netherlands

Dr. Metje Postma, Lecturer, Leiden University, Institute of Cultural Anthropology and Development Sociology, Netherlands

Dr. Jörn Altmann, Professor, Seoul National University, South Korea

Dr. Heather Sullivan-Catlin, Professor of Sociology, State University of New York – Potsdam, USA/Germany

Dr. Martin Siefkes, Research Associate, University of Technology Chemnitz, Germany

Dr. Johannes Scheppach, Doctor, Charité University Medicine Berlin, Germany

Dr. Peter Choate, Professor Social Work, Mount Royal University, Canada

Dr. Noel B. Salazar, Professor in Social and Cultural Anthropology, KU Leuven, Germany

Dr. Philippe Ricordeau, public health doctor, France

Dr. Marshall Tuttle, Lecturer in Music, Retired, Langston University, USA

Dr. Ghislaine Bouvier, Assistant Professor, Bordeaux University, France

Dr. Richard Parncutt, personal, University of Graz, Austria

Dr. László A. Rampasek, CEO, OurOffset Nonprofit LLC, Hungary.

Dr. Haris Shekeris Researcher, SUCH (Sustainable Change Research Network)

Dr. Etienne-Pascal Journet, Researcher in Agronomy, CNRS, France.

Dr. Rebecca Johnson, Consultant Clinical Psychologist, University Hospitals Birmingham, UK

Dr. Jeremy Jimenez, Assistant Professor of Education, SUNY Cortland USA.

Dr. Sylvain Weill, Assistant professor, ENGEES, Strasbourg, France

Dr. Steven Salmony, Pittsboro, AWAREness Campaign on The Human Population, USA

Dr. Stef Craps, Professor of English Literature, Ghent University, Belgium

Dr. Stephen Martin, Visiting Professor in Learning for Sustainability, University of the West of England, UK.

Dr. Stephen Sterling, Emeritus Professor of Sustainability Education, University of Plymouth, UK

Dr. Cédric Sueur, Professor, Université de Strasbourg, France.

Dr. Jake Farr, Psychologist, Leading Through Storms, UK

Dr. Dietmar Weinmann, Physicist, CNRS, France.

Dr. Dalila Bovet, Ethologist, Université Paris Nanterre, France.

Dr. Philippe Marquet, associate professor, univ. Lille, France.

Dr. Aimee Maxwell, Psychologist, Deep Adaptation Forum, Australia.

Dr. Irene Malvestio, postdoc, Universitat de Barcelona, Spain.

Dr. Hedy Bryant, Facilitator and educator, HARK Facilitation Services, Australia.

Dr. Andrew Mathewson, Biologist, University of Washington, USA.

Dr. Elspeth Crawford, retired lecturer, University of Edinburgh, UK.

Dr. Arthur Weaver, independent scientist.

Dr. Ruth Irwin, Professor of Education, RMIT University, Australia.

Dr. Martin Weinel, Research Associate, Cardiff University, UK.

Dr. Yin Paradies, Professor of Race Relations, Deakin University, Australia.

Dr. Sean Kelly, Professor and author, California Institute of Integral Studies, USA

Dr. Carr Everbach, Chair of Environmental Studies; Engineering Professor, Swarthmore College, USA.

Dr. Shawn Rosenheim, Professor of English, Williams College, USA.

Dr. Elizabeth Manchester, researcher, independent

Dr. Matt Colborn, Tutor, Alef Trust, UK.

Dr. Chong Kee Tan, Founder, Labishire Homestead Commons, USA.

Dr. Andrew Boswell, Independent Scientist & Consultant, Climate Emergency Planning and Policy

Dr. Freya Higgins-Desbiolles, Adjunct Tourism Management, University of South Australia, Australia.

Dr. Marco Massetti, Responsable técnico de energía y sostenibilidad, FUNDACIÓ FICAT, Barcelona, Spain.

Dr. Fred Rohrer, Lecturer, Pedagogical University St.Gallen, Switzerland.

Dr. Judith McNeill, Retired, University of New England, Canada.

Dr. Joel Dubin, Professor, University of Waterloo, Canada.

Dr. Cathy Fitzgerald, Founder-Director, Haumea Ecoversity, Ireland.

Dr. David Phillips, Professor, University of Southampton, UK.

Dr. Greg Lennon, Scientist, CarLen5050.

Dr. Caroline Smith, Adjunct in science education, University of Tasmania, Australia.

Dr. Shana Melnysyn, Research Grants manager, University of California Humanities Research Institute, USA.