Scientists’ Declaration of Support for Non-Violent Direct Action Against Government Inaction Over the Climate and Ecological Emergency

Declaration statement

As scientists, we have dedicated our lives to the study and understanding of the world and our place
in it. We declare that scientific evidence shows beyond any reasonable doubt that human-caused
changes to the Earth’s land, sea and air are severely threatening the habitability of our planet.
We further declare that overwhelming evidence shows that if global greenhouse gas emissions are
not brought rapidly down to net zero and biodiversity loss is not halted, we risk catastrophic and
irreversible damage to our planetary life-support systems, causing incalculable human suffering and
many deaths.

We note that despite the scientific community first sounding the alarm on human-caused global
warming more than four decades ago, no action taken by governments thus far has been sufficient to
halt the steep rise in greenhouse gas emissions, nor address the ever-worsening loss of biodiversity.
Therefore, we call for immediate and decisive action by governments worldwide to rapidly reduce
global greenhouse gas emissions to net zero, to prevent further biodiversity loss, and to repair, to the
fullest extent possible, the damage that has already been done. We further call upon governments
to provide particular support to those who will be most affected by climate change and by the
required transition to a sustainable economy.

As scientists, we have an obligation that extends beyond merely describing and understanding
the natural world to taking an active part in helping to protect it. We note that the scientific
community has already tried all conventional methods to draw attention to the crisis. We believe
that the continued governmental inaction over the climate and ecological crisis now justifies peaceful
and nonviolent protest and direct action, even if this goes beyond the bounds of the current law.
We therefore support those who are rising up peacefully against governments around the world
that are failing to act proportionately to the scale of the crisis.

We believe it is our moral duty to act now, and we urge other scientists to join us in helping to protect humanity’s only home.