Please sign and join us: Scientist Rebellion Australia Open Letter

Past Actions:

Scientist Rebellion Facebook Action 22nd of January, 2023.
Scientist Rebellion Facebook Action 9:00 am, 19th of January, 2023.
Scientist Rebellion Facebook Action 12:00 am, 14th of February, 2023.

The scientific method which utilises collecting empirical evidence, forming and testing a hypothesis, analysing results, reporting and peer review but, most importantly, embraces the ongoing evolution of ideas and knowledge.

Scientists share a commitment to understanding nature and humans' roles as members of it. We base our understanding on evidence, debated and contested among scientists until plausible explanations are widely accepted. This allows us to identify as members of a coherent group.

How do we define a scientist:

We acknowledge that the first scientists of this continent and its many islands are the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples. We also acknowledge the enduring relationship first nations peoples have with our country and that these connections were never ceded during the colonial project of establishing the name Australia.

Scientist Rebellion also recognises the invaluable contribution of science teachers, nurses, and citizen scientists, who educate and apply scientific methods and processes to enable us to expand our knowledge and understanding of the world.

The point about the Scientist Rebellion is that scientists have recognised that everyone has a responsibility to speak out and use non violent civil disobedience at this critical time in history. We have a moral and professional duty to raise our voices about the dangers humanity is facing and restore community trust that science has a vitally important role to play in our everyday lives and future.

Important values we agree on: 

• The definition of scientist is kept as broad as possible to avoid excluding scientists from the full range of fields. Elitism will not serve us well, whereas inclusion will help grow the movement. Personal preoccupation with power has often led humans and groups astray.
  
  
• Our goal is to always have broad inclusion, from all disciplines including natural science, engineering, social science, education, health, and philosophy. Anyone can be a member, and therefore describe themselves as ‘active in Scientist Rebellion’, without being a scientist and without wearing a lab coat. NOTE: If you wear a lab coat in action, you identify as a scientist. Those with a year or two of academic training and who respect the scientific method are also very welcome to join.
• We are creating a movement that includes the full diversity of scientific endeavours and does not exclude and/or remove some people, even over time. This is unnecessary and creates exceptional bitterness and division.
  
  
• We seek and espouse cooperation, mutual aid and solidarity, recognising their importance in society and evolution, and we seek to find the dynamic balance between cooperation and competition. SR Australia supports research and values the role science plays in our lives. Therefore SR Australia also values and upholds freedom of expression and the sharing of ideas. Scientists must be free to speak out about the dangers posed by the climate emergency and stand in solidarity with colleagues who are unfairly targeted when they choose to speak out.

Early Signatures:
Janine O’Keeffe, Bachelor of Engineering, Master of Business Administration,
Brenda Tait, Master of Philosophy- Education,
Jane Morton, Master of Arts in Clinical Psychology,
Anthony Gleeson, Diploma of Education
Kyle Topfer,
Karin Xuereb, Diploma in Meteorology, Bachelor of Science (Physics), Master of Science (Atmospheric Science)
Coralie Boulet, PhD in Microbiology
Rosie Ganino, Bachelor of Arts
Harald Ehmann,
Nick Abel, PhD rangeland ecology and management, MSc Rural and Regional Planning, BSc(Hons) Biology

Frequently asked questions:

1. Are you a climate scientist? We all use the common tools of science, hypothesis and peer review and re-evaluation. This is what makes us scientists, across different specialisations and fields.
   The knowledge and expertise of scientists is being confused with elitism. Having specialised knowledge is not elitist, rather it enables a society to innovate and adapt to changing conditions.

2. Science is about evidence. The scientific evidence and consensus is that humans have contributed to damaging levels of global heating through the burning of fossil fuels and we need to stop. We must now move into a massive drawdown on emissions and repair our ecosystems.

3. XR and SR compete for people: The global climate movement has many components. Scientists are speaking out because they are concerned about the failure of our leaders to act on the overwhelming scientific evidence about the effects of global heating from burning fossil fuels on the earth’s climate systems. Scientists are simply adding to the concerns of the climate movement, including Extinction Rebellion. We are sending a message that science and scientists know the climate risks, and will play a key role in addressing many of the key challenges which are unfolding as the planet reaches increasingly higher temperatures. We are all on the same side and we must acknowledge and act on the truth about the climate crisis.

4. Try to imagine yourself with a piano keyboard and sometimes you play the key of a child, a parent, a worker, an FFF person, a supporter of SS4C, an XR person and an SFF person. We each have a piano keyboard. We all use different roles at different times. We try to play tunes which harmonise with others.
   XR has attracted those who understand the climate, i.e. those who think science is important, therefore many will feel attracted to SR also.

5. Suggestions Many who hold a strong interest in science resist the nauseous cognitive dissonance that pollutes our mainstream media and economics that for many decades has failed to reveal clearly the truth because of corporate capture. Despite this, the common tools of science remain as important as ever.

Version 2 Final, agreed in SR Australia meeting 2023-06-28 and prior meeting.

Version 1 Final, 8th February, 2023: after feedback from SR Australia signal group and 5 signatures and open for signature on e.g. Action Network. Finalized at meeting February, 8, with minutes.
Version draft: Janine O'Keeffe, Brenda Tait et al, December, 2022.
First Scientist Rebellion Australian actions taken in July, 2022 and October, 2022.

References:

• This document: Learn more about Scientist Rebellion Australia
• Please sign to join Scientist Rebellion Australia Open Letter
• Scientist Rebellion Nordic
• Scientist Rebellion Australian Definition
• Outreach other Movements
  • Klimataktion Sverige
  • Litigation 4 Mitigation (connecting to UN recommends disruption of traffic)
  • FridayforFuture Workgroups, Manuals and Documents