Over 2000 Scientists Pledge to Strike, Urge Colleagues to Join Global Climate Mobilization

Sept. 19,2019

March for Science

WASHINGTON - Over 2000 scientists from over 40 countries, and working on seven continents around the world, have signed letters pledging to join the Global Climate Strikes on September 20 and 27, 2019.

The letters support the youth movement’s concerns as “well-founded” and based on “solid, incontrovertible evidence.” The academics state that the “current level of action and ambition falls far short of what is needed to secure a safe future for this and all other generations.”

The scientists urge their colleagues around the world to cancel their classes, or move them outside and turn them into teach-ins for the whole community, and to leave their research labs to join youth leaders for marches and rallies.

The Global Climate Strike will take place in 137 countries, and over 5000 locations around the world, making it the largest mobilization for climate change in history. The strikes were inspired by Greta Thunberg in Sweden over a year ago, and have since grown into a global movement of millions. The September dates will be the first time adults will join the strikes, which are scheduled to take place during a week when world leaders gather in New York City to meet at the UN climate action summit.

Letters

Scientists' Letter in Support of the Global Climate Strike

Scientists and academics support the youth climate movement’s call to strike

Quotes

Dr. Ploy Achakulwisut, Staff Scientist, Stockholm Environment Institute, Sweden:

"As a scientist, I’ve studied how climate-driven droughts will increase airborne dust pollution and how burning fossil fuels to power our cars are causing asthma in 4 million children a year worldwide. These are just two of the many reasons why I will be striking in solidarity with the brave young people who are rising up all around the world to demand bolder climate action, because I believe that we all have a right to clean air, clean water, and a livable climate."

Dr. Kim Cobb, Professor in the School of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, Georgia Institute of Technology, USA:

“I'll be striking with my four children because the bold and urgent leadership of youth activists deserves the unbridled support of the climate science community. We have a historic opportunity to rise together in demanding climate action, and I'm honored and humbled to play a small supporting role on Friday.”

Dr. Topiltzin Contreras, Profesor Centro de Investigaciones Biológicas, Universidad Autónoma del Estado de Morelos, Mexico:

“In the following decades climate change will exacerbate the freshwater biodiversity crisis we are already suffering, the time is now for science, industry and society to work together if we are to overcome this threat.”

Professor Hayley Fowler, Professor of Climate Change Impacts, Newcastle University, UK:

“As a scientist I am deeply concerned about the rate of changes to extreme events we are experiencing, with more powerful and intense storm events, flooding, droughts, heatwaves, fires, sea level rise and the rapid melting of Arctic and mountain ice. Science tells us that 2 degrees or warming brings us to some dangerous tipping points or thresholds that will seriously affect human society. The scale of change is immense but not insurmountable. We need to act now to make easy and more difficult changes to our lifestyles to reduce emissions, with the lead from our Governments.”

Dr. Ayana Elizabeth Johnson, Marine Biologist and Founder, Ocean Collectiv, USA:

"Because we understand the dire scientific predictions, and their implications for humanity and all species, we must raise our voices, strike, and insist governments and corporations transform their policies and practices to address the climate crisis."

Dr. Julia K. Steinberger, Professor of Social Ecology and Ecological Economics, University of Leeds, UK:

"The duty of all scientists and academics is to provide a better future for the youth of the world. Scientifically, we succeeded in explaining the causes and cures of the climate crisis. But at a more fundamental level, we failed to transform our societies and lower our emissions. The climate striking youth are calling us all out of our comfort zones, and it is now the duty of scientists and all adults to support them, in words and actions, to make the rapid and radical emissions reductions we need."

Dr. Oyewale Tomori, Professor of Virology, Redeemer's University, Ede Osun State, Nigeria: 

"I am supporting the climate strike because climate change is likely to adversely impact several aspects of infectious diseases, including increasing the population of disease vectors, and changing the dynamics of human-animal-vector interactions."

Dr. Lucky Tran, Biologist and Managing Director, March for Science, USA:

“I am going on strike to stand with the people most impacted by the climate crisis—youth and frontline communities—who are calling on world leaders to stop stalling, and finally act with the urgency that science and justice demand.”