Scientists have a moral obligation to clearly warn humanity of any catastrophic threat and to “tell it like it is.” On the basis of this obligation and the graphical indicators presented below, we declare, with more than 11,000 scientist signatories from around the world, clearly and unequivocally that planet Earth is facing a climate emergency.

World Scientists’ Warning of a Climate Emergency

A group led by William J. Ripple and Christopher Wolf, both with Oregon State University, have updated their striking 2019 “World Scientists’ Warning of a Climate Emergency” (https://doi.org/10.1093/biosci/biz088) with new data on the climate’s health.

The news is not good.

World Scientists’ Warning of a Climate Emergency 2021

The scientists comment that even ‘the effects of the unprecedented COVID-19 pandemic on some climate-related human activities were short lived’. 

And that “transformational system changes are required, and they must rise above politics”.

They call on 3 things that need to happen:

1. a global implementation of a significant carbon price (energy and economy)
2. a global phase-out and eventual permanent ban of fossil fuels (energy)
3. the development of strategic climate reserves to strictly protect and restore natural carbon sinks and biodiversity throughout the world (nature).

The speed of change is essential, and new climate policies should be part of COVID-19 recovery plans. We must now join together as a global community with a shared sense of urgency, cooperation, and equity

World Scientists Warning of a Climate Emergency 2021