“Climate Rally” by 11,000+ world scientists – yes, it is a climate emergency, and here are clear indicators

World’s scientists have put their weight behind a clearly written scientific paper presenting clear indicators against which to measure climate mitigation efforts. Essentially a scientists’ version of a “Climate Rally”, they are raising attention with those who need an ambiguous warning. 

Despite repeated warnings by scientists going back four decades about a climate emergency facing the planet Earth, mitigation efforts by government and corporate entities are inadequate.

The obligation to warn the world is taken by Ripple, Wolf, Newsome, Barnard & Moomaw (2019) to mean delivering a clear and accessible report. The present a broad set of indicators were extracted from relevant, recent, clear and updated data sets to be presented as “a suite of graphical vital signs of climate change over the last 40 years”.

These vital signs are meant to “better allow policymakers, the private sector, and the public to under- stand the magnitude of this crisis, track progress, and realign priorities for alleviating climate change.” 

This paper was also circulated through the clogged inboxes of scientific  communities and received support by some 11,000 scientists around the world. It is presented in clear language, and accessible for free here, with short recommendations and the assurance that ‘The Alliance of World Scientists stand ready to assist decision-makers in a just transition to a sustainable and equitable future.’ 

In Singapore, the evidence provided by science is well accepted and climate change was addressed by the prima minister. Translating that knowledge adequate and effective action is a challenge we need to improve on, and something youth have called for clearly through SG Climate Rally.

Links

• “World Scientists’ Warning of a Climate Emergency,” by William J Ripple, Christopher Wolf, Thomas M Newsome, Phoebe Barnard & William R Moomaw. BioScience, biz088, https://doi.org/10.1093/biosci/biz088; 05 Nov 2019
• “Alliance of World Scientists” (23,000 subscribing members from 180 countries) https://scientistswarning.forestry.oregonstate.edu
• “Climate crisis: 11,000 scientists warn of ‘untold suffering’,” by Damian Carrington. The Guardian, Tue 5 Nov 2019. [link]
• “More than 11,000 scientists from around the world declare a ‘climate emergency’,” by Andrew Freedman. Washington Post, 05 Nov 2019. [link]