Title: From Publications to Public Actions: the Role of Scientists in the Planetary Emergency

Abstract

Thousands of universities have made declarations and public statements about the climate and ecological emergency. However, the emergency continues to worsen every year. Current IPCC and IPBES projections paint a grim picture for the future: massively increased risks of crop collapse, losses in biodiversity and whole ecosystems at scales only previously seen in mass extinctions, and already activating tipping points pushing our planetary system into points of no return. Recently, scientists from all fields have started changing strategies for generating change and moving from publications to public actions: students, researchers and professors are engaging in acts of civil resistance to garner media attention to the emergency. In its last week of actions in April 2022, the global scientist rebellion mobilized over 1,500 scientists in over 25 countries, who took disruptive, non-violent direct actions targeting governmental, scientific and corporate institutions responsible for the crisis. What should the role of scientists be in the emerging scientific activism movement? How can we best ensure that our scientific expertise and prestige are best used to prevent the worst consequences of the climate and ecological crisis? In this talk, I will introduce the scientist rebellion movement and discuss its motivations, strategies and tactics. I will also discuss different ways in which scientists can best engage with and support positive change in climate and ecological justice, and to help normalize activism and advocacy in our fields.