Climate / Environment
Time for Action

Facts about our ecological crisis are incontrovertible. We must take action ... Humans cannot continue to violate the fundamental laws of nature or science with impunity, say 94 signatories including Dr Alison Green and Molly Scott Cato MEP

Burgess COMMENTARY

Peter Burgess

Facts about our ecological crisis are incontrovertible. We must take action Humans cannot continue to violate the fundamental laws of nature or science with impunity, say 94 signatories including Dr Alison Green and Molly Scott Cato MEP


Sunlight through trees ‘Humans cannot continue to violate the fundamental laws of nature or of science with impunity,’ say the signatories. Photograph: Getty

We the undersigned represent diverse academic disciplines, and the views expressed here are those of the signatories and not their organisations. While our academic perspectives and expertise may differ, we are united on one point: we will not tolerate the failure of this or any other government to take robust and emergency action in respect of the worsening ecological crisis. The science is clear, the facts are incontrovertible, and it is unconscionable to us that our children and grandchildren should have to bear the terrifying brunt of an unprecedented disaster of our own making.

We are in the midst of the sixth mass extinction, with about 200 species becoming extinct each day. Humans cannot continue to violate the fundamental laws of nature or of science with impunity. If we continue on our current path, the future for our species is bleak.

Our government is complicit in ignoring the precautionary principle, and in failing to acknowledge that infinite economic growth on a planet with finite resources is non-viable. Instead, the government irresponsibly promotes rampant consumerism and free-market fundamentalism, and allows greenhouse gas emissions to rise. Earth Overshoot Day (the date when humans have used up more resources from nature than the planet can renew in the entire year) falls ever earlier each year (1 August in 2018).

When a government wilfully abrogates its responsibility to protect its citizens from harm and to secure the future for generations to come, it has failed in its most essential duty of stewardship. The “social contract” has been broken, and it is therefore not only our right, but our moral duty to bypass the government’s inaction and flagrant dereliction of duty, and to rebel to defend life itself.

We therefore declare our support for Extinction Rebellion, launching on 31 October 2018. We fully stand behind the demands for the government to tell the hard truth to its citizens. We call for a Citizens’ Assembly to work with scientists on the basis of the extant evidence and in accordance with the precautionary principle, to urgently develop a credible plan for rapid total decarbonisation of the economy.

Dr Alison Green Pro vice-chancellor (academic), Arden University, National Director (UK) Scientists Warning Professor Joy Carter Vice-chancellor, University of Winchester Dr Rowan Williams Danny Dorling Halford Mackinder professor of geography, University of Oxford Jem Bendell Professor of sustainability leadership, University of Cumbria Dr Ian Gibson Former Chair, House of Commons Science and Technology Select Committee Dr Susie Orbach Consultant psychoanalyst, The Balint Consultancy David Drew MP, Shadow minister (environment, food and rural affairs) Professor Molly Scott Cato MEP Shahrar Ali PhD, Green Party home affairs spokesperson Peter Belton Professor emeritus of chemistry, University of East Anglia Dr Simon Boxley Centre for Climate Change Education & Communication, University of Winchester Erik Buitenhuis Tyndall Centre for Climate Change Research, University of East Anglia Dave Humphreys Professor of environmental policy, Open University Andrew Simms Centre for Global Political Economy, University of Sussex; NEF Arran Stibbe Professor of ecological linguistics, University of Gloucestershire Dr Rupert Read Reader in philosophy, University of East Anglia Richard House PhD (Env sci) Chartered psychologist, Stroud Ronald Barnett Emeritus professor of higher education, University College London Institute of Education Emeritus Professor Michael Bassey Nottingham Trent University Professor Woody Caan Editor, Journal of Public Mental Health Claire Callender, Professor of higher education, Birkbeck and UCL Institute of Education Simon Capewell MD DSc, Professor of clinical epidemiology, University of Liverpool Professor Andrew Cooper Tavistock & Portman NHS Foundation Trust; University of East London Emeritus Professor Tricia David Windy Dryden Emeritus professor of psychotherapeutic studies, Goldsmiths University of London Suman Fernando Honorary professor, London Metropolitan University Professor Mark Ford, University College London Professor Gary Francione Harvey Goldstein Professor of social statistics, University of Bristol Jonathan Gosling Emeritus professor of leadership studies, University of Exeter Paul Hoggett Emeritus professor of social policy, UWE, Bristol Wendy Hollway Emeritus professor of psychology, Open University Professor John Hughes University of Gloucestershire Professor Simon Kelley University of Edinburgh Adrian Kendry Visiting Chair in economics and security, University of Winchester Karin Lesnik-Oberstein Professor of critical theory, University of Reading Del Loewenthal Emeritus professor in psychotherapy, University of Roehampton Professor Mark Maslin FRGS, FRSA University College London Martin Milton Professor of counselling psychology, Regents University London Professor Dany Nobus Brunel University London Professor Jayne Osgood Middlesex University, mother, feminist, activist Professor Ann Phoenix University of London Richard Pring Emeritus professor, University of Oxford Peter Reason Professor emeritus, University of Bath Professor Diane Reay University of Cambridge Lynne Segal Anniversary Professor of psychosocial studies, Birkbeck, University of London Farzana Shain Professor of sociology of Education, Keele University Prem Sikka Professor of accounting and finance, University of Sheffield Professor Ernesto Spinelli ES Associates, London Dr Guy Standing Professorial research associate, SOAS, University of London Brian Thorne Emeritus professor (counselling), University of East Anglia Frederick Toates Emeritus professor of biological psychology, Open University Dr Steve Tombs Professor of criminology, Open University Tony Watts OBE Emeritus professor of career development, University of Derby Michael J. Wright Ph.D., Emeritus professor in cognitive neuroscience, London Dr Ruth Adams Senior lecturer in cultural & creative industries Dr Meg-John Barker senior lecturer in psychology, Open University Robert Basto Ph.D., software consultant, scientist, activist Dr Teresa Belton author of Happier People, Healthier Planet Dr Gail Bradbrook mother, NGO consultant Dr Onel Brooks Senior lecturer in psychotherapy, counselling and counselling psychology Dr Dominique Chadwick independent researcher and film-maker, Cambridge Dr Anne Chapman Dr Red Chidgey Lecturer in gender and media, King’s College London John Christensen Director and Chair of the Board Tax Justice Network Dr Christopher D. Coath University of Bristol Dr Mick Cooper Chartered psychologist, Brighton Dr Virginia Crisp Lecturer in culture, media & creative industries, King’s College, London Jonathan Dawson Coordinator of economics, Schumacher College Richard Eke Ph.D., Associate lecturer, UWE, Bristol Dr Peter Elfer Principal lecturer, Early Childhood Research Centre Dr Jonathan Gross King’s College London Andy Halewood CPsychol., Senior lecturer in counselling psychology, UWE, Bristol Dr Wiebina Heesterman Ph.D. Law (human rights), activist Dr Jason Hickel Department of Anthropology, Goldsmiths, University of London Dr Abby Innes London School of Economics Dr Nicholas James FASS, Open University Peter Lipman Fellow, Cabot Institute for the Environment, Bristol University Ed Lord Ph.D., RMN, RCBC Wales, Fellow, Swansea University Rachel Lunnon PhD (mathematical logic), software engineer Dr Michael McEachrane University College London; visiting researcher, Raoul Wallenberg Institute of Human Rights and Humanitarian Law (Lund) Dr Kate McMillan King’s College, London Dr Gerry Mooney Open University in Scotland Dr Calum Neill Associate professor of psychoanalysis & cultural theory, Edinburgh Napier University Dr Eva Novotny retired, University of Cambridge Dr Christine Parkinson Retired biologist, Scientists for Global Responsibility Dr Volker Patent CPsychol, lecturer and coach Dr Gerald Power PhD, management consultant Dr Gillian Proctor CPsychol., Programme leader, MA in counselling and psychotherapy, University of Leeds Dr Jay Watts Consultant clinical psychologist Dr David Whitebread Retired senior member, Homerton College, Cambridge