The biospheric emergency calls for scientists to change tactics

Our current economic and political structures have an increasingly devastating impact on the Earth's climate and ecosystems: we are facing a biospheric emergency, with catastrophic consequences for both humans and the natural world on which we depend. Life scientists - including biologists, medical scientists, psychologists and public health experts - have had a crucial role in documenting the impacts of this emergency, but they have failed to drive governments to take action in order to prevent the situation from getting worse. Here we, as members of the movement Scientist Rebellion, call on life scientists to re-embrace advocacy and activism - which were once hallmarks of academia - in order to highlight the urgency and necessity of systemic change across our societies. We particularly emphasise the need for scientists to engage in nonviolent civil resistance, a form of public engagement which has proven to be highly effective in social struggles throughout history.

Automated summary

Our current economic and political structures are causing an increasingly devastating impact on the Earth's climate and ecosystems, leading to a biospheric emergency with catastrophic consequences. Life scientists have a crucial role in documenting this emergency, but they need to engage in advocacy and activism to urge governments to take action and drive systemic change. Scientists are urged to participate in nonviolent civil resistance, a proven effective form of public engagement in social struggles.