Week-long Scientific Resistance to Government and Industry Inaction on the Climate Emergency
Monday, 11th of April 2022 - Worldwide - Over 1,000 scientists and academics in over 25 countries took disruptive, non-violent actions. They engaged in civil disobedience targeting governmental, scientific, and corporate institutions, many risking arrests to highlight the urgency and injustice of the climate and ecological crisis. The week of global actions is a response to the third part of the latest IPCC report.
From Sunday, 3rd April to Saturday, 9th of April, more than 1000 scientist rebellion activists participated in over 63 non-violent direct actions in at least 26 countries. Actions varied, including bridge and building occupations, entrance blocking, sit-ins, strikes, pasting of scientific papers and posters, marches, theatrical performances, teach-ins, and outreach events. Demands were location specific, but the groups were united under the slogan “1.5°C is dead, climate revolution now!”; highlighting how inaction has led to a situation where it is virtually impossible not to overshoot 1.5° C and that urgent emergency actions are needed to prevent every fraction of a degree of warming.
Hundreds of scientists participated in the week-long strike from their academic work. Some engaged in educational disobedience and taught about the climate crisis instead of the topic on the syllabus or holding classes on the streets. Strikes happened in over 25 countries, including Spain, Chile, Argentina, Colombia, Ecuador, Congo, France, Germany, USA, Norway, Sweden, the UK, Austria, Italy, New Zealand, Holland, Thailand, and Brazil.
Scientist Rebellion UK threw fake oil at the headquarters of Shell on April 6th.
Numerous nonviolent lock-ins occurred in Spanish universities such as Granada, Seville, Madrid, Mallorca, and Barcelona. Some universities, such as the University of Panama, embraced the state of climatic and ecological emergency and promoted the Scientific Rebellion campaign, committing to alerting the civilian population to the situation and pressuring for emergency measures to be taken by the institutions.
Scientist Rebellion marched in Lilongwe City, Malawi, on April 8th.
Actions also took place in the Global South, specifically in Africa and South America, where climate impacts are felt strongly already today. In Zimbabwe, they highlighted that inland wetlands are critical to helping communities adapt to a changing climate and must be protected. Activists in the Global North also supported the Global South, asking their governments to decarbonize rapidly and assist the Global South financially for adaptation and mitigation.
There were strong police responses and legal actions for some of the actions. In Italy, Sapienza Università di Roma sued 4 activists for interruption of public service, which can lead to 7 years in jail and a 3000 euro fine each. In Los Angeles, about 100 members of the police force arrived in full riot gear to deal with 4 scientists that were peacefully chained to the entrance of Chase Bank.
Pasting abstracts of scientific papers in poster format to buildings is one of the signature actions of Scientist Rebellion. The founding action in September 2020 used this method, and since then, it has been used many times by Scientist Rebellion and other groups. With this action, the group wants to highlight the science that is being ignored by the organization or government agency residing in that building.
QUOTES:
“The needs of the poorest countries must be addressed swiftly. Without social justice, there will not be more accelerated greenhouse gas reductions. These issues are inseparable.” – Blessed Chidhoni, Scientist Rebellion member.
“I think scientists need to be out here with our children, with our Indigenous, with our old and our young.” – Dr. Rose Abramoff, who got arrested twice in Washington DC last week.
"Scientists do not know how to shout, stain walls, or stop traffic. But we know how to do one thing well: learn. And we are studying the new language to communicate the gravity of climate change." – Prof. Fernando Valladares, Scientist Rebellion member from Spain.
“If everyone could see what I see coming, society would switch into climate emergency mode and end fossil fuels in just a few years.” – Dr. Peter Kalmus, NASA Scientist and scientist rebellion member.
“We need a billion climate activists. I encourage everyone to consider where we are heading as a species and to engage in civil disobedience. The time is now.” – Dr. Peter Kalmus, NASA Scientist and scientist rebellion member.
“We are likely to lose everything we have. Imagine the entire global economic system collapsing because of the heat. All the Amazon trees are down, all the ice in Antarctica and the Arctic melted, all this would be happening…” – Ugandan Scientist Rebellion Activist.
“The fight for 1.5 C is over. The fight for human existence on this planet has begun… Act now.” – Scientist Rebellion activist from Sweden.
“Listen to the scientists. Hear the voices of activists. Climate justice now. I stand for the climate.” – Amwanika Sharon, Scientist rebellion member protesting in Uganda's heart of oil exploration and refinery construction.
“Yesterday, I was arrested for occupying the WTC in Portland in solidarity with hundreds of scientists across the globe because I am terrified of climate and ecological destruction. I feel obligated to use my voice and my body to push for radical change.” – Will, Material Scientist, and Scientist Rebellion member.
“Climate activists are sometimes depicted as dangerous radicals. But the truly dangerous radicals are the countries increasing the production of fossil fuels.” – U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, April 4th, IPCC report press conference.
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Scientist Rebellion is a growing climate activist group with 1000+ scientists and academics across 32 countries. Members range from science students and professors to IPCC contributors and leading climate-related scientists. Through disruptive nonviolent action, Scientist Rebellion demands emergency decarbonization via economic degrowth. During acts of civil resistance, members wear lab coats, and volunteers organize the vast majority of the campaign activity. The Climate Emergency Fund supports Scientist Rebellion's recruitment, training, capacity-building, and educational efforts.
For press inquiries, please contact: scientistrebellion@protonmail.com