Dear Professor,

Our most sincere congratulations on being awarded the Nobel prize. There is no higher honor than to be counted as one of those who have provided the greatest benefit for humankind. Yet today humankind is in dire peril because science is being ignored. We are writing to you with the hope that you will join us in speaking up.

Decision-makers around the world continue to ignore decades of scientific work while the climate and ecological crisis unfolds in front of our eyes. Hundreds of thousands of people die each year due to disasters caused or enhanced by climate breakdown. If the world continues to fail to drastically reduce greenhouse gas emissions, things will get exponentially worse. As the United Nations stated in the emissions gap report last year: “The international community is falling far short of the Paris goals, with no credible pathway to 1.5°C in place. Only an urgent system-wide transformation can avoid climate disaster.”*

Producing science won’t save any lives as long as decision-makers are turning a blind eye. Powerful voices with vested interests, including the fossil fuel industry, continue to speak much louder than scientists. This is evidenced no less by the fact that an oil magnate is chosen to chair the UN Conference of Parties (COP) this year. The COP process has already failed over the past 27 years, as emissions continue to rise faster than ever: how much more climate failure can we take?

Many across the world, including an increasing number of scientists, are standing up against climate inaction. History and social science show that civil resistance works. Today we believe this is needed to overcome the power paralysis that is preventing change. But we need to be many more. And your voice can make a difference.

As a Nobel laureate, you now have a massive platform to help save countless lives by amplifying the voices of those who suffer the most due to climate inaction: children, indigenous communities, and the most vulnerable everywhere. You can do so by making a public statement during the Nobel ceremony on December 10th calling for a mass mobilization to require all world leaders to act on the climate emergency. You are also welcome to sign our scientists’ call for collective action: https://scientistrebellion.org/sign/

For the greatest benefit to humankind, it is time to speak up.

Sincerely,

Scientist Rebellion

*https://www.unep.org/resources/emissions-gap-report-2022