As part of the coalition Unite Against Climate Failure, members of Scientist Rebellion from all over Europe have engaged in acts of nonviolent civil disobedience since October 16th in Germany. They are raising the alarm about the urgency and scale of the climate crisis, demanding basic, immediate, and effective measures to reduce emissions and protect communities and lives from current and future climate impacts.
The actions included the interruption of the opening ceremony of the World Health Summit in Berlin, to highlight that the climate crisis is a health crisis; the occupation of the Ministry of Finance in Berlin, calling for debt cancellation of the Global South; a protest in front of the Ministry of Transport in Berlin, calling for a 100 km/h speed limit and the reintroduction of the 9 Euro ticket for affordable public transport; a protest in Wolfsburg against the greenwashing and lobbying of Volkswagen; the occupation of the offices of BlackRock in Munich; the blocking of a central road in Munich and the protest at a luxury car showroom at BMW’s headquarters in Munich.
Moreover, members of Scientist Rebellion joined the protest with support actions all over the world, including: Panama, Malawi, DRC, Colombia, Ecuador, Sierra Leone, Nigeria, Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, Tanzania, and Zimbabwe.
The context of their actions is clear: The window to secure a livable and sustainable future for all is rapidly closing. We are currently at 1.2 degrees of global heating, which is already causing devastating impacts, especially on communities in the Global South, which have historically contributed the least to global heating.
But we are on track for much, much worse. Continuing on our current path would lead to about 3 degrees of warming by the end of this century, with breaching 1.5 degrees in the early 2030s and reaching 2 degrees around 2050. This would imply suffering on a scale that is almost unimaginable. In fact, it is very likely that such a degree of heating is not compatible with organized human society as we know it.
Due to their commitment to speaking — and acting on — the truth, 16 members of Scientist Rebellion, including 13 scientists, have been arrested in Munich and are currently facing a week of preventive custody to stop them from going back to action. Their voices will be silenced by the Bavarian Government until the 4th of November, the opening day of COP27.
With this note, we wish to voice our support for the members of Scientist Rebellion. Their acts of nonviolent civil disobedience clearly signal the urgency of our situation. To avoid the worst consequences of climate breakdown and create a more just, sustainable, and healthy society, we must shift into emergency mode. We have no time to lose.
When scientists and academics feel the urge to engage in civil disobedience to make their voices heard, we should listen — not imprison them.
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All signatories speak on their own behalf and not on behalf of their respective institutions.