Finding your place in the climate movement as an earth-system scientist

At the moment when we are writing this abstract, the last year was just announced as the warmest on record, the first to breach the symbolic 1.5 °C above pre-industrial levels. For decades, scientists have been sounding the alarm about the climate and ecological crisis, but these warnings have been met with inadequate response and political inertia.

In the last decade, a strong and diverse climate movement emerged, with grassroots groups mostly composed of young people engaging in a variety of actions, including civil disobedience. Earth scientists have however been timid to engage openly with these movements, concerned about their reputation and about breaching scientific neutrality.

However, fuelled by concern in the face of inaction, this started to change in the last years with scientists increasingly taking strong roles and positions for or in activist groups, for instance via groups such as Scientist Rebellion or Scientists for XR. The engagement of earth scientists in climate groups can have strong beneficial effects (Capstick et al 2022): As non-usual suspects and experts on the topic, their engagement in the climate movement can increase the feeling of emergency, while their respected position in society can help lending legitimacy to activist groups sometimes disregarded as young and unserious.

Despite an increase in the willingness of earth scientists to be more engaged beyond their own research work, there are still strong barriers to their involvement in the climate movement (Dablander et al 2024). While conceptions around neutrality and fears of hurting one’s reputation are a big part of earth scientists' hesitations, uncertainties about how to get involved and the kind of roles available to them also represent a strong barrier. 

This poster aims at presenting different types of involvement in the climate justice movement that might fit you as an earth scientist and a citizen. It builds from our own experience in activist groups, as well as research and publications by different organizations, to display the diversity of roles needed in grassroots climate groups, and help you find your own. 

 

Capstick, S., Thierry, A., Cox, E. et al. Civil disobedience by scientists helps press for urgent climate action. Nat. Clim. Chang. 12, 773–774 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41558-022-01461-y

Dablander, F., Sachisthal, M.S.M., Cologna, V. et al. Climate change engagement of scientists. Nat. Clim. Chang. 14, 1033–1039 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41558-024-02091-2