This open letter appears today in major newspapers across the world.
In our complex and interdependent global ecosystem, life is dying, with species extinction accelerating. The climate crisis is worsening much faster than previously predicted. Every single day 200 species are becoming extinct. This desperate situation cannot continue.
Political leaders worldwide are failing to address the environmental crisis. If global corporate capitalism continues to drive the international economy, a global catastrophe is inevitable.
Complacency and inaction in Britain, the US, Australia, Brazil, and across Africa and Asia... all illustrate diverse manifestations of political paralysis, abdicating humankind’s grave responsibility for planetary stewardship.
International political organizations and national governments must prioritize the climate-emergency issue immediately, urgently drawing up comprehensive policies to address it.
Conventionally privileged nations must voluntarily fund comprehensive environment-protection policies in impoverished nations, compensating them for foregoing unsustainable economic growth and recompensing them for the planet-plundering imperialism of materially privileged nations.
With extreme weather already hitting food production, we demand that governments act now to avoid any risk of hunger, with emergency investment in agro-ecological extreme-weather-resistant food production. We also call for an urgent summit on saving the Arctic ice cap, to slow weather disruption of our harvests.
We further call on concerned global citizens to rise up and organize against complacency in their particular contexts, including indigenous people’s rights advocacy, decolonization and reparatory justice — so joining the global movement that is rebelling against extinction (e.g., Extinction Rebellion in the UK).
We must collectively do whatever is necessary nonviolently, to persuade politicians and business leaders to relinquish their complacency and denial. Their “business as usual” is no longer an option. Global citizens will no longer put up with this failure of our planetary duty.
Every one of us, especially in the materially privileged world, must commit to living more lightly, consuming far less, and upholding human rights and our stewardship responsibilities to the planet.
Signatories
Dr Vandana Shiva Delhi, India;
Naomi Klein, author; Noam Chomsky, Laureate professor, U of Arizona, and Institute Professor (emeritus) MIT, US; Professor A.C. Grayling, Master of the New College of the Humanities, London, UK; Philip Pullman, UK; Dr Rowan Williams, UK; Bill McKibben, founder 350.org, Brooklyn, New York, US; Tiokasin Ghosthorse, (Lakota Nation), New York, NY, USA; Sir Jonathan Porritt, UK; Danny Dorling, Halford Mackinder professor of geography, University of Oxford, UK; Dr Alison Green, Pro Vice-Chancellor (Academic), Arden University, National Director (UK) ScientistsWarning.org, UK; Lily Cole model, entrepreneur and patron for the Environmental justice foundation; Chris Packham, English naturalist and TV presenter, UK; Dr Susie Orbach, consultant psychoanalyst, The Balint Consultancy, UK; Professor Joy Carter CBE, Vice Chancellor, University of Winchester, UK.
United Kingdom
Jem Bendell, Professor of sustainability leadership, University of Cumbria, UK; Liz Bondi, Professor of social geography, University of Edinburgh, UK; Dr Simon Boxley, Centre for Climate Change Education & Communication, University of Winchester, UK; Dr Onel Brooks, Senior lecturer in psychotherapy, counseling and counseling psychology, UK; Dr Philip Byrne, chartered clinical psychologist, Cheshire, UK; Professor Molly Scott Cato MEP, UK; Paul Chatterton, Professor of urban futures, University of Leeds, UK; Dr David Drew MP (Labour), Shadow Minister for Rural Affairs, UK; Jonathan Gosling, Emeritus professor of leadership studies, University of Exeter, UK; David Graeber, Professor of anthropology, London School of Economics, UK; Richard House Ph.D. (Env.Sci.), Chartered psychologist, Stroud, UK; David Humphreys, Professor of environmental policy, Open University, UK; Professor Gus John Partner, All Africa Advisors LLP & Coventry University, Coventry, UK; Karin Lesnik-Oberstein, Professor of critical theory, University of Reading, UK; Del Loewenthal, Emeritus professor in psychotherapy, University of Roehampton, UK; Caroline Lucas MP (Green), UK; Tony McSherry Ph.D. (Psychology), Psychotherapist, UK; Simon Murray, Poet and graphic artist, Leeds, UK; Professor Dany Nobus, Brunel University, London, UK; Michel Odent MD, Primal Health Research Centre, London, UK; Jenny Pickerill, Professor of environmental geography, University of Sheffield, UK; Dr Gillian Proctor, CPsychol., Programme leader, MA in counseling and psychotherapy, University of Leeds, UK; Kate Raworth, author of Doughnut Economics, Environmental Change Institute, Oxford University, UK; Dr Rupert Read, Reader in philosophy, University of East Anglia, UK; Professor Paul Routledge, Leadership chair in Contentious Politics and Social Change, University of Leeds, UK; Professor Andrew Samuels, University of Essex, Former Chair UK Council for Psychotherapy, UK; Dr Leon Sealey-Huggins, Global Sustainable Development lecturer, University of Warwick, Coventry, UK; Helen Spandler, Professor of mental health, University of Central Lancashire, UK; Dr Julia K. Steinberger, Sustainability Research Institute, University of Leeds, UK; Ms Da Abla, Co-deputy general secretary, All-Afrikan Networking Community Link for International Development (AANCLID), London, UK; Ms Demoui Akouba Doue, Joint general secretary, All-Afrikan Students Union Link in Europe (AASULE), Plymouth, UK; Dr Adotey Bing-Pappoe, Joint convenor, African Cooperative Forum (ACF), London, UK; Kooj Chuhan, Director, Virtual Migrants, Manchester, UK; Ms Athea Gordon-Davidson, Co-chair, Brixtonics@Brixton, London, UK; Fe Haslam, Secretariat facilitator, CAFA Archival Resources Action Team (CARAT), London, UK; Kofi Mawuli Klu, Co-vice-chair, Pan-Afrikan Reparations Coalition in Europe (PARCOE), London, UK; Boucka Koffi, Co-deputy coordinator, Global Justice Forum (GJF), Sheffield, UK; Kwame Adofo Sampong, Principal organising secretary, Pan-Afrikan Fora Internationalist Support Coordinating Council (PAFISCC), London, UK; Ms Jendayi Serwah, Co-chair, Afrikan Emancipation Day Reparations March Committee (AEDRMC), Bristol, UK; Esther Stanford-Xosei, Convenor-General, Stop the Maangamizi: We Charge Genocide/Ecocide Campaign (SMWeCGEC), London, UK; Simeon Stanford, Co-founder and Leadership Facilitation Team member, Global Afrikan People’s Parliament (GAAP), London, UK.
United States
Professor Julian Agyeman, Tufts University, Medford, Massachusetts, US; David Elkind, Emeritus professor of psychology, Tufts University, US; Nik Heynen, Professor of geography, University of Georgia at Athens, US; Eric Holthaus, journalist and fellow, University of Minnesota, US; Maureen O’Hara Ph.D., Professor of psychology, National University, US; William J. Ripple, Distinguished Professor of Ecology, Oregon State University, US; Guy McPherson, Professor emeritus of conservation biology, University of Arizona, US; Professor Kris Manjapra, Tufts University, Medford, Massachusetts, US; William J. Ripple, Distinguished professor of ecology, Oregon State University, US; Kirk Schneider, Saybrook University and the Existential-Humanistic Institute, US; Rabbi Arthur Waskow, director, Shalom Center, Philadelphia, US.
Australia
Steve Biddulph AM, psychologist and author, Australia; Professor Timothy Doyle, University of Adelaide, Australia; David Schlosberg, Professor of environmental politics, University of Sydney, Australia; John Seed, founder, Rainforest Information Centre, St Lismore, NSW, Australia.
Benin
Salim Dara, Chief community/king of Djougou, Benin; Zeguen Moussa Toure, President, Mouvement Social Panafricain pour le Development Integral (MSPDI), Cotonou, Benin.
France
Ms Aissata Diakhite Kaba, Joint Principal Secretary, International Network of Scholars and Activists for Afrikan Reparations, Youth and Students Auxiliary Fellowship – RepAfrika (INOSAAR-RepAfrika), Paris, France; Engin Isin, Professor of International Politics, Queen Mary University of London & University of London Institute, Paris, France.
India
Professor Jayati Ghosh Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, India; Dr Sunita Narain Director General, Centre for Science and Environment, Delhi, India.
New Zealand
Lennard Gillman, Professor of biogeography, head of science, Auckland University of Technology, Aotearoa, New Zealand; Professor Keith Tudor, Auckland University of Technology, Aotearoa New Zealand.
Ghana
Wedam Abassey, Co-chair, Ghana Youth and Student Changemaking Alliance (GYASCA), Kumasi, Ghana; Dukomegatsitsi Kosi Agoko, Honorary Presidium Convenor-General, ABLODEDUNOVISIHA Gbetowo Global Union for Pan-Afrikan Community Regeneration (ABLODEDUNOVISIHA-GGUPACOR), Tanyigbe, Ghana; Ms Adzo Agorkor, Task Action Commission joint principal secretary, MIANONKU International Scientific Observatory on Development in Afrika (MIANONKU-ISODA), Tanyigbe, Ghana; Mawuse Yao Agorkor, General secretary, VAZOBA Afrika and Friends Networking Open Forum, Accra, Ghana; Ms Dedo Azu, General secretary, ADZEWAGBETO Pan-Afrikan Women’s Liberation Union (ADZEWAGBETO-PAWLU), Somanya, Ghana; Elorm Koku Dade, Principal secretary, All-Afrikan Citizens Action for Sustainable Transport and Communications (AACASTAC), Accra, Ghana; Kafui Yao Dade, Co-chair, Planet Repairs Youth Positive Action Campaign (PRYPAC), Accra, Ghana; Nyoefe Yawa Dake, Co-president, NUTROZA Panafrecycle (Pan-Afrikan Recycling Cooperative Society for Environmental Justice), Accra, Ghana; Ms Xolanyo Yawa Gbafa, Co-deputy general secretary, EDIKANFO Pan-Afrikan Youth and Student Internationalist Link (EDIKANFO-PAYSIL), Accra, Ghana; Numo Akwaa Mensah III Ga Nae (Chief Priest of the Seas for the Indigenous Ga Community of Accra), honorary chair, Accra Community Regeneration for Sustainable Development Action Forum (ACORSDAF), Accra, Ghana; Nana Kobina Nketsia V Omanhen (paramount chief) of Essikado, Pan-Afrikan Chieftaincy Co-Director of Education for the Global Afrikan Family Reunion International Council (GAFRIC), Sekondi, Ghana; Professor Kwaku Senah, Managing director, AFRICARIBE Centre, Accra, Ghana; Togbe Adza Tekpor VII Osie (Paramount chief) of Avatime, Pan-Afrikan Chieftaincy Co-Director of Environmental Justice for the Global Afrikan Family Reunion International Council (GAFRIC), Vane-Avatime, Ghana.
Other countries
Dr Paul Beckwith, Professor of climatology, University of Ottawa, Canada; Dr Dina Glouberman, founder, Skyros Holidays, Skyros, Greece; David Lehrer, Arava Institute for Environmental Studies, Kibbutz Ketura, Israel; Dr Jim Salinger, University of Tasmania and visiting professor, University of Florence, Italy; Mussauwa Wandale, leader, People’s Land Organisation, Likoma, Malawi; Dr Barryl A. Biekman, Co-Vice-Chair, Europewide NGO Consultative Council on Afrikan Reparations (ENGOCCAR), Amsterdam, The Netherlands; Neeshad Shafi, Executive director of Arab Youth Climate Movement (AYCM), Qatar; Conley Shivambo Rose, General Secretary, United Front for Progress (UFP),Kingstown, St Vincent and the Grenadines; Giorgos Kallis, ICREA professor, Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona, Spain.
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