By Salifu Faridat
Pressure mounts on the esteemed Royal Society as more than 1,200 prominent academics call for an unequivocal condemnation of the fossil fuel industry’s role in exacerbating the climate crisis.
In a collective effort, these academics have penned a letter to the world-renowned association of distinguished scientists, urging them to make a resounding statement about the culpability of the fossil fuel sector in driving the alarming climate changes the world faces.
The academics’ call to action has prompted the Royal Society to agree to a discussion with the representatives of the scholars to address their demands.
Notably, the majority of those endorsing the letter addressed to the society’s president and council are based in the United Kingdom.
In their letter, the academics assert that the Royal Society has yet to reprimand fossil fuel companies that are actively constructing new infrastructure pushing the world beyond the 1.5-degree warming threshold.
Additionally, they condemn the industry for wielding significant influence in global lobbying efforts that favor their profit-driven agenda over planetary well-being.
Labeling these companies as perpetrators of an “unprecedented act of violence against humanity,” the academics invoke a statement from the UN secretary general, António Guterres.
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The letter emphasizes the urgency of the situation and underscores the responsibility of premier scientific institutions to denounce such actions along with the governments that enable them.
Organized by Jason Scott-Warren, a professor at Cambridge University, the letter emerges from a sense of frustration at the Royal Society’s perceived lack of alignment with authoritative figures like Guterres.
The academics hope for the fossil fuel industry to be held in the same critical light as the tobacco industry, which was notorious for disseminating misinformation to protect profits.
Acknowledging the global gravity of climate change, Adrian Smith, president of the Royal Society, responded to the letter by affirming the society’s longstanding commitment to addressing climate risks.
He stressed the urgency for energy companies to transition more swiftly to renewable sources. Smith indicated that while the Royal Society focuses on governments, industry change lies within their purview.
Confirming ongoing discussions between some letter signatories and the society’s representatives, a spokesperson for the Royal Society revealed plans for a meeting.
António Guterres, speaking at a White House climate conference, likened fossil fuel interests to big tobacco’s tactics of disinformation and manipulation.
He emphasized that the fossil fuel industry, with its accomplices, must be held accountable for their role in undermining climate policies.
Founded in 1660, the Royal Society boasts the distinction of being the world’s oldest continuous scientific academy and is devoted to advancing scientific excellence for the betterment of humanity.
