Scientist Rebellion: Trondheim researchers are protesting climate inaction

The climate crisis is accelerating and the Norwegian government continues to add fuel to the fire. This autumn, Scientist Rebellion is demanding that the government aligns its policies with the overwhelming scientific consensus.

Scientist Rebellion Norway

Publisert søndag 10. september 2023 - 13:07

Another summer of fires, floods, and extreme weather has given us a glimpse of our future if we continue to ignore the climate and ecological crises. As we return to campus for another academic year, the need for urgent action has never been more clear. But demanding research-based climate policies remains an uphill battle.

Our planet has currently reached + 1.1*C warming compared to pre-industrial times, with already disastrous consequences for biodiversity, human lives, and infrastructure. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) reiterated in its last 2023 report that every additional decimal of a degree would bring more instability. It also warned that the policies currently implemented by governments set us on a path towards + 3.2*C warming by the end of the century. After July 2023 became the warmest month ever recorded, the United Nations (UN) declared: 'The era of global warming has ended; the era of global boiling has arrived'.

The IPCC has provided feasible and clear guidelines to avoid the worst of the climate disaster: the top priority for all governments should be to stop fossil fuel expansion. Despite this, Norwegian environmental policy ignores and goes directly against this unanimous message from the UN and the scientific community: in late June, the government approved 19 new oil and gas projects in line with its policy of "developing, not ending" the fossil fuel era.

LES OGSÅ: Fullstappet Samfundsdebatt: – Generasjon Thunberg er ikke død

The extreme weather 'Hans' wreaked havoc in the southern part of Norway this August. This catastrophe revealed how vulnerable we are to climate disasters, which are known to become both more frequent and more intense in the future. It also showed us that Norway will not be spared from the most severe consequences of climate change.

We are headed towards a future of accelerating environmental degradation and climate disruption. The Norwegian government is exporting harm across the globe for decades to come. Many feel helpless in the face of stubborn climate inaction worsening a crisis that can be avoided. Research shows that civil disobedience is our most efficient tool to trigger rapid action against societal injustices.

What can you do? This autumn's local elections can already be a turning point for Norwegian climate action. We encourage everyone to find out where and how to use their vote, either by early voting until September 8th, or on election day September 11th. Beyond this, consider speaking up even louder. Scientist Rebellion is a global organization of researchers using civil disobedience to fight climate inaction. We wear labcoats during demonstrations to highlight the importance of a science-based climate debate. You can join us, or a number of other environmental organizations working in Trondheim such as Naturvernforbundet, Framtiden i våre hender, Greenpeace, and Stopp oljeletinga, to name a few. The climate movement needs all hands on deck.

We cannot continue to overlook the drivers of climate injustice at home and around the world, and we all have a role to play. This is an emergency, it's time we start acting like it.

LES OGSÅ: En næringspolitikk for framtida