The Royal Society joins Commonwealth science academies to call for action on climate change

The Royal Society has joined science leaders from around the globe to call on the Commonwealth Heads of Government to use the best available science to guide action on climate change.

The call is part of a Consensus Statement on Climate Change, launched today by 22 national academies and societies of science from around the Commonwealth, ahead of next month’s Commonwealth summit in the United Kingdom.

The statement, which represents the consensus views of tens of thousands of scientists, marks the first time Commonwealth nations have come together to urge their Governments to take further action to achieve net-zero greenhouse gases emissions during the second half of the 21st century.  

Professor Alex Halliday, Physical Secretary and Vice-President, the Royal Society, said:

“The Paris agreement was an important first step, but to meet the target of a 2 °C rise and prevent the profound impacts of climate change will require us to be more ambitious.

“Ahead of the Commonwealth summit, the Royal Society, and our partners across the Commonwealth, stand ready to assist national Governments with the sound scientific advice they will need to address this most significant of challenges.”

Download the Commonwealth Science Academies Consensus Statement on Climate Change, including the list of signatories by country, or watch a video on the Consensus Statement.

Climate change is one of the defining issues of our time and nations in the Commonwealth are amongst those most vulnerable to the impacts of climate change. The Commonwealth has been at the forefront of global action on climate change since its leaders signed the Langkawi Declaration on the Environment, which collectively cited the greenhouse effect as one of the main environmental problems facing the world. The Declaration recognised threats to islands and low-lying coastal states of sea level rise and other climate change perils through global warming.

The Royal Society undertakes a wide range of activities on climate change, acting to help ensure that the best possible evidence is available to inform policymaker decisions. This programme of activities draws on the expertise of Fellows of the Royal Society, and wider community. Find more information, including a 60 second video: royalsociety.org/topics-policy/projects/climate-change-evidence-causes/

You can also read more information on the Society’s Commonwealth activities.

Follow and share with the hashtag #ClimateAction on social media.