Global Challenges Foundation

The Earth Statement

The result of the Global Challenges Foundation and Earth League joining forces

In 2015 the Global Challenges Foundation joined forces with Earth League, a network of the world’s 17 leading climate scientists, to develop the climate petition Earth Statement. The petition summarized the synthesis of the global research on climate change. Boiling it down to eight elements regarding what the world’s leaders needed to commit to at the Paris climate conference (COP21). A comprehensive list of the some one hundred influential individuals, who all endorsed the petition, can be found below.

To further bring the statement to the people – who are, and, to a continuously increasing degree will, continue to be the victims of climate change – a social media campaign was launched. In it individuals were encouraged to sign the statement on their hand or the like. A plethora of the pictures from the campaign wrapped the New York Times during COP21. As of right now, the Earth League scientists are analyzing the content of the COP21 agreement, looking at it through the lens of Earth Statement’s eight elements. We will publish the analysis on this site when it is finalized.

Read the full Earth Statement here.

8 essential elements

These are the essential elements of climate action the leaders needed to commit to at COP21 in Paris

2 degrees

Governments must put into practice their commitment to limit global warming to below 2°C, the maximum warming limit before we risk dangerous climate change.

1 trillion tonnes

The remaining global carbon budget – the limit for what the carbon dioxide we can still emit in the future - must be well below 1 trillion tons (1000 Gt CO2) to have a reasonable chance to hold the 2°C line.

Zero emissions by 2050

Deep decarbonization starting immediately and leading to a zero-carbon society by 2050 or shortly thereafter is key to future prosperity.

193 countries

All 193 countries need to develop deep decarbonization plans. Rich countries and progressive industries can and should take the lead and decarbonize well before mid-century.

100% clean energy

We must unleash a wave of climate innovation for the global good, and enable universal access to the technology solutions we already have.

Support for adaptation, loss and damage measures

Climate change is already happening. We need a massive increase in support for adaptation and loss and damage measures in developing countries.

Safeguard ecosystems

Safeguarding carbon sinks and vital ecosystems, is as important for climate protection as the reduction of emissions.

$100+ billion of climate finance

Governments need to provide additional support to developing countries to deal with climate change at a level at least comparable to current global development aid (around 135 billion USD p.a.).

Read the full statement

The Earth Statement is based on the research of Earth League members and their respective institutions.

For a list of scientific references underpinning the Statement, click here.

Who has joined our call?

Al Gore

Former Vice President of the United States, Chairman of the Climate Reality Project

United States

Antje Jackelén

Archbishop of Church of Sweden

Sweden

Arianna Huffington

Co-Founder and Editor-in-Chief of the Huffington Post

United States

Azadeh Zarekar

Executive Board, World Student Environmental Network

Iran

Rabbi Awraham Soetendorp

Jacob Soetendorp Institute for Human Values, The Hague

Netherlands

Dr. Benjamin Barber

Author and President of the Global Parliament of Mayors Project

United States

Desmond Tutu

Archbishop Emeritus, Nobel Peace Prize Laureate

South Africa

Eduardo Paes

Mayor of Rio de Janeiro, Chair of C40

Brazil

Ernesto Zedillo

Former President of Mexico, Director of the Yale Center for the Study of Globalization

Mexico

Fazlun Khalid

Founder/Director, Islamic Foundation for Ecology and Environmental Sciences

United Kingdom

François-Henri Pinault

CEO & Chairman of Kering

France

HRH Prince Ghazi bin Muhammad

Chief Advisor to King Abdullah II for Religious and Cultural Affairs and Personal Envoy of King Abdullah II

Jordan

Gro Harlem Brundtland

Former Prime Minister, Norway & Deputy Chair, The Elders

Norway

Hans Vestberg

CEO, Ericsson

Sweden

Hina Jilani

Lawyer & Human Rights Champion

Pakistan

Jairam Ramesh

Member of Parliament & Former Cabinet Minister for Rural Development Chair, Future Earth Engagement Committee

India

Jochen Zeitz

Co-Founder and Co-Chair of The B Team

Germany

Karl-Johan Persson

CEO, H&M

Sweden

Leah Barber

350NYC, The Interdependence Movement

United States

Mary Robinson

Former President of Ireland

Ireland

Mats Andersson

CEO, AP4

Sweden

Merylene Chitharai

Hindu Youth Network of South Africa & Religions for Peace Global Interfaith Youth Network

South Africa

Dr. Mo Ibrahim

Founder and Chairman of the Mo Ibrahim Foundation

Monaco

Paul Polman

CEO, Unilever

Netherlands

Peter Agnefjäll

CEO and President, IKEA Group

Netherlands

Peter Bakker

President of WBCSD

Switzerland

Sir Richard Branson

United Kingdom

Russell Brand

Comedian, author and actor

United Kingdom

Saber Hossain Chowdhury

President of IPU

Bangladesh

Sergio Tejada

Congressman

Peru

Sharan Burrow

General Secretary of the International Trade Union Confederation

Australia

Sulak Sivaraksa

Buddhist Spiritual Leader, Social Activist, and Writer

Thailand

Susan Yap

Congresswoman

Philippines

Winnie Byanyima

Executive Director of Oxfam International

Uganda

Yuan T. Lee

Nobel Laureate in Chemistry

Taiwan

Zhang Yue

President and Chairman of BROAD Group

China

Show more supporters

Note that each individual supports the Earth Statement in their personal capacity, not as a representative of any of their organizations.

Who is behind The Earth Statement?

Climate change will leave no part of our society and natural environment untouched. The Earth Statement is written by the 17 leading scientists and economists of the Earth League. They have joined forces with the Global Challenges Foundation and leaders from all aspects of our society to deliver this message to the decision makers of our time.