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.

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

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.

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.

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

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.

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

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

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

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 Earth Statement here.

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.

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

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.