11,000+ scientists have signed onto a bold new statement on the climate emergency

A new statement from five scientists -- World Scientists' Warning of a Climate Emergency -- has been co-signed by more than 11,000 scientists around the world. Departing from the traditional notes of caution and uncertainty sounded in the IPCC reports and elsewhere, the group states in no uncertain terms that the time for action is rapidly slipping away.

"Scientists have a moral obligation to clearly warn humanity of any catastrophic threat and to 'tell it like it is,'" the statement begins. "On the basis of this obligation and the graphical indicators presented below, we declare, with more than 11,000 scientist signatories from around the world, clearly and unequivocally that planet Earth is facing a climate emergency."

The statement goes on to list key areas of necessary change beyond energy policy but also including population growth, food management and economic issues. The statement itself makes no mention of nuclear power although it recommends replacing fossil fuels "with low-carbon renewables and other cleaner sources of energy if safe for people and the environment," an interesting qualifier that should obviously rule out dangerous nuclear power. In a supplement, nuclear is referenced only in a graph showing nuclear energy consumption in global decline. (Photo:Sam Saunders, Wikimedia Commons).