World Scientists' Warning to Humanity (Part I) - The First Notice in 1992

In November 1992, 1700 of the world's leading scientists, including the majority of Nobel laureates in the sciences, issued an appeal entitled the World Scientists' Warning to Humanity.

The statement began with this introduction:

Human beings and the natural world are on a collision course. Human activities inflict harsh and often irreversible damage on the environment and on critical resources. If not checked, many of our current practices put at serious risk the future that we wish for human society and the plant and animal kingdoms, and may so alter the living world that it will be unable to sustain life in the manner that we know. Fundamental changes are urgent if we are to avoid the collision our present course will bring about.

The statement listed the issues facing humanity at that time, sounded a warning, and listed actions that must be taken.

Environmental issues:

·      The Atmosphere: Stratospheric ozone depletion, air pollution, acid precipitation, increasing carbon dioxide levels.

·      Water Resources: Heedless exploitation and pollution of water resources

·      Oceans: Collapsing fisheries, discharge of toxic waste, etc.

·      Soil: Loss of soil productivity and degradation of land

·      Forests: Rapid disappearance of tropical rain forests and associated biodiversity

·      Living Species: Irreversible loss of species and genetic diversity

·      Global warming and climate change: Predictions uncertain, but the potential risks very great.

Population: Pressures resulting from unrestrained population growth put demands on the natural world that can overwhelm any efforts to achieve a sustainable future. One person in five lives in absolute poverty without enough to eat, and one in ten suffers serious malnutrition.

Warning:

We warn all humanity of what lies ahead. A great change in our stewardship of the earth and the life on it is required, if vast human misery is to be avoided and our global home on this planet is not to be irretrievably mutilated.

What we must do:

• Bring environmentally damaging activities under control to restore and protect the integrity of the earth's systems we depend on. 
• Move away from fossil fuels to more benign, inexhaustible energy sources to cut greenhouse gas emissions and the pollution of our air and water.
• Halt deforestation, injury to and loss of agricultural land, and the loss of terrestrial and marine plant and animal species.
• Give high priority to efficient use of energy, water, and other materials, including expansion of conservation and recycling.
• Stabilize population.
• Reduce and eventually eliminate poverty.
• Ensure sexual equality, and guarantee women control over their own reproductive decisions.

Developed nations, who are the largest polluters in the world today, must act now. They must greatly reduce their overconsumption and provide aid and support to developing nations. Acting on this recognition is not altruism, but enlightened self-interest: whether industrialized or not, we all have but one lifeboat.

Developing nations must realize that environmental damage is one of the gravest threats they face, and that attempts to blunt it will be overwhelmed if their populations go unchecked. The greatest peril is to become trapped in spirals of environmental decline, poverty, and unrest, leading to social, economic, and environmental collapse.

Success in this global endeavour will require a great reduction in violence and war. Resources now devoted to the preparation and conduct of war -- amounting to over $1 trillion annually -- will be badly needed in the new tasks and should be diverted to the new challenges.

A new ethic is required - a new attitude towards discharging our responsibility for caring for ourselves and for the earth. We must recognize the earth's limited capacity and its fragility. This ethic must motivate a great movement, convincing reluctant leaders and reluctant governments and reluctant peoples themselves to effect the needed changes.

In this task, we need the help of the world community of scientists, business and industrial leaders, religious leaders and the world's peoples.

We call on all to join us in this task.

Why am I posting a statement of 1992 today? 25 years have passed since that warning was issued and very little action has been taken by the world community with regard to its recommendations. So, in November 2017, more than 15,000 scientists have issued a second warning about the state of the world. This will be covered in the next post.