Every year the evidence for anthropogenic climate change and our need to act quickly to address it becomes clearer. The increasing severity and frequency of extreme weather events; atmospheric, oceanic and biological data collected around the world; and the number of harmful ‘record-breaking’ years that have occurred in the last decade, all point towards humanity’s actions as the cause of our changing global climate. However, despite the severity of our situation, there is hope. The latest evidence shows that human actions to address climate change are making a difference!

In the recently published IPCC 6th Assessment report on the Mitigation of Climate Change, the authors identify several encouraging new trends, including several countries decoupling GDP from carbon based emissions; a drastic change in the affordability and availability of renewable energy technologies, such as wind and solar; and, for the first time, evidence that the rate of growth of dangerous Greenhouse Gas emissions has slowed between 2010 and 2019. As the authors of the report state, we have the tools to positively affect global climate, all we need now is the collective action. In response to this call for us all to work together to address climate change, EGU has joined together with fourteen other geoscience organisations from around the world, to share our commitment to making the changes needed to create a just and sustainable future for humanity and the planet.

EGU President Helen Glaves says “We are very glad to be working increasingly more closely with our sibling societies and other geoscience organisations around the world. We look forward to continuing our common efforts towards supporting researchers and individuals who seek solutions and take positive action to address global climate change, and protect our planet.”

Read the full joint statement below.

As international geoscience organizations, on today’s Earth Day we celebrate Earth’s abundant natural resources; its diverse but threatened natural environments; and all the beautiful but fragile life with which we share this planet.

We recognize that we have an important role to play in conserving, managing, and caring for our shared home, and that science can guide us on our path to a healthy, safe, and sustainable future for this Earth. Please join us in calling attention to and acting on this urgent task.

Signatories:

• African Geophysical Society
• American Geosciences Institute
• American Geophysical Union
• Canadian Geophysical Union
• European Association of Geochemistry
• European Geosciences Union
• Geological Society of America
• The Geological Society of London
• Geochemical Society
• Indian Geophysical Union
• International Union of Geodesy and Geophysics
• International Geological Sciences
• Japan Geoscience Union
• Korea Geophysical Union
• Mexican Geophysical Union