By Oxford University Press November 21, 2024
Collected at: https://scitechdaily.com/scientists-declare-we-have-the-tools-to-fight-climate-change-lets-use-them-to-save-the-planet/
Global scientists urge immediate deployment of microbial solutions to combat climate change, calling for a task force to facilitate widespread implementation.
In a crucial step leading up to COP29, Applied Microbiology International (AMI) has joined forces with prominent global scientific organizations to issue a unified call to action, emphasizing microbial solutions as key to addressing climate change.
In a strategic publication, released in multiple high-impact scientific journals at once, the joint paper advocates for the establishment of a global science-driven climate task force. This initiative aims to expedite the deployment of microbiome technologies, providing stakeholders worldwide with access to effective and immediate solutions.
Signatories of the paper, ‘Microbial solutions must be deployed against the climate catastrophe’ are led by AMI president Professor Jack Gilbert and ISME president Dr Raquel Peixoto who won AMI’s inaugural Rachel Carson Prize in 2023.
The paper is published in AMI journal Sustainable Microbiology alongside journals published by the Federation of European Microbiology Societies (FEMS), the International Society for Microbial Ecology (ISME), the American Society for Microbiology (ASM), and Springer-Nature.
Urgent Call for Practical Measures
“By publishing simultaneously across journals like an emergency bulletin, we are not merely making a plea for awareness about climate change. Instead, we are demanding immediate, tangible steps that harness the power of microbiology and the expertise of researchers and policymakers to safeguard the planet for future generations,” the authors stated.
Gilbert said: “Our planet’s climate crisis demands bold, immediate action. Microbial solutions offer us a transformative approach—harnessing nature’s own processes to capture carbon, reduce greenhouse gases, and restore ecosystems. We have the tools, we just need the will and the funding to start deploying these microbial technologies at a scale that can safeguard our future. We are calling on global leaders, industries, and policymakers to join us in mobilizing these scientific solutions, moving swiftly from promise to practice.”
The authors warned that while a multitude of promising microbe-based solutions to the climate crisis have been proposed, these solutions have not been deployed effectively at scale.
Overcoming Obstacles to Microbial Deployment
To counteract this inaction, the authors emphasize the necessity for a collaborative effort involving industry, funders, and policymakers. They advocate for coordinated action to ensure the widespread implementation of these microbial solutions, aiming to avert a climate catastrophe. This collective plea from academics, scientific societies, institutions, editors, and publishers urges the global community and governments to take immediate and decisive emergency action. Additionally, they propose a clear and effective framework for deploying these solutions at scale, highlighting the urgent need for a united response to the climate crisis.
“The multifaceted impacts of climate change on the environment, health, and global economy demand a similar, if not more urgent and broader, mobilization of technologies as observed in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
“To facilitate the use of microbiome-based approaches and drawing from lessons learned during the COVID-19 pandemic, we advocate for a decentralized yet globally coordinated strategy that cuts through bureaucratic red tape and considers local cultural and societal regulations, culture, expertise, and needs. We are ready to work across sectors to deploy microbiome technologies at scale in the field.”
Reference: “Microbial solutions must be deployed against climate catastrophe” by Raquel Peixoto, Christian R Voolstra, Lisa Y Stein, Philip Hugenholtz, Joana Falcao Salles, Shady A Amin, Max Häggblom, Ann Gregory, Thulani P Makhalanyane, Fengping Wang, Nadège Adoukè Agbodjato, Yinzhao Wang, Nianzhi Jiao, Jay T Lennon, Antonio Ventosa, Patrik M Bavoil, Virginia Miller and Jack A Gilbert, 11 November 2024, Sustainable Microbiology.
DOI: 10.1093/sumbio/qvae029
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