Phys.org January 11, 2022
There is an unwritten social contract between science and society. Public investment in science is intended to improve understanding about our world and support beneficial societal outcomes. According to the authors the contract is broken. Science demonstrates why this is occurring, that it is getting worse, the implications for human well-being and social-ecological systems and substantiates action. Governments agree that the science is settled. The tragedy of climate change science is that at the same time as compelling evidence is gathered, fresh warnings issued, and novel methodologies developed, indicators of adverse global change rise year upon year. They explored three options for the climate change science community. They found that two options are untenable, and one is unpalatable. Given the urgency and criticality of climate change, they argue the time has come for scientists to agree to a moratorium on climate change research as a means to first expose, then renegotiate, the broken science-society contract…read more. Open Access TECHNICAL ARTICLE
Governments agree that the science is settled but scientists are compelled to do more research despite inadequate government action and worsening climate change. Credit: Author provided, CC BY-ND