Declaration to defend scientific integrity

Read in Nature: Defend scientific integrity and academic freedom

“It’s a threat to public health, the environment, and democracy,” says Professor Frans Prenkert, one of the researchers within the Platform for a sustainable future at Örebro University who have signed the declaration.

The declaration was prepared by scientists in the SPHERA consortium – Single Planet Health and Environment Research Agenda. SPHERA gathers expertise in the areas of environment, climate change, economics, social science, and global health.

“We have seen a worrying trend where scientific knowledge is ignored, censored or used selectively to suit a certain political agenda,” says Frans Prenkert.

Climate change and public health

The scientists especially highlight the situation in the US where a number of research programmes have seen their funding withdrawn, notably within climate change and public health. But this development affects scientists in other parts of the world as well:

“Suppression of climate science, public health and environmental justice research is part of a broader pattern. Furthermore, there is self-censorship among government agencies, academic journals and individual researchers which is driven by fear of repercussions,” says Frans Prenkert.

In the declaration, the scientists put forward that:

• scientific research must remain independent and free from political agendas
• scientists commit to enhance public engagement and counter misinformation
• international collaboration and support for research in low- and middle-income countries must increase
• scientists facing suppression must receive support from the international community

The scientists are therefore calling policymakers, funding bodies, universities, and the public to action to defend scientific integrity.

Deklarationen välkomnar ytterligare undertecknare.