4 2 / 2022 // LEOPOLDINA / NEWS
INTERNATIONAL QUOTES
Marcia McNutt , President of the U . S . National Academy of Sciences / USA : “ Scientists , a group not prone to exaggeration ,
are becoming increasingly fearful of the dire consequences for our children and grandchildren if we do not urgently address climate change . It is not the few-degree rise in global average temperature that is the only problem , but more so the magnified consequences of that temperature increase on our life-sustaining ecosystems , agricultural output , and political stability that will threaten civilization as we know it . We need to bring the same urgency to mitigating climate change that we invested in developing vaccines for COVID-19 . Fortunately , there are solutions , if we can only muster the will to deploy them .”
Peter Piot ML , EU Chief Scientific Advisor
Epidemics and Handa Professor of Global Health , London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine / UK : “ I have spent the last years giving speeches titled : ‘ Are we ready for
Image : Heidi Larson
Image : Chris Michel
the next pandemic ?‘ The answer then – and still now – is no . We are not really prepared . It ’ s like we are establishing a fire brigade when the house is on fire . No , we need one all the time . To be sure , preparedness is difficult . Countries have to allocate money to something that might never happen – and when it does , its course is hard to predict . Some items , such as personal protective equipment can be stockpiled . But the most important qualities are having good leadership , institutions that detect viruses early , and health care infrastructure to grapple with outbreaks .”
Science7 Dialogue Forum in B
Research-based ideas for preventive health measures and greater climate
Head of the German Federal Chancellery Wolfgang Schmidt ( above ) speaking at the Science7 Dialogue Forum at the Museum of Communication in Berlin . G7 expert group members Marylyn Addo and Susanne Herold in conversation with Leopoldina President Gerald Haug ( right ., l . t . r .). Images : David Ausserhofer ( 2 )| Leopoldina ; Graphic : Sisters of Design | Leopoldina
On May 31 , the science academies of the G7 states presented four statements to the German federal government in Berlin . The joint recommendations had been drafted by the academies in the Science7 ( S7 ) format under the Leopoldina ’ s leadership as part of Germany ’ s G7 Presidency this year .
The G7 Summit at Schloss Elmau must give a strong impetus to global climate protection , the energy transition and improving global pandemic preparedness . Our recommendations on climate and health address the key topics of the summit that desperately need to be addressed ,” said Gerald Haug ML , President of the Leopoldina , at the Science7 Dialogue Forum in Berlin .
In addition to handing over the statements to Wolfgang Schmidt , the Head of the German Federal Chancellery , the conference focused on a scientific debate about the topics addressed in the statements , as well as the recommendations .
In his introductory speech , climate researcher Thomas Stocker ML elucidated how dramatic the impacts of climate change on the polar regions and the ocean already are today .
Glaciologist Ricarda Winkelmann and climate economist Ottmar Edenhofer ML presented the academies ’ recommendations for the protection of the cryosphere and the ocean and the recommendations for the objective of comprehensive decarbonisation .
The lessons to be learned from the COVID-19 pandemic and how the world can better prepare for future pandemics were covered by Peter Piot ML , microbiologist and Special Advisor on the CO- VID-19 pandemic to the European Commission .