Global physics community agrees shared approach to tackling climate change

A statement signed by the Institute of Physics (IOP) along with other national physics societies across the globe has committed them to work with global governments to play their part in tackling the climate crisis and bringing about a new green economy.

As well as recognising the central role that physics will play, the statement also emphasises the importance of taking a multi-disciplinary approach, having national policies that support international collaboration and the mobility of scientists to achieve this, and a workforce that is diverse in background, thought and experience.

Professor Paul Hardaker, IOP group chief executive officer, said: “We were looking for our political leaders to make big strides forward at COP26, but instead we seem just to be taking small steps, too small for what we need now.

“We will work with others at home and internationally to continue to make the case for change and to do what we can to bring that about at a greater pace than we have seen to date. This is an issue of leadership, so we will also back that up with our own roadmap to net zero.”

Read the full agreement.

The statement has been signed by:

• American Institute of Physics
• American Physical Society
• Canadian Association of Physicists
• Chinese Physical Society
• French Physical Society
• Indian Physics Association
• Institute of Physics for the UK and Ireland
• International Union of Pure and Applied Physics
• Italian Physical Society
• Japan Society of Applied Physics
• Netherlands Physical Society
• Optica (formerly the Optical Society of America)
• Physical Society of Japan