A collaborative paper, released across several prestigious scientific journals, underscores the need for a global science-driven climate task force. This initiative seeks to speed up the application of microbiome technologies, equipping stakeholders worldwide with rapid and effective climate solutions.
The paper, titled 'Microbial solutions must be deployed against the climate catastrophe,' is co-led by AMI President Professor Jack Gilbert and ISME President Dr. Raquel Peixoto, who was awarded the AMI Rachel Carson Prize in 2023. Published in AMI's journal *Sustainable Microbiology*, it also appears in journals by the Federation of European Microbiology Societies (FEMS), International Society for Microbial Ecology (ISME), American Society for Microbiology (ASM), and Springer-Nature.
"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 said.
Professor Gilbert stated, "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 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."
Despite the array of proposed microbial-based solutions, the paper points out the lack of large-scale deployment. The authors call for collaboration among industry, funders, and policymakers to ensure widespread use of these technologies to avert environmental catastrophe. The document serves as a unified plea for emergency action from the global scientific community, advocating for an actionable framework to scale up these solutions urgently.
"The multifaceted impacts of climate change on the environment, health, and global economy demand a similar, if not more urgent and broader, mobilisation 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 decentralised 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."
Research Report:Microbial Solutions Must Be Deployed Against Climate Catastrophe
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