Leading climate scientist responds to political rejection of environmental science as un report reveals alarming global trends

As political leaders increasingly dismiss climate science, a sobering new United Nations report underscores the urgent environmental crises facing our planet. The Global Environment Outlook 7 (GEO-7), released this week in Nairobi by 287 scientists from 82 countries, reveals that greenhouse gas emissions continue rising while biodiversity collapses at an unprecedented rate.

The report’s findings paint a dire picture: pollution kills 9 million people annually, up to 40% of global land is degraded, and 1 million species face extinction under current trends. This scientific assessment arrives amid growing political hostility toward environmental research, exemplified by recent statements dismissing climate change as a “con job” at the UN General Assembly. The Guardian previously reported that anti-climate policies could result in 1.3 million additional deaths worldwide, while CNN documented coordinated efforts by scientists to preserve climate research from potential erasure.

Sir Robert Watson, co-chair of GEO-7 and former chair of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), represents the scientific community’s efforts to bridge the growing gap between research and policy. One of the world’s most respected environmental scientists, Watson has dedicated his career to ensuring scientific evidence informs political decisions. As climate disinformation spreads and greenwashing resurges globally, his perspective offers crucial insights into how scientists can communicate with leaders who reject environmental science entirely.

The timing of this flagship environmental assessment highlights the critical tension between mounting scientific evidence and political resistance to climate action, raising fundamental questions about the role of science in policymaking during environmental crises.