mBio Editorial Echoes Critical Call for Global Climate Action
Washington, D.C. - October 20, 2022 – Today, the American Society for Microbiology (ASM) echoed the call for urgent climate change action to protect global health in an emergency editorial published across multiple scientific journals. The editorial, co-authored by the UK Health Alliance and collaborating scientists from countries in Africa, was published in mBio in advance of the COP27 Climate Change Conference taking place in Egypt in November.
Though African nations have contributed just 3% of global cumulative carbon dioxide emissions since the Industrial Revolution, countries in Africa suffer disproportionately from flooding, drought, heatwaves, reduced food production and reduced labor productivity. “Wealthy nations must step up support for Africa and vulnerable countries in addressing past, present and future impacts of climate change,” the editors wrote in the mBio paper.
With 30,000 members around the world and a robust global health program serving Africa and other low-resource areas, ASM is uniquely poised to address the climate crisis. Climate change is a top priority for ASM and is the subject of a 5-year scientific portfolio by its honorific leadership group, the American Academy of Microbiology. ASM’s annual conference, ASM Microbe, will also feature a climate change and microbes guest track in 2023 and explore how microbiologists can inform climate science and policy. For more on ASM’s climate activities, visit the resource page.
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The American Society for Microbiology is one of the largest single life science societies, composed of more than 30,000 scientists and health professionals. ASM's mission is to promote and advance the microbial sciences.
ASM advances the microbial sciences through conferences, publications, certifications, educational opportunities and advocacy efforts. It enhances laboratory capacity around the globe through training and resources. It provides a network for scientists in academia, industry and clinical settings. Additionally, ASM promotes a deeper understanding of the microbial sciences to diverse audiences.
