The science academies of the G7 countries released three joint “S7” statements to inform discussions during the G7 summit to be held in Evian, France, in June, as well as to offer science-informed guidance for ongoing policymaking.
The U.S. National Academy of Sciences, represented by Institute of Arctic Studies Director Melody Brown Burkins, joined academies from France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Canada, and the United Kingdom in issuing the statements.
Over the last 40 years, warming in the Arctic has occurred nearly four times faster than the global average, making the region a hotspot of global change. These rapid changes are reshaping landscapes, ecosystems, climate feedbacks, and the ways of life of Arctic societies. The consequences extend far beyond the region, with implications for climate stability, sea-level rise, biodiversity, and weather patterns across the entire world.
The statement calls for urgent, internationally coordinated action to safeguard the Arctic and to protect against the cascade of possible global effects. Priority actions include mitigating Arctic and global change by immediately reducing greenhouse gas emissions in accordance with national priorities; strengthening international scientific cooperation through open data and sustained observation networks; advancing science-based adaptation; deepening research on tipping elements and systemic Arctic risks; and ensuring that Indigenous and local knowledge and leaders are engaged in international governance and environmental decision-making.
Read the full statement here.
