Listening to science, acting responsibly

The setting for research and policy advice on climate change and global public goods has suddenly changed: we are acutely aware of this. Statement by Director Ottmar Edenhofer and Secretary General Brigitte Knopf of the Berlin-based climate research institute MCC (Mercator Research Institute on Global Commons and Climate Change):

"The MCC and its staff know: The spread of the coronavirus is currently taking precedence over all other issues. We, too, are worried about the health of the elderly and sick in particular, and about the consequences for the economy and society. We are in the middle of a global crisis, and are painfully experiencing the importance of global public goods. As with climate protection, the role of states in the fight against the corona pandemic is to provide these goods. The 21st century will be shaped by such issues."

"And especially when uncertainty and pessimism are rampant, it is important to maintain a differentiated view. We are fundamentally confident that governments will act according to the premise: listen to science, act responsibly. This is all the more true in an emergency, such as this one. As a scientific think tank focusing on climate policy, we have been working for years with this positive understanding, however serious global problems we are jointly facing.”