Sending humans to Mars won't save Earth

The statement by Scientists for Global Responsibility (SGR) criticises the US government's proposal for a manned mission to Mars, citing an estimated cost of $1 trillion. SGR argues that these funds would be better spent on global aid—such as providing clean water, eliminating hunger, and achieving universal literacy—and on mitigating climate change. The document further links space exploration goals to military interests and highlights the rising costs of climate-related disasters and biodiversity loss.

• The estimated cost of a manned mission to Mars is approximately $1 trillion over the next one to two decades, a sum that exceeds the estimated increase in global aid required to provide universal literacy, eliminate hunger and malnutrition, and provide clean water for all.
• The document suggests a link between manned space missions and military objectives, noting that a 1989 US congressional report argued for a major space presence, including a manned Moonbase, as a springboard for a Mars mission.
• Climate change is causing significant global damage, including an annual cost of $60 billion for weather-related natural disasters, an estimated 150,000 deaths in the year 2000, and the potential extinction of approximately 25% of land-based animal and plant species by 2050.

APA

Scientists for Global Responsibility (2004). Sending humans to Mars won't save Earth. https://www.sgr.org.uk/resources/sending-humans-mars-won-t-save-earth

Chicago

Scientists for Global Responsibility. Sending humans to Mars won't save Earth. 2004. https://www.sgr.org.uk/resources/sending-humans-mars-won-t-save-earth.

Wikipedia

{{cite press release |author=Scientists for Global Responsibility |title=Sending humans to Mars won't save Earth |date=14 January 2004 |url=https://www.sgr.org.uk/resources/sending-humans-mars-won-t-save-earth |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@misc{scientistsforglobalresponsibility2004sending, author = {{Scientists for Global Responsibility}}, title = {{Sending humans to Mars won't save Earth}}, publisher = {Scientists for Global Responsibility}, year = {2004}, month = jan, url = {https://www.sgr.org.uk/resources/sending-humans-mars-won-t-save-earth}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }