Scientists Behaving Responsibly

The report examines the 'concern-action gap' within the scientific and engineering communities regarding the climate crisis. It argues that the credibility of climate research is undermined when researchers maintain high-carbon lifestyles, such as frequent air travel for conferences. Through a straw poll of 153 respondents, the document finds that while many scientists are adopting plant-based diets and reducing car use, a significant number still struggle to align their lives with the 1.5°C pathway. It also discusses the role of civil disobedience and activism as a means for scientists to 'walk the talk' and counter the influence of fossil fuel interests.

• There is a perceived gap between the scientific community's professional analysis of the climate crisis and its actual behaviour, with 71% of polled respondents describing their field's efforts to reduce climate impact as either "unsatisfactory, or highly unsatisfactory".
• The credibility of climate research is specifically vulnerable to the personal carbon footprints of the researchers; high personal emissions can lower the likelihood of the public reducing their own energy consumption.
• Academic 'hypermobility'—the norm of frequent flying to maintain international collaborations—often contradicts university sustainability policies, yet research indicates no positive relationship between the frequency of flying for conferences and actual academic productivity.
• Survey results show a trend toward lower-carbon lifestyles among scientists, with 48% intending to stop flying entirely and 39% planning to take 'very serious' steps to minimise car impact, up from 20% currently doing so.
• Dietary shifts are significant among the polled group, with 72% adopting largely plant-based diets and 13% intending to adopt vegan diets in the future.
• Climate concerns are influencing family planning decisions for a notable portion of the scientific community, with 31% of respondents stating the issue led them to avoid having children.
• Some academics argue that scientists should move beyond personal consumption changes to support civil disobedience, as non-violent protests can increase the credibility of climate actions and counter the access to decision-makers enjoyed by the fossil fuel industry.

APA

Simms, A., & Parkinson, S. (2019). Scientists Behaving Responsibly. Scientists for Global Responsibility. https://www.sgr.org.uk/sites/default/files/2019-11/Scientists_Behaving_Responsibly_SGRreport.pdf

Chicago

Simms, Andrew, and Stuart Parkinson. Scientists Behaving Responsibly. Scientists for Global Responsibility, 2019. https://www.sgr.org.uk/sites/default/files/2019-11/Scientists_Behaving_Responsibly_SGRreport.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Simms |first1=Andrew |last2=Parkinson |first2=Stuart |title=Scientists Behaving Responsibly |publisher=Scientists for Global Responsibility |date=November 2019 |url=https://www.sgr.org.uk/sites/default/files/2019-11/Scientists_Behaving_Responsibly_SGRreport.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{simms2019scientists, author = {Simms, Andrew and Parkinson, Stuart}, title = {{Scientists Behaving Responsibly}}, institution = {Scientists for Global Responsibility}, year = {2019}, month = nov, url = {https://www.sgr.org.uk/sites/default/files/2019-11/Scientists_Behaving_Responsibly_SGRreport.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }