Emergency bulletin from science

Researchers and 14 scientific journals worldwide are calling on governments and industry to take coordinated action to collaboratively counter climate change harnessing microbiological research.

University of Konstanz

Such a paper is highly unusual, even for science: As many as 14 scientific journals published the call to action at the same time. In their paper, the researches call on governments and industry worldwide to promote in-depth microbiological research in six action areas that are particularly promising for tackling the problems of climate change:

"This paper is a call to action. By publishing concurrently across journals like an emergency bulletin, we are not merely making a plea for awareness about climate change. Instead, we are demanding immediate, tangible steps that harness the power of microbiology and the expertise of researchers and policymakers to safeguard the planet for future generations".

Christian Voolstra about the joint initiative: "This call for action is the first of its kind. It’s practically unheard of that journals co-publish a common message to amplify the reach". The coral researcher from Konstanz is one of 18 microbiologists who initiated the call. In his work, he focuses on microbiological methods to make corals more resistant to the warming of the oceans.

What is the call to action about?
Microbiological approaches are promising for developing solutions to central problems of climate change: for example, to bind CO2, to degrade pollutants, or to make living organisms more resilient to the effects of climate change – from corals to humans. In order to study these approaches, however, scientists are dependent on global cooperation, especially on support from politics and industry. They advocate for a coordinated cooperation between science, politics and industry – similar to the rapid development of vaccines at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. Only a joint approach can deliver quick and effective solutions.

The researchers behind the call identified six particularly promising fields of action in the area of microbiological research that could bring about rapid success. These six fields of action are:

 

• Carbon sequestration – using microbes to sequester carbon in soil and the ocean. This reduces the CO2 content in the atmosphere and enriches the soil for better plant growth.
   
• Methane oxidation – using bacteria to reduce methane emissions from waste, for example in landfills, livestock farms and wetlands.
   
• Bioenergy production– using microorganisms such as algae and yeast to produce biofuels to replace fossil fuels.
• Bioremediation – using microbes to degrade pollutants from industrial waste, for example in construction sites or to clean up contaminated soil and water.
   
• Microbial therapies – targeted use of microbes to strengthen the health of organisms and ecosystems: Certain bacteria, for example, can help to make corals more resilient to heat.
   
• Nitrogen management – replacing synthetic nitrogen in fertilizers with natural bacteria to improve air and water quality.

 

Further examples of how microbial strategies can contribute to tackling the problems of climate change are listed in the joint paper. "We must ensure that science is at the forefront of the global response to the climate crisis", the 18 researchers conclude their call. "We are ready and willing to use our expertise, data, time and support for immediate action".

 

 

Key facts:

• Original publication: Raquel Peixoto, Christian R. Voolstra, Lisa Y. Stein, Philip Hugenholtz, Joana Falcao Salles, Shady A. Amin, Max Häggblom, Ann Gregory, Thulani P. Makhalanyane, Fengping Wang, Nadège Adoukè Agbodjato, Yinzhao Wang, Nianzhi Jiao, Jay T. Lennon, Antonio Ventosa, Patrik M. Bavoil, Virginia Miller & Jack A. Gilbert. Microbial solutions must be deployed against climate catastrophe. Published in 14 scientific journals, November 2024.

Link (Nature Communications): https://www.nature.com/articles/s41564-024-01861-0
 

• Christian Voolstra is professor of genetics of adaptation in aquatic systems at the University of Konstanz. With his research, he has been working for years to mitigate the impacts on corals from climate change. He is the president of the International Coral Reef Society (ICRS).
   
• To save coral reefs from climate change, Christian Voolstra recently proposed to declare coral protection a human right.