The Heidelberg Appeal (1992)

We want to make our full contribution to the preservation of our common heritage, the Earth.

We are, however, worried at the dawn of the twenty-first century, at the emergence of an irrational ideology which is opposed to scientific and industrial progress and impedes economic and social development.

We contend that a Natural State, sometimes idealized by movements with a tendency to look toward the past, does not exist and has probably never existed since man's first appearance in the biosphere, insofar as humanity has always progressed by increasingly harnessing Nature to its needs and not the reverse. We full subscribe to the objectives of a scientific ecology for a universe whose resources must be taken stock of, monitored and preserved.

But we herewith demand that this stock-taking, monitoring and preservation be founded on scientific criteria and not on irrational preconceptions.

We stress that many essential human activities are carried out either by manipulating hazardous substances or in their proximity, and that progress and development have always involved increasing control over hostile forces, to the benefit of mankind.

We therefore consider that scientific ecology is no more than extension of this continual progress toward the improved life of future generations.

We intend to assert science's responsibility and duties toward society as a whole.

We do, however, forewarn the authorities in charge of our planet's destiny against decisions which are supported by pseudoscientific arguments or false and nonrelevant data.

We draw everybody's attention to the absolute necessity of helping poor countries attain a level of sustainable development which matches that of the rest of the planet, protecting them from troubles and dangers stemming from developed nations, and avoiding their entanglement in a web of unrealistic obligations which would compromise both their independence and their dignity.

The greatest evils which stalk our Earth are ignorance and oppression, and not Science, Technology, and Industry, whose instruments, when adequately managed, are indispensable tools of a future shaped by Humanity, by itself and for itself, overcoming major problems like overpopulation, starvation and worldwide diseases.

Some of the more than 4000 signers (*Denotes Nobel Prize Winner):

• Bruce N. Ames, Director, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences Center, Berkeley/Biochemistry/U.S.A.
• *Phillip W. Anderson, Nobel Prize (Physics), Princeton University/Physics/U.S.A.
• *Christian B. Anfinsen, Nobel Prize (Chemistry), John Hopkins University/Baltimore/Biology/U.S.A. Henri Atlan, Professor, Head of Nuclear Medicine Department, Hotel Dieu, Paris/Nuclear Medicine/France
• *Julius Axelrod, Nobel Prize (Medicine), Lab. Of Cell Biology Nat. Institute of Mental Health/Cell Biology/U.S.A.
• Aden Bauleiu-Inserm, Academia. of Sciences, France, National Institute of Sciences, U.S.A. Lasker Prize/Endocrinology/France
• *Baruj Benacerraf, Nobel Prize (Medicine), National Medal of Science, President, Dana-Farber, Inc./Cancerology/U.S.A.
• *Hans Albrecht Bethe, Nobel Prize (Physics), Emeritus Professor, Cornell University/Ithaca/NY/Nuclear Physics/U.S.A.
• *Sir James W. Black, Nobel Prize (Medicine), Professor Of Analytical Pharmacology King's College, London/ Pharmacology/United Kingdom
• *Nicholas Bloembergen, Nobel Prize (Physics), Harvard University/Physics/U.S.A.
• Sir Hermann Bondi, Emeritus Professor Of Mathematics King's College University Master of Churchill College Cambridge/Mathematics/United Kingdom
• *Norman E, Borlaug, Nobel Prize (Peace), Scientific Consultant CAMWOOD, Mexico Pdt. Sasakawa African Assoc./Agriculture/U.S.A.
• Pierre Bourdieu, College de France/Sociology/France
• *Adolph Butenandt, Nobel Prize (Chemistry), Honorary President, Max-Planck-Institute/Chemistry/Germany
• *Thomas R. Cech, Nobel Prize (Chemistry), University of Colorado/Chemistry/U.S.A.
• Carlos Chagas, Academia Pontificia, WIS/Medicine/Brasil
• *Owen Chamberlain, Professor, Nobel Prize (Physics), Emeritus Professor, University Of California/Berkeley/U.S.A.
• *Stanley Cohen, Nobel Prize (Medicine), Distinguished Professor, Department of Biochemistry, Vanderbilt University/Biochemistry/U.S.A.
• *Sir John Warcup Cornforth, Nobel Prize (Chemistry), School of Chemistry and Molecular Sciences, Brighton/Chemistry/United Kingdom
• *Jean Dausset, Nobel Prize (Medicine), Academia. of Sciences, France, Pres. U.M.S.E., W.I.S., Paris/Immunology/France
• *Gerald Debreu, Nobel Prize (Economy), Emeritus Professor of Economics and Mathematics, University Of California/Economy/U.S.A.
• *Johan Deisenhofer, Nobel Prize (Chemistry), University of Texas, Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas/Biochemistry/U.S.A.
• Sir Richard Doll, Emeritus Professor Of Medicine, Radcliffe Infirmary, Oxford/Epidemiology/United Kingdom
• *Christian de Duve, Nobel Prize (Medicine), Biology/Belgium
• *Manfred Eigen, Nobel Prize (Chemistry), President of Max-Plank-Institute, Göttingen/Chemistry/Germany
• *Richard R. Ernst, Nobel Prize (Chemistry), Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, Zurich/Chemistry/Switzerland
• *Pierre-Gilles de Gennes, Nobel Prize (Physics), Academia. of Sciences, Professor, College de France, Paris/Physics/France
• *Ivar Giaever, Nobel Prize (Physics), Institute Professor, R.P.I./Physics/U.S.A.
• *Donald A. Glaser, Nobel Prize (Physics), Professor of Physics, University of California/Physics/U.S.A.
• Francois Gros, Professor, College de France, Academia of Sciences, France, Vice President of WIS, Paris/Biology of development/France
• *Roger Guillemin, Nobel Prize (Medicine), Whittier Institute, La Jolla/Medicine/U.S.A.
• *Herbert A. Hauptman, Nobel Prize (Chemistry), Pres. Med. Found. of Buffalo/ Professor of Biophysics/U.S.A.
• Harald zur Hausen, Professor, Dr., Director of German Cancer Research Center, Heidelberg/Cancerology/Germany
• Mrs. Francoise Heritier-Auge, Professor, College de France, President Cons Nat. Sida Dir, Ehess/Anthropology/France
• *Dudley R. Herschbach, Nobel Prize (Chemistry), Baird Professor Of Science, Harvard University, Cambridge/Chemistry/U.S.A.
• *Gerhard Herzberg, Nobel Prize (Chemistry), National Research Council of Canada, Chemistry / Canada
• Benno Hess, Professor, Doctor, Honorary Senator and Former Vice President, Max-Planck-Society/Biophysics/Germany
• *Anthony Jewish, Nobel Prize (Physics), Professor, Cavendish Laboratory, Cambridge University Physics, United Kingdom
• *Roald Hoffman, Nobel Prize (Chemistry), Professor Of Chemistry, Cornell University/Chemistry/U.S.A.
• *Robert Huber, Nobel Prize (Chemistry), Max-Planck-Institute for Biochemistry, Biochemistry/Germany
• *Sir Andrew Fielding Huxley, Nobel Prize (Medicine), Formerly President of London, Medicine/United Kingdom
• Serguei Petrovich Kapitza, Professor of Sciences, Institute for Physical Problems, Physics, electrodynamics/Russia
• *Jerome Karle, Nobel Prize (Chemistry), Chief Scientist, Lab for Structure of Matter, Chemistry/U.S.A.
• *Sir John Kendrew, Nobel Prize (Chemistry), Professor, The Old Guildhall, Cambridge, Molecular Biology/United Kingdom
• *Klaus Von Klitzing, Nobel Prize (Physics), Professor, Max-Planck-Institute Solid State Research, Stuttgart/Physics/Germany
• *Aaron Klug, Nobel Prize (Chemistry), M.R.C. Lab. of Molecular Biology, Cambridge/Chemistry/United Kingdom
• *Edwin G. Krebs, Nobel Prize (Medicine), Professor Emeritus, Department of Pharmacy & Biochemistry, University of Washington/Biochemistry/U.S.A.
• *Leon Lederman, Nobel Prize (Physics), Director Emeritus, Fermi Nat'l Accelerator Laboratory, Nuclear Physics/U.S.A.
• *Yuan T. Lee, Nobel Prize (Chemistry), Professor of Chemistry, University of California/Berkeley/U.S.A.
• *Jean-Marie Lehn, Nobel Prize (Chemistry), Professor, College de France, W.I.S. Chemistry/France
• Pierre Lelong, Professor, Academy of Sciences/Mathematics/France
• *Wassily Leontief, Nobel Prize (Economy), Professor, New York University/Economy/U.S.A.
• *Rita Levi-Montalcini, Nobel Prize (Medicine), Academia Lincei, Academia Pontificia, Neurosciences/Italy
• André Linchnerowicz, Professor, Academia of Sciences France, Academia Lincei, Academia Pontificia, President of W.I.S., Mathematical Physics/France
• Richard S. Lindzen, Professor, US National Academy of Sciences, M.I.T., Meteorology/U.S.A.
• *William N. Lipscomb, Nobel Prize Winner (Chemistry), Professor Emeritus, Harvard University, Cambridge/Chemistry/U.S.A.
• *Harry M. Markowitz, Nobel Prize (Economics), Speizer Professor of Finance, Baruch College/U.S.A.
• *Simon van der Meer, Nobel Prize (Physics), Geneva/Nuclear Physics/Switzerland
• *Cesar Milstein, Nobel Prize (Physiology), Dr Cambridge/Physiology/United Kingdom
• *Sir. Nevil F. Mott, Nobel Prize Winner (Physics), Emeritus Professor, Cambridge University, Physics/United Kingdom
• *Joseph Murray, Nobel Prize (Medicine), Professor, Dr Surgery, Harvard Medical School/Cell Biology/U.S.A.
• *Daniel Nathans, Nobel Prize (Medicine), Professor, John Hopkins University, School of Medicine, Baltimore/Molecular Genetics/U.S.A.
• Daniel W. Nebert, Professor, Director, Center for Environmental Genetics, University of Cincinnati, Genetics/U.S.A.
• *Louis Neel, Nobel Prize (Physics), Physics/France
• *Erwin Neher, Nobel Prize (Medicine), Doctor, Director, Max-Planck-Institute Biophysics, Göttingen/Biophysics/Germany
• *Marshall W. Nirenberg, Nobel Prize (Medicine), National Institutes of Health, Bethesda/Medicine/U.S.A.
• *George E. Palade, Nobel Prize (Medicine), Professor, Division of Cellular & Molecular Medical, Cell Medicine/U.S.A.
• *Linus Pauling, Nobel Prize (Chemistry, Peace), Professor, Linus Pauling Institute/Chemistry/U.S.A.
• Jean-Claude Pecker, Professor Hon, College de France, Academia of Sciences, Royal Academy of Belgium /Astrophysics/France
• *Amo A. Penzias, Nobel Prize (Physics), Professor, Bell Laboratories, Murray Hill/Physics/U.S.A.
• *Max Ferdinand Perutz, Nobel Prize (Chemistry), MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Cambridge/Biochemistry/United Kingdom
• Julian Peto, Professor, Head , Section of Epidemiology, Institute of Cancer Research, London/Epidemiology/United Kingdom
• Richard Peto, Professor of Medical Statistics & Epidemiology, University of Oxford/Epidemiology/United Kingdom
• *John Charles Polanyi, Nobel Prize (Chemistry), Professor Of Chemistry, University of Toronto/Chemistry/Canada
• *Lord George Porter, Nobel Prize (Chemistry), Professor, Chairman, Photomolec, Sc Imperial College, London/Chemistry/United Kingdom
• *I. Prigogine, Nobel Prize (Chemistry), Professor, Director, Institutes International de Physique et de Chimique, Bruxelles/Chemistry/Belgium
• A. Prochiantz, Pr, Director of Research CNRS, Ecole Normale Superieure, Paris, Pharmacology/France
• Ichtiaque Rasool, Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena/Physics/France
• *Tadeus Reichstein, Nobel Prize (Medicine), Professor Emeritus, Org Chemistry, University of Basel/Organic Chemistry/Switzerland
• *Heinrich Rohrer, Nobel Prize (Physics), IBM Research Laboratory, Physics/Switzerland
• *Bert Sakmann, Nobel Prize (Medicine), Professor, Max-Planck-Institute for Medical Research, Heidelberg/Cell Biology/Germany
• *Abdus Salam, Nobel Prize (Physics), International Centre for Theoretical Physics, Italy
• Jonas Salk, Distinguished Pr., Dr , International Health Sciences/Biology/USA
• Evry Schatzman, Professor, Academia of Sciences/France/Astrophysics/France
• *Arthur L. Schawlow, Nobel Prize (Physics), Stanford University/Physics/U.S.A.
• G. Schettler, Professor, Director, Former President, Academy of Sciences, Heidelberg/Cardiology/Germany
• Elie A. Shneour, Professor, Director, Biosystems Research Institute, San Diego, California/U.S.A.
• *Kai Siegbahn, Nobel Prize (Physics), Physics/Suede
• S. Fred Singer, Professor of Environmental Sciences, University of Virginia, Director of the Washington S.E.P.P, Environmental Sciences/U.S.A.
• *Richard Laurence Millington Synge, Nobel Prize (Chemistry), Biochemistry/United Kingdom
• GP Talwar, Professor Emeritus, National Institute of Immunology, Academia of Sciences, India /Immunology/India
• *Jan Tinbergen, Nobel Prize (Economy), Economy/Netherlands
• *Lord Alexander Todd, Nobel Prize (Chemistry), Chemistry-United Kingdom
• Alvin Toffler, Author-Futurist-Futurology-U.S.A.
• *Charles H. Townes, Nobel Prize (Physics), W.I.S. Professor Emeritus, Physics, University of California, Berkeley-Physics-U.S.A.
• Ren Truhaut, Professor, Pharmacology Faculté des Sciences Pharmaceutiques, Paris/Toxicology/France
• *Sir John R. Vane , Nobel Prize (Medicine), Professor, Chairman of William Harvey Research Institute, London/Endocrinology/United Kingdom
• *Harold E. Varmus, Nobel Prize (Medicine), Professor of Microbiology, University of California, San Francisco/Microbiology/U.S.A.
• *Thomas Huckle Weller, Nobel Prize (Medicine), Professor Emeritus, Harvard/Medicine/U.S.A.
• *Elie Wiesel, Nobel Prize (Peace), University of Boston/ Literature/U.S.A.
• *Torsten N. Wiesel, Nobel Prize (Medicine), Professor, Lab of Neurobiology, Rockefeller University of New York, Neurobiology/U.S.A.
• *Robert W. Wilson, Nobel Prize (Physics), Head, Radio Physics Research Department, AT&T Bell Laboratories/Physics/U.S.A.

Background
The Heidelberg Appeal was released to the public at the 1992 Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro. By the end of the summit, 425 scientists and other intellectual leaders had signed the appeal.

Today, thousands of signatories, including many Nobel Prize winners, from more than 100 countries have signed the Heidelberg Appeal. In spite of this tremendous and growing support from the world's scientific community, it has received little media attention.

Neither a statement of corporate interests nor a denial of environmental problems, the Heidelberg Appeal is a quiet call for reason and a recognition of scientific progress as the solution to, not the cause of, the health and environmental problems that we face.

The Appeal expresses a conviction that modern society is the best equipped in human history to solve the world's ills, provided that they do not sacrifice science, intellectual honesty, and common sense to political opportunism and irrational fears.

Thus, the Heidelberg Appeal is wholeheartedly supported by CFACT Europe.