Statement on Academic and Research Freedom

Environmental Economists’ Statement on Academic and Research Freedom

Academic freedom has been recently challenged in many countries and in different ways, including via legal or financial constraints on universities to influence their curriculum and research agenda. In line with the principles expressed in the EAERE Statement of Scientific Integrity, we are united on the following:

Academic freedom is a fundamental pillar of democratic societies, a basic ethical principle underlying science and a key pre-condition for good research. Academic freedom produces and spreads new ideas. It has a multiplier effect on creativity and facilitates thinking ‘outside the box’, which historically has led to innovative solutions to complex scientific problems.

Recent attacks on academic freedom in several world regions constrain future research and reduce the capacity of the scientific community to pursue new solutions to existing challenges, with long-run effects on our future economic, social and technological paths.

Ensuring that the core principles of academic freedom and institutional autonomy are defended and promoted across Europe, as well as in our international research collaborations, remains critical to uphold the integrity and quality of research, in environmental economics and beyond.

Academic freedom and the research that follows are the drivers of sound and sustainable economic growth and well-being, and it generates positive spillovers across countries. Therefore, it should be preserved and promoted by governments in all countries and for all scientific areas, including (but not limited to) the study of the complex environmental and climate problems mankind has to face.

EAERE supports and promotes an open dialogue among all scientists and with all social actors. Diversity of research paths and academic opinions enriches our scientific results as well as our societies. Moreover, EAERE firmly supports international cooperation in R&D and policies as key means to spread and share the outcome of free academic research and education. EAERE calls strongly on international institutions and national governments to respect academic freedom and supports all scientists experiencing constraints in academic freedom, whatever their research area, country, gender, race, ethnicity or political opinions.