Our Work
Building upon the Microbiologists’ Warning movement to raise awareness of the role that microbes play in a changing climate, we aim to promote microbial research connected to environmental change. We bring together the global scientific community to advance these efforts and ensure that microbes become increasingly infused into frameworks for addressing climate change.
Microbes as Solutions to Climate Change
Climate change is among the most pressing threats facing all life on Earth, including microorganisms. Mitigating its effects requires in-depth understanding of the factors contributing to climate variability and those that can remediate it.
As such, microorganisms, the most abundant organisms on Earth, must be acknowledged as critical to achieving an environmentally sustainable future, and ignoring them risks the fate of humanity.
If you are interested in receiving regular, scientific updates about the interactions between microbes and climate change and timely content about possible microbial solutions for climate change, sign up for our email mailing list.
Raising Awareness: Microbiologists' Warning to Humanity
In 2019, a group of scientists built upon the and founded the Microbiologists' Warning to Humanity website to raise awareness of these messages. Founders of the site invited the global scientific community to endorse the Consensus Statement “," which calls for microbiologists to become engaged with climate action and for microbial research to become increasingly infused into the frameworks for addressing climate change.
Over 1,000 scientists and more than 70 societies and academies signed their name in support of the Consensus Statement, including ASM.
Breaking Down Silos and Connecting the Climate Change Community
In 2023, the Microbiologists’ Warning on Climate Change initiative became a part of ASM. We are committed to building upon efforts to raise awareness about the integral function of microbes to all ecosystems and environmental changes, and we aim to continue to bring this message to the larger community.
ASM’s Climate Change and Microbes Scientific Portfolio aims to raise awareness of the role that microbes play in a changing global climate, promote microbial research and funding connected to environmental change and, ultimately, ensure that microbiology becomes an inherent part of the solutions and strategies developed to combat climate change and . Keep up with these efforts. Join a robust community of climate change scientists and continue to receive resources and updates about climate change and microbes by .
If you are interested in partnering with our efforts to mitigate climate chanage, or have resources to share, we want to hear from you! Please reach out.
Translations
View translations of the Microbiologist’s Warning in the following languages:
Disclaimer: Translations into languages other than English were made by volunteers and are provided as a resource for the non-English-reading public. ASM does not warrant or guarantee accuracy of the translations provided by the Microbiologist's Warning site.
Featured Funding Opportunities
- from the National Science Foundation. Opportunity closes Nov. 20, 2024.
- from the National Science Foundation. Opportunity closes Jan. 23, 2025.
- from the National Science Foundation. Opportunity closes Sept. 5, 2025.
- from the National Institutes of Health. Opportunity closes May 7, 2026.
- from the National Science Foundation. Opportunity closes Aug. 3, 2026.