亚太坐在全球科学游行中

When scientists joined non-scientists on Earth Day (April 22) to march for science and against气候变化, the vulnerable Asia-Pacific region, and much of the developing world, were conspicuously missing.

The nerve centres for the march were Washington, London and Paris, but media reported smaller satellite marches in 600 or more cities all over the world on the same day.

从社交媒体授权的数万个城市中，成千上万的科学家即使一天都与非科学家在一起是一项成就。

Scientists "are not famous for their camaraderie," a professor of carbon management at the University of Edinburgh, David Reay, has said. "We are trained to question, criticise and, where needed, contest each other's work.”

Unfortunately, the march happened mostly in the West and hardly a word was heard from Asia-Pacific and the developing world in general. There was a sense that the march was driven by politics—to which scientists are known to be allergic.

但是，第一个全球科学游行有两个非政治目标：捍卫科学并捍卫地球免受气候变化的威胁及其否认者。

“科学家并不以其友情而闻名，我们受过训练来质疑，批评并在需要的地方竞争彼此的工作。”

爱丁堡大学David Reay

For scientists concerned about the threat of climate change mainly, this first worldwide march for science was rather timely, happening soon after the Paris Climate Change Agreement came into force in 2016. The Paris Agreement’s central aim is to keep global temperature rise this century well below 2 degrees Celsius, and as low as 1.5 degrees Celsius. The march gives needed impetus to push the accord forward.

同时，游行者坚定地捍卫科学，以防止“替代事实”的威胁，因为他们挥舞着标语牌，大喊：“停止对事实的攻击！以替代性事实！让我们的科学伟大！告诉纳税人，纳税人为什么科学很重要！”

The beginnings of the movement were apparently triggered by “that guy over there” in the White House. According to the placards, it happened when U.S. President Trump’s blueprint budget proposed to cut $12.6 billion from the Department of Health and Human Services.

Asian scientists missing

We therefore note with dismay that Asian world scientists were not more prominent in this March for Science. Except for Tokyo, Seoul and Manila, not a peep. The giant economies of China, India and Indonesia were conspicuous by their absence.

东南亚国家协会（东盟）的10个成员国（东盟）在三月时在马尼拉举行了峰会会议，无处可听到。在马尼拉，菲律宾350.org在网站上只有一个小的示威游行和公开声明，呼吁逐步淘汰化石燃料的使用，并转移了Agham青年和激进主义者的可再生能源。

但是，我们希望这次游行已经打破冰，不会做一个。过去，我们在这一专栏中多次争辩说，亚洲和发展中国家科学家应该从实验室中出来，并就当天的问题大声疾呼。他们当然对科学问题及其对社会的影响更加知识。

科学家可以考虑几种行动。For instance, engage in politics like in the Philippines when they recently formed a political party and got elected to Congress (although they lost the following election).这将确保国会通过的法律基于证据。

科学家可以游说在科学问题上向法院提供更多建议，并避免重复最近的菲律宾最高法院决定永久禁止现场测试转基因茄子, a decision which a Philippine national scientist called “quaint.”

大约10,000名著名且潜在的有影响力的科学家，他们是50个国家学院的成员science and technology在亚太地区，可以表达自己的声音。

这些发展中国家的杰出公民应该在象征意义上走上街头，就科学在社会中的作用进行讲座，并争取更大的政府科学预算。

We urge that the United Nations proclaim a month for science each year—March—and call it March for Science. Earth Day, April 22, should focus on the environment.

让科学家的声音听到。让游行继续。

Crispin C. Maslog, a former journalist with Agence France-Presse, is an environmental activist and former science professor at Silliman University and University of the Philippines Los Banos, Philippines. He is a founding member and currently Chair of the Board, Asian Media Information and Communication Centre based in Manila.

This piece was produced by SciDev.Net’s Asia & Pacific desk.