Manifesto: Scientists against War. For Peace, Cooperation and Development.

This Manifesto was issued by OTC – Organização dos Trabalhadores Científicos, Portugal.

Sign the petition here:
https://www.change.org/OTC-MANIFESTO-CIENTISTAS_CONTRA_A_GUERRA

Versão Portuguesa: https://otc.pt/wp/2026/03/10/manifesto-scientists-against-war-for-peace-cooperation-and-development/
Version française : https://otc.pt/wp/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/MANIFESTE-DES-SCIENTIFIQUES-CONTRE-LA-GUERRE.pdf
Versión española: https://otc.pt/wp/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/MANIFIESTO_CIENTIFICOS-CONTRA-LA-GUERRA.pdf

We are living through difficult and dangerous times on our planet, the only known natural celestial body that harbours life. As men and women of science, we know the impact of scientific knowledge on society, on the lives of each of its members, and on nature in general. We know that science is a double-edged sword, reminiscent of the biblical symbolism of the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil. Advances in fundamental science have translated into accelerated technological development, which has intensified since the mid-20th century and continues to this day. The possession of new means to impose oneself by force has exacerbated the competition between powerful interests that determine the positioning of nation-states in the international arena in the pursuit of control over territories and natural resources.
Nuclear weapons, first used in the final moments of World War II, created a new situation: the possibility of ending life on Earth through human action. Nuclear holocaust is an existential threat that should not be ignored, especially since in the past disaster was close to happening due to human error or technical failure. The multiple ongoing conflicts, active or latent, the evolution of so-called conventional warfare into “modern” forms of hybrid or asymmetric warfare — clearly a result of the perverse application of technological advances provided by science — do not contribute to mitigating, but rather increase, the risks of a foolish deviation towards the use of nuclear weapons. Not to mention, of course, the trail of lives lost and material destruction that any war entails, even without the use of those weapons. It is important to note that the present time is marked, unfortunately, by the total deconstruction of the building painstakingly erected during the years of the so-called ‘Cold War’ and the decade that followed: the bilateral treaties between the two major nuclear powers, the basis of so-called nuclear deterrence. Today we are witnessing a growing trend of militarization of economies that strengthens profit-driven military-industrial complexes and fuels a global cycle of conflict, war, and arms proliferation. This is a disastrous cycle in which resources and means are invested disproportionately compared to those that, sporadically and often irregularly, are directed towards combating the profound social inequalities and deprivations of all kinds suffered daily by billions of human beings, from food to health and education. These deficiencies are exacerbated by the repetition of extreme weather events, attributable to human activity, which translate into significant loss of life and material damage with profound social repercussions, especially in the poorest countries.

Furthermore, it is undeniable that war, the multiple military conflicts of different scales and natures, as well as the actual operation of military equipment, even in contexts of absence of war, significantly contribute to the worsening of conditions that drive climate change.

We have entered a vicious cycle in which weapons and rearmament are not a guarantee of peace but an incentive for war. Nothing can dissipate the dark clouds that form and linger over our heads without an understanding between powers that leads to a new type of relationship based on respect for the vital interests of the parties involved.

Given the scale of current and potential dangers, inaction and apparent neutrality amount to passive complicity. As scientists, intellectuals, educators, and citizens, we have a duty not only to sound the alarm but also to actively engage in the efforts necessary to confront current and future threats. History will judge us by our ability to resist the logic of destruction that governs the present and to build the conditions for a just, peaceful, and viable future for all.