A scientist and environmental activist, who has just completed an assignment in Papua New Guinea, claims that the German institute he works for is threatening to fire him because refuses to return to Germany with airplane, to protect the climate.

51-year-old Italian Gianluca Grimalda is a researcher at the Institute for the World Economy (IfW) based in Kiel. At the end of September he received an ultimatum from his employer: to return as soon as possible, by plane, as the Scientist Rebellion movement reported today. Grimalda is a member of this climate activist group that has become known for its “civil disobedience” actions. The team states that the researcher will be fired if he does not comply.

Grimalda has spent the past six months living in Papua New Guinea, studying the social impacts of climate change in this Pacific island nation.

“I consider it unethical to take the plane when there is an alternative with less carbon dioxide emissions,” this slow travel fan explained in a letter.

To go to Papua New Guinea he started his journey from Germany in February. He traveled 16,000 kilometers, out of a total of 22,000, “by train, bus and ship”. It passed through, among others, Iran and Pakistan and took 35 days. But this way he was able to reduce carbon dioxide emissions to 2 tons, instead of 4, if he traveled by plane.

The institute, contacted by AFP, said it “encourages its partners to travel in ways that respect the climate” but “does not want to comment publicly on internal issues related to its staff”.

The researcher, who also claims his work in Papua New Guinea was interrupted twice, mainly after a kidnapping by former separatist rebels, said he suggested to his employer that he take unpaid leave. The proposal was not accepted.

In 2022, Grimalda participated in many actions of the group Scientist Rebellion, whose members have the dual status of scientist and environmental activist.