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People have compared the March for Science Melbourne to the record-breaking Melbourne Climate March in 2015.

By YIQIONG SHANG

Tomorrow’s Earth Day will see thousands of Melburnians attend the March for Science, joining tens of thousands of people around Australia and the world.

Melbourne’s march will start at 1pm outside the State Library and finish in the Treasury Gardens, with organisers aiming for an attendance of 1000 people.

The marches aim to highlight the need for stable investment in science, higher levels of scientific literacy, open communication of scientific findings and evidence-based public policy.

Earth Day Network global director Dan Abrams said the significant interest in the marches showed that Earth Day continued to increase in popularity and relevance.

“This year, our theme is Climate and Environmental Literacy to build an educated populace that will internalise environmental values. Earth Day Network is co-organising the March for Science Rally … in favour of fact-based public policy that serves us all,” he said. 

Why march?

The idea for the marches developed in late January after US President Donald Trump’s administration began rolling back many climate change programs and imposed a freeze on federal grant spending at the Environmental Protection Agency.

Organiser for Melbourne’s March for Science Kate Ferris said Earth Day was more important than ever with the existence of climate change being denied by “the developed world’s leading CO2 emitter”.

“We’ve just seen the election in the United States of one of the world’s biggest climate change deniers … and I think if somebody like that can get elected in one of the most powerful positions in the world, I’m terrified that that’s going to have a global impact, let alone a local political impact as well,” Ms Ferris said.

“To me it’s very important that we pay respect to mother Earth … and part of that is acknowledging that climate change is real, and it’s the result of our human activities on this Earth.”

American molecular geneticist and lead organiser for Canberra’s March for Science Dr Erin Vaughn, based at the Australian National University, said the marches were more than just a reaction to President Trump.

“We must stand with people around the world in support of the global pursuit of knowledge. We must take a stand now to support science locally and to show our prime ministers that we value science and the worth that it brings to the health, safety, and well-being of the people of Australia,” she said.

What is Earth Day?

For nearly five decades Earth Day has highlighted the need for clean and sustainable communities across the world.

In 1970, millions of Americans came together for the first time to rally for environmental protection. Since then, the cause has grown globally with millions of events taking place annually.

On Earth Day last year, 174 countries signed global climate change action plan the Paris Agreement.

Former science teacher and volunteer for March for Science Melbourne Glen Jackson said Earth Day was important for the awareness it could bring to a wider audience.

“I urge people not just to think about the earth on Earth Day but to get proactively involved in doing something for it,” he said.

“Become more informed about the issue of climate change or ecological destruction and engage in conversations about these topics with your school or workmates; write a letter to a politician about an issue you feel strongly about; eat a little less red meat; or come and join us at the March for Science.

“It is not enough to just pat yourself on the back for thinking good thoughts. We really need everyday people to get involved.”

Wellbeing and sustainability engagement manager at Monash University Anne Ohlmus said Earth Day was valued around the university.

“We promote events like Earth Day, Earth Hour, World Environment Day, Ride to Work Day, Fairtrade Fortnight and others … to raise awareness among our staff and students and to show them how they can reduce their impact on the environment,” she said.

Currently there are more than 800 people who have clicked "going" on Melbourne’s March for Science Facebook event and 1600 who are interested in attending.

New York’s March for Science event is expected to be the biggest with 12, 000 people clicking attend and 30,000 who have indicated interest.