He had announced his choice on his social networks and received a lot of support. An Italian scientist and environmental activist on assignment in Papua New Guinea has denounced that he was fired by his German employer because of his repeated refusal to fly back to Europe, in the name of climate protection and his ecological anxiety.
Gianluca Grimalda, a researcher at the Institute for the World Economy (IfW), based in Kiel (northern Germany), received a letter in mid-October telling him that their "working relationship has ended". No reason is specified in this letter.
Yesterday I was notified that @kielinstitute ended their contract with me. I thought the big support my story received made them change their mind,but no.I have no regrets in standing by my principles of #RefuseToFly. Read why in my piece for @guardianeco👉 https://t.co/jDXejJMenY
— dr. gianluca grimalda (@GGrimalda) October 12, 2023
A few days earlier, the scientist, a specialist in social psychology, had received an ultimatum from his employer telling him to "fly home" or face dismissal, which he had refused. "With just one plane ride, I would have emitted as much CO2 as a person on average over a year. It's absolutely unthinkable for me," he said from Bougainville.
Gianluca Grimalda, a 51-year-old Italian national, has just spent six months studying the social effects of climate change in Papua New Guinea, an island nation in the Pacific Ocean. An environmental activist and member of the Scientist Rebellion collective, he had already decided to take only "the train, bus and boat" for his outward journey in February, for two-thirds of the route, i.e. 16,000 km out of a total of 22,000 km from Germany.
He suffers from climate anxiety
For his return, the researcher wanted to do the same, with an arrival in Kiel, in agreement with his employer, scheduled for 10 September. But its work has been delayed. The researcher says he was the victim of a hostage-taking fomented by former independence fighters, while the eruption of a volcano led to the cancellation of a trip.
Ready to embark on reduced-carbon trip from Germany to Papua New Guinea for research. I'll travel 2/3 of the 22,500km distance by rail,coach,& ferry over~224hours,reducing CO2 emissions by 2,4tons of CO2. Return is planned #NoFly. #slowtravel #ClimateCrisis. 1/ 🧵 pic.twitter.com/O3fyqlzeRY
— dr. gianluca grimalda (@GGrimalda) February 13, 2023
The IfW Kiel institute then asked him to return to 2 October, a deadline that has now passed. The scientist says he suffers from "climate anxiety", which he says was confirmed by a local doctor. "If I fly, I might have a panic attack," he says.
"What's happening right now with the climate is frightening, and it's happening very fast," Grimalda said. He stated that, once he returned to Germany, he wanted to challenge the dismissal in court, citing mental health reasons. When contacted, the institute said it does not "comment publicly on internal personnel issues" in order to "protect the privacy of employees".