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Home , Antony Hewish, Bert Sakmann, Burton Richter, Georg Bednorz, Henry Taube, Ilya Prigogine

THE SECRETARY-GENERAL

27 March 2002

Excellency,

I write to thank you for your letter of 21 March 2002 conveying a statement signed by over 100 Nobel Laureates and the article from Science.

I was most grateful to receive a copy of this important statement, and the interesting accompanying commentary.

With my best regards,

Yours sincerely,

His Excellency Mr. Paul Heinbecker Permanent Representative of Canada to the United Nations New York 'Pernrait.imi

One Dag Hammarskjold Plaza 885 Second Avenue, 14th Floor New York, N.Y. 10017 ,,

March 21,2002

H.E. Mr. Kofi Annan Secretary General of EXECUTIVE UFFiCE The United Nations OF7HESECEEWSENERAI Room S-3800A United Nations Plaza New York, N.Y. 10017

Excellency,

At the request of Mr.. JohnPglanyi, Canadian Nobel Laureate (, 198^Tam hereby conveymg abatement signed by in excess of 100 of your Mow Nobel Laureates, thit^as publishedin early December. Also attached is an excerptfrorn Science magazine which discusses the assertion ofhe Laureates' statement that "the most profound danger to world peace m Ae coming years will stem not from the irrational acts of states or individuals, but from the legitimate demands of the world's dispossessed.1'

Yours sincerely,

Paul Heinbecker Ambassador and Permanent Representative NEWS OF THE WEEK NOBEL STATEMENT the world's dispossessed. ... If, then, we per- mit the devastating power of modern Laureates Plead for weaponry to spread through this combustible human landscape, we invite a conflagration Laws, Not War that can engulf both rich and poor." Healthy Investment Spending more OTTAWA—A majority of the world's living "Science alone, technology alone, is not on health care in the developing world Nobel laureates issued a statement last week sufficient to deal with these issues," says would save , reduce conflicts, and urging industrial nations to work coopera- Massachusetts Institute of Technology boost the economy, a panel of 18 tively to address conditions that they believe and 1995 Nobel recipient Mario economists, health experts, and scien- contribute to global terrorism and unrest in Molina. "We need strong commitments and tists argues in a report presented this the developing world. The statement, signed values from society that technology and sci- week to World Health Organization by 108 laureates and released at the 100th ence are put to good use." The statement (WHO) director-general Cro Harlem anniversary of the prizes, identifies poverty, mentions the Convention on Climate Brundtland. Echoing views long espoused global warming, and the spread of arms as a Change, the Strategic Arms Reduction by its chair, Harvard economist Jeffrey combustible mix, and it points to several in- Treaties, the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty, Sachs, the panel says that middle-income ternational agreements as examples of the and the ABM Treaty as agreements fostering countries should spend an additional 2% kinds of measures that should a similar spirit of of their gross national product on health be encouraged. Ironically, a community. U.S. with- and rich nations should chip in an extra few days after the statement drawal from the ABM 0.1%. Most of the money—some $66 bil- was released, the Bush Admin- Treaty is a "serious lion by 2015—should go to getting drugs istration announced that the mistake," Polanyi says, and vaccines to needy people, with $3 is withdrawing adding that nations are billion set aside for basic research and a from one of those agreements, "fooling themselves" "global NIH" that would target common the 1972 Anti-Ballistic Missile if they think safety but poorly understood diseases. The pan- (ABM) Treaty. can be found behind el estimates that the investment would be repaid sixfold in economic expansion. The message "is a call, not the protective walls Sachs hopes such numbers will start to arms, but to disarm the of new missile screens. swaying national health spending deci- source of major tensions in the Crawling into an sions as early as 2002. In the meantime, world," says the University of armed hole offers only he says, big pharma should make its Toronto's , a 1986 the pretence of safety, drugs cheaper for poor countries. chemistry laureate and the driv- Polanyi argues. Polanyi began talk- PCAST Named The Bush Administration ing to his Nobel colleagues has unveiled its President's Council of Advi- last July about drafting the sors on Science and Technology.The presi- statement. About 30 laureates dent introduced his 22 picks and said that declined, he says, for reasons they would begin work by producing reports that vary from its omission of on information technology infrastructure, population control to a gener- increasing federal science spending in fields al distaste for political com- likely to produce economic benefits, improv- mentary. Many laureates who ing energy efficiency, and combating terror- initially thought that the state- ism. The panel (see sciencenow.sciencemag. ment might be presumptuous org/feature/data/pcastshtml) will be led by or an oracle of the future White House science adviser John Marburg- changed their minds, he er and investor E. Floyd Kvamme. notes, after deciding that "the The council's makeup—just one mem- ber is a working scientist, more than half alternative, having a high lev- come from industry, and many served el of education and some Bush's father—suggests that "the Bush Ad- Bully pulpit. Some 108 living -winners have signed public prominence and not ministration is moving even further than on to John Polanyi's 100th anniversary statement. saying what you believe, is Clinton" toward addressing industrial issues, even worse." says science policy ana- ing force behind the letter. "It's also a call for The message shouldn't be labeled liber- lyst David Hart. Marburger says that the replacement of war by law." If Alfred Nobel al or conservative, Molina says. "To me, dearth of scientific expertise is deliberate: could give away an immense fortune to re- it's rational. It's the only means to provide "The goal is to get advice from leadership in ward achievements in science, literature, and stability in the long run. It's also what we higher education and industry and not nec- peace, Polanyi decided, the least his col- think is fair and justifiable from an ethical essarily at the scientific level" leagues could do is think idealistically about point of view." One more high-profile executive may how to improve the world. Molina says there is no formal plan to still join the panel The White House initially The statement, signed by luminaries in achieve official recognition of the document said that America Online founder Steve science, , literature, and world af- among governments or international bodies. Case was on the team, but a paperwork fairs (see www.sciencemag.org/feature/ "But there might well be next steps that glitch prevented his formal appointment data/nobel.shl for full text and list of signato- each of us take as individuals," he says. ries), says: "The most profound danger to Adds Polanyi: "I don't think one can afford Contributors: Elizabeth Pennisi, Susan . world peace in the coming years will stem to discount the thinking of scientists in an Biggin, Andrew Lawler, David Malakoff, not from the irrational acts of states or indi- age of science." -WAYNE KONDRO Dennis Normile, Jocelyn Kaiser, viduals but from the legitimate demands of Wayne Kondro writes from Ottawa. Martin Enserink, Eliot Marshall

www.sciencemag.org SCIENCE VOL 294 21 DECEMBER 2001 2455 FRIDAY, DECEMBER 7, 2001 A21 point way On the 100th anniversary of the Nobel Prize, 100 Nobel laureates warn that our security hangs on environmental and social reform

THE STATEMENT THE SIGNATORIES Zhohres I. Alferov' ; Richard R. Ernst \ , 2000 '• Chemistry, 1991 I Chemistry, 1982 Physics, 1976 HE MOST PROFOUND j \ Walter Kolin Heimich Rohrer Chemistry, 1989 \ Physics, 1973. I Chemistry, 1998 Physics, 1987 danger to world peace Philip W.Anderson j Edmond H. Fischer I Joseph Rotblat in the coming years will Physics, 1977 I /Medicine, i Physics, 2000 Peace, 1995 Oscar Arias Sanchez \ 1992 ; Harold Kroto stem not from the irra- Peace, 1987 \ Val L Fitch i Chemistry, 1996 Physics, 1984 tional acts of states or J. j Physics, 1980 } Willis E. Lamb Physics, 1987 ; Dario Fo :; Physics, 1955 ; Physiolog)'/Medicine, Tindividuals but from the legitimate Bishop Carlos EX. Belo Literature, 1997 j Leon M. Lederman ; 1991 demands of the world's dispos- Peace, 1996 Robert F. Furchgott ; Physics, 1988 I Physiology/Medicine, \ Yuan T. Lee i Chemistry, 1958:1980 sessed. Of these poor and disen- Physiology/Medicine, 1998 ! Chemistry, 1986 ; Jose Saramago 1980 \ Jean-Marie Lehn ; Literature, 1998 franchised, the majority live a Hans A. Bethe Chemistry, 1980 ; Chemistry, 1987 i J. Robert Scbrieffer marginal existence in equatorial cli- Physics, 1967 Sheldon L. Glashow I Rita Levi-Montalcini i Physics, 1972 James W. Black Physics, 1979 i Physiology/Medicine, j mates. Global warming, not of their Physiology/Medicine, Mikhail S.Gorbachev \ 1986 } Physics, 1988 making but originating with the 1988 •Peace, 1990 \ William N. Lipscomb j K. Barry Sharpless Guenter Blobel ! Chemistry, 1976 I Chemistry, 2001 wealthy few, will affect their fragile AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE Physiology! Medicine, Literature, 1991 } Alan G. MacDiarmid \ Richard E. Smalley Nobel-csse oblige: Chemist Alfred Nobel 1999 j Chemistry, 2000 I Cliemistry. 1996 ecologies most. Their situation will sought to reward 'idealistic tendencies.' PhysiologylMedicine, '\ Daniel L. McFadden i be desperate and manifestly unjust. Physics, 1981 2000 j Economics, 2000 I Physics, 1988 Norman E. Borlaug i Cesar Milstein \ Joseph E. Stiglitz It cannot be expected, therefore, that in all cases they will be content Peace, 1970 Physiology/Medicine, j Physiology/Medicine, ! Economics, 2001 to await the beneficence of the rich. If then we permit the devastating PaulD.Boyer : 1977 } 1984 : Horst L Stormer Chemistry, 1997 Herbert A. Hauptman ] i Physics, 1998 power of modern weaponry to spread through this combustible human Bertram N. Brockhouse Chemistry, 1985 j Economics, 1985 : Physics, 1994 \ Dudley R. Herschbach I Rudolf L. Moessbauer j Chemistry, 1983 landscape, we invite a conflagration that can engulf both rich and poor. Herbert C. Brown Chemistry, 1986 i Physics, 1961 I Joseph H. Taylor Jr. Thinly hope for the future lies in co-operative international action,^ Chemistry, 1979 • } Mario J. Molina • I PhysicsJS93 i Physics, 1974 j Chemistry, 1995 : Susur^^Bpegawa le^Phized by democracy. Physics, 1992 \ \ Ben R. Mottelson : Physim^jtMedicine, It is time to turn our backs on the unilateral search for security, in Claude Cohen- : Chemistry, 1981 i Physics, 1975 ! 1987 Tannoudji \ Gerardus 't Hooft I FeridMurad : Charles 11. Townes which we seek to shelter behind walls. Instead, we must persist in the Physics, 1997 ! Physics, 1999 ; PhysiologylMedicine, i Physics, 1964 JohnW. Cornforth ' i David H. Hubel | 1998' qi^Hor united action to counter both global warming and a Chemistry, 1975 Physiology/Medicine, • weaponized world. Francis H.C. Crick \ 1981 ! PhysiologylMedicine, : Archbi^^! Desmond Physiology/Medicine, \ \ 1991 ! M. Tutu These twin goals will constitute vital components of stability as we 1962 Chemistry, 1988 I Marshall W. Nirenberg ; Peace, 1984 move toward the wider degree of social justice that alone gives hope of ! James W. Cronin >]- Francois Jacob ; Physiology/Medicine, ; Physics, 1980 '.~^~ ! Physiology/Medicine, \ 1968 ! Physiology/Medicine, peace. Paul J. Crutzen \ 1975 ! Joseph E. Murray \ 1982 Chemistry, 1995 \ Brian D. Josephson ! Physiology/Medicine, \ John E. Walker Some of the needed legal instruments are already at hand, such as Robert F. Curl i Physics, 1973 \ 1990 I Chemistry, 1997 the Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty, the Convention on Climate Change, the Chemistry, 1996 \ j Paul M. Nurse ; Eric F. Wieschaus His Holiness The Dalai ; Chemistry, 1985 j Physiology/Medicine, ; Physiology/Medicine, Strategic Arms Reduction Treaties and the Comprehensive Test Ban Lama ; \ 2001 \ 1982 Treaty. As concerned citizens, we urge all governments to commit to Peace, 1989 j Physics, 2001 • MaxF. Perutz i JodyWilliams • H. Gobind Khorana I Chemistry, 1962 ; Peace, 1997 these goals that constitute steps on the way to replacement of war by law. Chemistry, 1988 ' I Physiology/Medicine, I William D. Phillips I Robert W. Wilson Peter C.Doherty \ 1968 i Physics, J997 I Physics, 1978 To survive in the world we have transformed, we must learn to Physiology/Medicine, i Lawrence R. Klein I John C. Polanyi ; Ahmed H. Zewail think in a new way. As never before, the future of each depends on the 1996 j Economics, 1980 ; Chemistry, 1986 ; Chemistry. 1999 I } good of all. Chemistry, 1967 j Physics, 1985 j Chemistry, 1977 Stupidity is the enemy; idealism is our only hope

had shared the experience of discovery that the attackers were insane. But it came we should have done previously. That is would likely be able to agree on a great to be recognized that the sustained terror- recognize abroad what we have long n deal more. Alfred Nobel was right; science ism has its causes and purposes. ognized domestically, the right of all engenders "idealistic tendencies." The question is important, because food, shelter, education and freedom Why? Because the pursuit of discovery what lies (to a large extent) within the expression. This is a revolution in thinki is shot through with idealism. Discovery realm of reason can (to a large extent] be that is already under way. What is lackii originates in the unsupported belief that countered by policies grounded in reason. in this country as elsewhere, is a sense Canadian laureate the book of creation is open to being read. Of course, the statement is as much urgency. So deep is this idealism that many are about threats from states as from non- A Chinese leader, asked whether t JOHN POLANYI tells why he willing to devote the best years of their state groups, and about threats of mass French Revolution was a success, repo lives to the quest for discovery, though the destruction as about conventional threats. edly replied that it was too soon to ti and his colleagues have odds against success are huge. The dominant setting for conflict in each But it's not too early to identify its origi; Idealism must also triumph over the case, it claims, is a world in which the rich the willful blindness of the French ruli issued their challenge painful fact that the first to read 's and the poor live in full sight of one an- class of the 18th century. Possessed story may well be someone other than other. wealth and power, they offered 01 obel Prize winners are presumed oneself. But the truth must be acknowl- If, in addition, the poor are voiceless, promises to the poor. to be intelligent. But why .pay at- edged whatever the hands that uncover it. they may well be induced to speak Unless we recognize that the future tention to the views of the 100 who Christian truth cannot be elevated over through violence. Particularly so if their each depends on the good of all, the co: Nhave supported the statement Muslim truth. Nor can accepted truth, predicament is aggravated by the environ- ing years will bring escalating confli above, issued to coincide with the 100th backed by the massed armies of ortho- mental carelessness of the rich. One need not be a rocket scientist to s anniversary of the Nobel Prize? Because doxy, be protected against the claims of It is a peculiar folly, under these cir- that. one's perception of truth comes not from upstart facts. One can trace the sense of cumstances, for the rich to seek greater But the recognition that science h intelligence but from a sense of values. "Nobel-esse oblige" to these idealistic ori- riches by selling weapons to the poor. thrived on change could persuade us Scholarship embodies values: This was gins. Even without this, the prosperous grow behave more like rocket scientists. ^ evident to Alfred Nobel, the Swedish ty- What, then, dq. these 100 voices say? ever more vulnerable. Advanced societies might even come to realize that idealis coon and explosives manufacturer. In his The opening sentence- is bold enough to are complex and fragile. They operate effi- is the highest form of realism. will, he stipulated that his prizes recognize claim that the dominant forces shaping' ciently by being open, not guarded. Like idealisk riktning— idealistic tendencies. history are rational. This was contentious any complex mechanism, they are, Nobel laureate John Polanyi, a University And what led to the Nobel Prize win- when written in early July, and appeared therefore, vulnerable to the wrecker's ball. of Toronto chemistry professor, was ners' statement? Not a sense of oracular still more so following Sept. 11. The feroc- To avoid a tragic outcome, the state- involved in framing the Nobel statement wisdom but of obligation. Individuals who ity of that attack led Americans to believe ment says, we shall be forced to do what above.