Committed to Climate Action? Opportunities for Scientific Societies to Lead the Change We Need in the World

Abstract

The climate crisis is undoubtedly compromising human and planetary health. As behaviour change scientists, we must reflect on the behaviours we are promoting, as well as the research and professional practices we engage in, to ensure we are prioritizing human and planetary health. This commentary focuses on issues within the scope of scientific/academic societies by sharing our journey as the Climate Action Committee for the International Society for Behavioural Nutrition and Physical Activity. First, we provide details on the structure and function of our committee, then we provide insights into the GHG emissions associated with running our society, and finally, we report on our journey thus far, sharing the strategies we have identified that align with current evidence on climate change. We also address the tensions associated with climate action within scientific societies, and hope to begin a dialogue with others to come up with creative solutions that continue to support research and researchers, while addressing the urgency of our climate crisis. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12966-026-01895-z.