Over 900 Academics Call on UK to Reverse Ban on Climate Scholar Andreas Malm
More than 900 scholars have signed a letter condemning the UK Home Office’s decision to block Swedish climate academic Andreas Malm from entering the country.
Home Office blocks Swedish climate scholar
Andreas Malm, an associate professor at Lund University and author of How to Blow Up a Pipeline, was denied entry to the United Kingdom last week after the Home Office cancelled his electronic travel authorisation (ETA). The department said the decision was taken because his presence “may not be considered to be conducive to the public good”.
Malm had been scheduled to attend an academic conference on Wednesday, appear on the BBC, and take part in a public discussion organised by Tribune alongside Huda Ammori, a co‑founder of the proscribed group Palestine Action.
Academics rally against the ban
More than 900 academics have signed an open letter demanding that the government reverse the decision. The letter, which has now been signed by over 1,400 individuals from more than 250 institutions, states that “the ability of scholars to travel, exchange ideas and participate in public debate – including on politically contentious issues – is fundamental to a free and democratic society.”
Fabian Dablander, an assistant professor at the London School of Economics and the initiator of the letter, said the rapid accumulation of signatures reflects the academic community’s deep concern about the threat this decision poses to academic freedom and the UK’s reputation as a place for open intellectual debate.
Malm’s response
Malm told the BBC that he was “kept in the dark” about the specific reasons for the revocation of his ETA and suggested the ban was linked to his planned appearance with Ammori. He said: “I cannot see any other explanation than the scheduled appearance of me on stage for a panel on Wednesday evening in London, together with Huda Ammori… That makes me somehow a terrorist or associated with terrorism, and therefore barred from travelling to the UK. That’s pretty scandalous.”
He added that the incident is “just a very small part of a major trend: this drift into authoritarianism that is targeting the Palestine movement, the climate movement, and others who oppose the destructive forces that are in control of this world.”
Government position
A Home Office spokesperson explained that cancelling or refusing an ETA can occur for a range of reasons, including concerns that an individual may pose a threat to public safety or seek to spread extremism. The spokesperson clarified that the action is “not a ban on coming to the UK” and that affected individuals may still apply for a visa for further consideration.
This episode highlights a broader tension between security policies and the protection of academic freedom.
The outcome may shape how the UK balances public‑good concerns with open scholarly exchange.
