On 19 April 2024, a global cohort of leading scientists presented strong new evidence that non-human animals are capable of suffering. These findings are encapsulated in the New York Declaration of Animal Consciousness, which has been signed by scientists from universities around the world, across various relevant disciplines including neuroscience, environmental science, biology, psychology, and philosophy.
What does the Declaration say?
The declaration states that there is “strong scientific support for attributions of conscious experience to other mammals and to birds,” and that “the empirical evidence indicates at least a realistic possibility of conscious experience in all vertebrates . . . and many invertebrates.”
The final point of the brief declaration is particularly important to us at ATGO: “When there is a realistic possibility of conscious experience in an animal, it is irresponsible to ignore that possibility in decisions affecting that animal.”
Who has signed the declaration?
The Declaration launched with around 40 signatories, and by mid-June, this list had grown to 287 names. Signatories hail from the world’s most respected universities (think Harvard, Cambridge and Yale). They also include several from our home turf: Peter Godfrey-Smith (Professor, School of History and Philosophy of Science, University of Sydney), MV (Srini) Srinivasan FRS (Emeritus Professor, Queensland Brain Institute, The University of Queensland), Naotsugu Tsuchiya (Professor, School of Psychological Sciences, Monash University), and Culum Brown (Professor, School of Natural Sciences, Macquarie University).
To learn more about the Declaration, visit the website.
