UK Denies Swedish Climate Scholar Entry Ahead of Planned London Conference

By Staff, Agencies

Swedish climate scholar Andreas Malm has been barred from entering the United Kingdom ahead of his scheduled participation in a conference in London, with immigration authorities stating that his presence “may not be considered to be conducive to the public good,” The Guardian reported Friday.

Malm was expected to speak alongside Huda Ammori, co-founder of Palestine Action, an organization proscribed under UK law, at a conference organized by Tribune magazine next week.

The event was scheduled to examine the implications of the group's proscription and take place amid a Supreme Court challenge to its designation.

Malm, an associate professor of human ecology at Sweden's Lund University, was informed of the decision before traveling to Britain.

Describing the move as “scandalous,” Malm called on the British government to reverse its decision, noting that he had visited the country for decades for academic research, lectures and conferences.

The decision also drew criticism from Irish author Sally Rooney, who described it as “a sad and frightening act of cultural self-harm.”

Meanwhile, the UK Home Office declined to comment on individual immigration cases, according to the report.