Risk perception and communication are amongst the most critical topics of our time, if governance is to be successful in helping to circumnavigate the identified complex risks and" wicked" problems. But is there significant dissent within the scientific community about the pressing global environmental issues and energy challenges? Are the related risks perceived differently even amongst specialists from the northern and southern hemispheres, such as Europe and Australasia? We argue that there is a strong agreement within the scientific community on the problems that we face and that we share a similar vision for the challenges that should be prioritised. So why is the broader community so slow to respond? Clearly there is a discrepancy between" us" and" them" in the risks perceived. It is our responsibility as well-informed scientists to bridge the gap and faithfully communicate with governments, industry and the …