Politics of the Environment

Declan Waugh, Environmental Scientist, a native of West Cork was a guest speaker at the 19th Irish Environmental Researchers Colloquium hosted by Waterford Institute of Technology on the 19th February last.

The main aim the annual academic seminar is to capture and communicate some of the enormous research and development currently being undertaken in third level collages and institutions throughout Ireland and abroad. The focus of the seminar is to provide a picture of the current research and development being undertaken in Ireland in areas such as sustainable development, climate change, waste management, environmental technologies and eco-innovation, waste and resource management, human health and environmental policy development.

Declan was invited to speak to the key audience of some 200 scientists and academics on the responsibilities facing the scientific professional community in attempting to address the enormous challenge of climate change.

Declan in his thought provoking presentation said “that in preparing for the environmental, public health and humanitarian crisis of the 21st century each person in the scientific profession needs to have a vision that extends beyond their discipline. He observed that the environmental profession in Ireland stands at a crossroads. Many believe that environmental pressures will eventually push our society to integrate principles of sustainable development into all levels of government and business. The reality, however, is that the society in which we live is failing to engage with these challenges”. Therefore he stated “environmental professionals must develop new skills and demonstrate a greater degree of communication with our community, business and political establishment”.

To face the challenges ahead he remarked that environmental professionals need to become more active. “Truly effective environmental professionals need to be able to develop the talents and potential to influence a brighter future. Most of our knowledge and skills have been focused at building technical expertise. Building technical expertise does not however prepare environmental professionals for the broader range of challenges and responsibilities we will ultimately encounter. Many of you identify the challenges facing humanity as a consequence of climate change and monitor these changes over time but do we really recognize what these challenges mean to our community? And are we prepared to act now to make a difference?”

He noted that science tells us clearly that we cannot wait for the next generation of environmental professionals; the responsibility lies with our generation to ensure that with our collective skills and abilities, our professional and personal values influence policy and our society. He emphasized that as scientists “we have a professional obligation not just for scientific excellence but to use our understanding of science to change the world for the better. As professionals we need to engage in practical action not just in our jobs but at local, regional and national level. This may be unpopular for some but it is essential to our profession.”

Declan examined the question of why have the public not responded to the message of scientists and have scientists failed in their professional duty to educate the public on the risks of climate change?

In his presentation he showed how the rate of economic growth in the past 50yrs,the increase in population, energy consumption, livestock, houses, cars, aviation, travel, Tourism and unprecedented consumerism has reached the point where the planet can no longer sustain it. “The evidence is unequivical” he said “that the natural world can no longer support the existing ecomony. The waste emissions created by oil and coal combustion now surpass the national absorptive capacities of the earth. Today the atmosphere has the capacity to absorb only one third of the C02 that we produce each year. CO2 emissions have increased fourfold worldwide since 1950 and continue to grow. He questioned why science is losing the war on climate change, and demonstrated that as long as our economic system is based on chasing economic growth above all else, we are heading for environmental and economic disaster.”

He went on to tell the audience that “the anticipated costs from climate changes for the period 2000-2020 are estimated at €6.3 trillion or €315 billion per year and how over the over the past half century we have seen a seven fold expansion of the global economy with little regard for sustainable yields or environmental protection.”

He noted how the financial meltdown “is a classic example of non rational behaviour. Greed prompted dangerous risk taking, and was followed by panic causing financial chaos and noted that as the ice caps melt there is one thing that both climate change and economic chaos emphatically teach us; we cannot tolerate any more unbridled profiteering.”

What is need urgently he said is for scientists to engage with the public and influence attitudes and actions to tackling climate change at a local regional and national level.

For the educationalists and academics in the audience he questioned how science education needs to change to include communication studies, marketing and media skills in order for scientists to communicate more effectively with the public and policy makers. He reminded the audience that science, in the public interest, must, at this critical time become more political for without political action humanity has no future and said that as environmental professionals we must make our voice heard, we must engage not as spectators but as leaders.