Transcript Cleaner Technologies - why technology doesn`t have to cost the Earth

Ethical careers for geologists?
Dr. Tim Foxon
Scientists for Global Responsibility (SGR),
and Imperial College, London
Presentation to Sedgwick Club, 02/02/04
Outline
• What does SGR do?
• What are the major concerns relating to
sustainability and climate change?
• Career choices - what to think about
and what are the alternatives?
• Personal empowerment
• Getting the right advice
Scientists for Global
Responsibility (SGR), U.K.
• Network of concerned scientists
• Promote socially responsible and ethical
use of science and technology
- e.g. Climate Train to Kyoto
• Professional support
- e.g. Ethics guide and mentoring
• Web site:
www.sgr.org.uk
Ethical Careers Guide and
Briefings
• Produced by SGR
• Covers a range of issues to help make
informed ethical choices about careers
in science and technology
• Contributors include Joseph Rotblat and
Tim Berners-Lee
• More detailed briefings, including
climate change and clean technologies
Science and technology
• Science and technology are powerful
forces for understanding and
transforming our world
• Power brings responsibility:
– the more that we are able to do, the more
that we should be concerned with the
consequences of our actions
Sustainable Development
• Principles agreed at Rio Earth Summit
in 1992
• Re-affirmed at Johannesburg in 2002
• ‘A better quality of life for everyone, now
and for generations to come’
– meeting social needs
– protecting the environment
– enabling economic development
Key issues
• Climate Change:
– IPCC predicts between 1.5 °C and 4.5 °C rise
in mean global temperature by 2100
– sea level rise, increased extreme events
•
•
•
•
Loss of biodiversity and habitats
Risks created by new technologies
Lack of democratic control
Need for development in poorer countries
Ecological footprint of nations
12
10
8
Footprint
(ha/capita)
6
4
2
0
A
S
U
UK
e
e
r
g
ra
ha
s
e
av
th
r
a
ld
r
E
o
W
ia
d
In
Sustainability target
• Need to increase in efficiency by which
we create value per unit of resource
used by a Factor of 10
• UK Energy White Paper sets a goal of
reducing UK CO2 emissions by 60% by
2050
Climate Change solutions
• Increase efficiency of providing energy
services at each stage in the chain
– production, distribution, conversion, end-use
• Decarbonisation of primary fuel sources
– Switch to lower carbon fossil fuels, e.g. gas
instead of coal or oil
– Capture and sequester carbon emissions
– Development of renewable energy sources,
e.g. wind, solar, biomass, geothermal
Reducing CO2 emissions by 2050
200
Baseline 1
180
Baseline 1
Baseline 2
Baseline 2
160
Incl.Energy Efficiency
140
Incl.Renewables
Incl.CO2 Sequestration
120
MtC
Incl.Hydrogen
100
80
60
RCEP target
60% from 1997
40
20
"Low Carbon Economy"
0
1990
1995
2000
2005
2010
2015
2020
Year
2025
2030
2035
2040
2045
2050
Source: The Carbon
Trust
Technological change is not
enough
• Technological change alone will not be
sufficient to achieve sustainability
• Will also need political and institutional
change
• ‘Take-back’ of efficiency gains in
increased consumption
• Need move towards ‘sufficiency’ in
consumption as well as efficiency
What should we do?
• No shortage of socially useful things to
do
• However, current socio-economic
systems give higher rewards to those
who act to maintain the current system
• ‘Lock-in’ of technologies and institutions
Four basic steps
1. Educate yourself about wider issues
2. Decide where we stand - and what you
might do if your views were
compromised
3. Try to choose a career path consistent
with your views
4. Get support - from colleagues,
mentors, networks, other organisations
Be aware of incremental drift
• One scientist we interviewed noted:
– “You will rarely be faced with a big ethical
dilemma in work. What is more likely is a
series of very small steps which together
add up to something much larger - which is
why one constantly has to think about what
one is doing”
Employment opportunities
• Does the employer have an
environment or sustainability policy?
• What are the life cycle impacts of the
product or service provided?
• What are the targets and opportunities
for reducing environmental impacts?
Options for geologists
• Work for change within a large company
• Work for a company which you feel is
making a positive contribution
• Work for change from within government,
consultancies, NGOs, media, etc.
• Exert influence by researching and
teaching
Working for a large company
• Working to improve environmental
efficiency
• Working for, e.g. the renewables
division of a large company
• Using your position to try to influence
the company’s position
• Possible, but could be very frustrating,
and long term benefits not clear
Working for a ‘responsible’
company
• Need to judge attitude and commitment
of the company
• Opportunity to work with like-minded
people and feel like you’re making a
difference
• May also involve compromises in
certain areas
Working for government,
consultancies media, NGOs, etc
• Opportunities to exert influence
• Difficulties
– large organisations may have their own
biases and agendas
– small organisations may be more radical,
but have less power
Researching and teaching
• More opportunities to understand what
is going on and set your own agenda
• Influence the next generation
• Some influence on decision-makers but
no power!
Big or small?
• Think about choosing to work for a
smaller, more ethically oriented
company - or even about starting your
own!
• Transferable skills
– basic knowledge and understanding of
science and engineering are transferable
to a wide range of potential jobs
Get support
• Talk to your colleagues
• Talk to others with experience of
different jobs or roles
• Use the careers service
• Network with like-minded people through professional organisations,
trade unions, organisations like SGR
Summary
• Social and environmental concerns are
real and likely to become increasingly
influential
• Many opportunities for a more ethical
careers, but may involve hard choices
• You can make a difference - good luck!