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Faith in the Future How Science Can Help in Meeting Environmental Challenges

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Faith in the Future How Science Can Help in Meeting Environmental Challenges FAITH IN THE FUTURE How Science can help in Meeting Environmental Challenges THE Royal Professors’ SYMPOSIUM ON GLOBAL SUSTAINABILITY SWEDEN, 22 MARCH 2012 FAITH IN THE FUTURE How Science can help in Meeting Environmental Challenges PROGRAMME THE BERNADOTTE LIBRARY, THE ROYAL PALACE IN STOCKHOLM Faith in the Future orty years ago Stockholm hosted the United Nations Conference on the Human Environment, known as the Stockholm Conference. This was the Ffirst major international meeting on environmental issues and became an important turning point in the development of environmental politics. Much has happened since then. An exciting perspective is to ask how science can help in meeting complex environmental challenges. One way of approaching this question is to invite distinguished scientists with different expertise to a discussion about possible ways forward. That is the aim of this Symposium. We are glad that all fourteen of the participants in the Royal Guest Professorship programme have accepted the invitation to this Symposium – it is the first time the Royal Guest Professors have come together and we look forward to listening to their views on the environment today and in the future. The Symposium is part of the official national commemoration of the first UN Conference on the Environment, 1972 in Stockholm, and has been arranged together with the Swedish scientific academies. They all have a strong interest in – and great knowledge of – the environmental area. We have also invited outstanding representatives of the scientific community, politics, business and non-governmental organisations. Let’s hope we won’t only hear about environmental problems but also discuss ways to solve them. Science can provide solutions to problems. Starting now, we must make full use of the potential that research and development can offer so that we think of the future not with despair but with hope and faith. It is my sincere hope that this Symposium will be able to convey such constructive messages, not only to the decision-makers at the coming Rio+20 Conference, but also to every one of us who worry about the future of our children and PHOTO grandchildren. G I would like to thank all and everyone who made this Symposium possible, RA P HY: S TE V EN ZEFF / H.M. KING CARL XVI GUSTAF AZ OTE What better birthday gift than a fund of knowledge? The idea behind the Royal Guest Professorship and the work of the King Carl XVI Gustaf 50th Anniversary Fund. The King Carl XVI Gustaf 0th Anniversary Fund for Science, Technology and Environment was founded in 199 to celebrate His Majesty’s 0th birthday. The four original founders were the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences (KVA), the Royal Swedish Academy of Engineering Sciences (IVA), the Royal Swedish Academy of Agricultural Sciences (KSLA) and the Confederation of Swedish Enterprise (Svenskt Näringsliv, then Sveriges Industriförbund). The purpose was to promote research, technological development and enterprise that would contribute to the sustainable use of natural resources and the maintenance of biodiversity. The governing body awards grants to 1–20 young researchers annually. The Foundation for Strategic Environmental Research, MISTRA, and the Swedish Foundation for International Cooperation in Research and Higher Education, STINT, also decided to contribute to honouring His Majesty on his birthday by funding one international guest professor per year for five years. This programme was prolonged for another five years and has subsequently received financial support directly from the King Carl XVI Gustaf 0th Anniversary Fund. The Royal Guest Professorship has become a very important way to promote high-quality research across the broad spectrum of the environmental sciences, in both their social and their natural-scientific aspects. The purpose of the Professorship is to create links between our centres of higher learning and distinguished foreign researchers able to contribute to the renewal of Swedish environmental sciences. The Guest Professor should bring a unique addition of competence to the Swedish host institution and also be able to contribute to the development of the research conducted there. ‘Environmental sciences’ is interpreted broadly to include research in technology, in the PHOTO natural and the social sciences and in the humanities. The Guest Professor is expected to combine a high level of scientific competence with a trans-disciplinary approach. G RA The holder of the Professorship is appointed by the governing body of the 0th Anniversary P HY: Fund after a preparation process in a working committee with external experts. FREDRIK MORE INFORMATION P Nominations to the Royal Guest Professorship can be made annually by Swedish universities. ERSSON Each university may nominate two candidates each year. For more information see the Nomination Procedures, obtainable from the King Carl XVI Gustaf 50th Anniversary Fund for Science, 111 30 / Technology and Environment, Attn. Birgit Erngren Wohlin, Kungl. Slottet, Stockholm, S CAN e-mail: [email protected] P I X 7 AFTERNOON SESSION: 13.15–17.15 FAITH IN THE FUTURE Theme II Programme Bridging the gap – challenges and opportunities for the future Sustainable Urban Development – Urban Knowledge, Place and Transition PROFESSOR COLIN FUDGE, COLLEGE OF DESIGN AND SOCIAL CONTEXT, ROYAL MELBOURNE INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY (RMIT), MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA MORNING SESSION: 9.00–12.00 Environmental Literacy in Science and Society: from Knowledge to Decisions PROFESSOR ROLAND W. SCHOLZ, ETH, Theme I INSTITUTE FOR ENVIRONMENTAL DECISIONS (IED), ZÜRICH, SWITZERLAND The present situation and the way forward: New Economy of Natural Resources for Sustainable Use PROFESSOR JASON SHOGREN, perspectives on climate change, biodiversity depletion UNIVERISTY OF WYOMING, DEPARTMENT OF ECONOMICS AND FINANCE, LARAMIE, USA and implications for human health. Science and Policy: building Constructive Connections Welcome Address PROFESSOR SUSAN OWENS, KERSTIN NIBLAEUS, CHAIR OF THE SYMPOSIUM ORGANISATION COMMITTEE UNIVERISTY OF CAMBRIDGE, DEPARTMENT OF GEOGRAPHY, CAMBRIDGE, UK Choral Music Coffee break The Importance of Environmental Science for Future Solutions Panel Dialogue HIS MAJESTY THE KING PROFESSOR SUSAN BAKER, CARDIFF UNIVERISTY SCHOOL OF SOCIAL SCIENCES, CARDIFF, UK: Global Environmental Change and the Governance of Sustainable Development: The Science behind Projections of Forced Climate Change: a Social Science Perspective Historical Basis, open Questions and Implications for Policymakers PROFESSOR EMERITUS ROBERT CHARLSON, UNIVERISTY OF WASHINGTON, PROFESSOR GARRY BREWER, YALE SCHOOL OF MANAGEMENT, NEW HAVEN, USA: ATMOSPHERIC SCIENCES, USA Environmental Management and Decision Support in Society for Climate and Energy Climate Change, Biodiversity, and Human Health PROFESSOR ANDREW WARREN, UNIVERSITY COLLEGE LONDON, PROFESSOR PAUL ALAN COX, INSTITUTE FOR ETHNOMEDICINE, JACKSON, WYOMING, USA DEPARTMENT OF GEOGRAPHY, LONDON, UK: The Dry Lands: vulnerability to Climatic Change within Rapidly Changing Short break Economic and Social Environment Panel discussion PROFESSOR ROBERT AYRES, INSEAD, FONTAINEBLEAU, FRANCE AND INSTITUTE SCHOLAR AT IIASA IN LAXENBURG, AUSTRIA: PROFESSOR LESLEY HEAD, UNIV. OF WOLLONGONG , AUSTRALIAN CENTRE FOR CULTURAL Deficits, energy and economic growth ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH (AUSCCER), AUSTRALIA: Rethinking Human-nature Relations: Perspectives from the Social and Natural Sciences Concluding Remarks PROFESSOR KEITH BEVEN, LANCASTER UNIVERSITY LANCASTER ENVIRONMENT CENTRE, UK: KERSTIN NIBLAEUS, CHAIR OF THE SYMPOSIUM ORGANISATION COMMITTEE Climate; Water; Risk Assessments PROFESSOR MARKKU KULMALA, UNIVERSITY OF HELSINKI, DEPARTMENT OF PHYSICS, MODERATORS: DIVISION OF ATMOSPHERIC SCIENCES, HELSINKI, FINLAND: HENRIK EKMAN, SCIENCE JOURNALIST, MEDICINE DOCTOR HONORIS CAUSA (Morning Session) AND Meteorology: Atmospheric Aerosol Particles JOHAN KUYLENSTIERNA, CENTRE DIRECTOR, STOCKHOLM ENVIRONMENT INSTITUTE & ADJUNCT PROFESSOR, STOCKHOLM UNIVERSITY (Afternoon Session) PROFESSOR SHINYA SUGITA, TALLINN UNIVERSITY; INSTITUTE OF ECOLOGY, TALLINN, ESTONIA: Modelling Past Changes in Biodiversity, Ecosystems and Climate EVENING: 19.00 Lunch Dinner at the Royal Palace 9 PAUL ALAN COX Future human health is a matter of biodiversity CARL LINNAEUS WROTE, “I do not know “Swedish scientists are making key how the world could persist gracefully if but a contributions to this investigation which may single animal species were to vanish from it.” lead to new cures for these most serious of illnesses,” Cox says. Species are vanishing at a terrifying rate at the moment and the loss of biodiversity Despite the grave nature of the environmental worries Professor Paul Alan Cox, expert in problems, Paul Alan Cox has one very good ethnomedicine and deeply engaged in several reason to be optimistic. transdisciplinary projects – some of them in “Every time I meet children and young Sweden. students I get hope for the future. Once, for “The link between human health and instance, at the Convention on International biodiversity – ‘environmental health’ – Trade in Endangered Species in Lausanne, started with Linnaeus, who pioneered an Switzerland, we international delegates interdisciplinary approach to many of these were caught in a difficult discussion on important issues in Sweden. Such a broad the protection of African elephants. Into approach is still very valuable.” the conference hall came a group of local schoolchildren, singing a little song
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