The newsletter explains how engineers can initiate programs to “maximise energy efficiency and reduce demand” as well as ” reducing users’ costs for energy and lowering Greenhouse gas emissions”.American scientists revamp efforts to educate American public of ‘irreversible’ damage of climate change.
The UN climate science panel, the PCC, will gather in Japan next week to release the second in a series of important reports. This time outlining how changing climate is affecting rainfall and heat waves, sea levels and oceans, fisheries and food security.
The American Association for the Advancement of Scientists have issues a timely warning that: “We face risks of abrupt, unpredictable and potentially irreversible changes, and responding now will lower the risks and costs of taking action.”
In a rare intervention into a policy debate, AAAS urged Americans to act swiftly to reduce greenhouse gas emissions – and lower the risks of leaving a climate catastrophe for future generations.
There were concerens that Americans still failed to appreciate the seriousness of climate change, despite “overwhelming evidence”.
“The sooner we make a concerted effort ot curtail the burning of fossil fuels as our primary energy source and releasing the Co2 to the air, the lower our risk and cost will me.”
In December 2012, the new Future Climate – Engineering Solutions (FC-ES) website was officially launched at a FC-ES side event at the Sheraton Hotel during COP18 in Doha, Qatar.
(From left to right: Rob Cooke, Saurev Dhakel, Andrew Picken, Fethi Thabet, Adam Poole, Daniel Kenning, Alex May, Chris May, Shalini Sharma)
Speakers from 6 different countries, including representatives from the World Federation of Engineering Organisations (WFEO), the UK Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) and the British Council came together at the event, which was sponsored by Shell UK. The website was presented by a team from the Mayden Foundation.
Since the event, Tunisia has expressed an interest in participating in the project.
The main topics discussed were:
A video interview with Daniel Kenning on Energy planning is available here
News coverage of FC-ES at COP18 can be found here
We will be attending the UN conference on climate change in Doha, Qatar this year. Our aim is to further expand the group of participants in the project and to showcase this website which is replacing the old one. A report on the events will be published here upon our return.
More information on the conference can be found by clicking on the above COP18 logo.
Summary of February 2012:
-The FC-ES infrastructure is being developed, ideally so that each country nominates a liaison who represents all members within that country to the FC-ES coordinator (currently Alison Cooke).
-Dr Alison Cooke attended a post COP17 panel discussion at Cambridge University do discuss FC-ES’s presence at COP17, a link to this can be found here: Post Durban Panel Discussion
Summary of November 2011 events:
– The political outcomes of COP17 included a decision by parties to adopt a universal legal agreement on climate change as soon as possible, and no later than 2015. The documentation for these agreements can be found here: COP 17 Agreements
-Tsinghua University has committed themselves along with the Institute of Energy, Environment and Economics, to becoming part of the FC-ES network.
– Dr Alison Cooke and Dr Shalini Sharma (representing our Indian Partner) conducted a TV interview on behalf of FC-ES. This interview can be found here: TV Interview
-At COP17, there were discussions with the CEO of the South African Institution of Civil Engineers (SAICE). SAICE co-ordinates the African Engineers Forum and represents engineers across many African countries and the hope is that this will develop into partnerships with these countries in the coming year.
-A series of TV interviews by the Cambridge Programme for Sustainable Leadership (CPSL) were filmed at COP17 and can be found here: CPSL interviews COP17
Summary of September and October 2011 events:
-UK members of the FC-ES network attended Future Climate 2, a summary of the event can be found in this document: Future Climate 2 Summary
-The IMechE released a statement declaring we have the technology to tackle climate change now. The press release can be found here: IMechE Press Release
– Arrangements for FC-ES members to attend COP17 have been made and the UK Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) has said they will link us to their counterpart organisations abroad at COP17
-COP 16 took place in Cancun, Mexico in 2010. Clicking the logo above will take you to the website with the agreements and discussions made at the conference.
-Dr Alison Cooke participated in a video interview on the FC-ES project.