Ethics & Climate Change – Ethics & Politics Discussion

Join us to discuss the ethics of climate change – a very important and topical meeting after the Paris talks.

“Climate change is the major problem facing humanity and unless we relentlessly pursue CO2 emission reduction targets the global community will face catastrophe.”

This is mantra emanating from The International Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), and is being perceived as the current wisdom by the majority of nations. We will present a re-examination of the prospects of climate change and of the mitigation strategy.

We invite discussions, which focus on the following topics:

a)  Is the CO2 emission reduction target culture the best approach to saving the planet?

b)  Are you impressed by the standard of IPCC’s ethical and intellectual arguments?

c)  What is the balance of action needed at international, national and personal level?

d)  Can citizens make a difference through protest, lobbying and changing consumption behaviour?

e)  Do we need an alternative global strategic response to address all these issues and do we need to reassess what should be done at both government and citizen level?

Speakers are:

Evan Parker is an Emeritus Professor of Physics at the University of Warwick working in the field of nanotechnology. He has spun out two companies in solar cell and sensor technologies. He has published widely and has chaired research programmes in both the UK and the European Community. Over the last six years he has also worked in the climate change field including developing policy and geo-engineering. This included a presentation to the Government Department of Energy and Climate Change

Paul Mobbs. For over 30 years Paul Mobbs has been a freelance campaigner, activist, environmental consultant, author, lecturer and engineer. He has worked on a wide range of technical subjects and campaign issues. Today his work mostly involves writing, research and speaking around the theme of “ecological futures” – examining present economic, energy and development trends, and considering what these mean in the ongoing debate about the human species and their relationship to the environment which supports them.

The London Debate Network is also supporting us in developing this strand of debate.