"Solving the Climate Change and Sustainable Development Problems
Together: The Role of Scientists and Engineers"

Mohan Munasinghe
Vice Chair, Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Chairman, Munasinghe Institute for Development (MIND)

Wednesday, September 10, 2008 at 13.15 hours

Venue:
Auditorium 3, H.C. Ørsted Institute, University of Copenhagen, Universitetsparken 5, DK-2100 Copenhagen.

Abstract:
The lecture will begin with a review of the main findings from the IPCC Fourth Assessment Report (AR4) relating to climate change science, impacts and adaptation, and mitigation. Their importance and relevance for policy and implementation will be explored. Climate change response policies (adaptation and mitigation) need to be fully integrated into sustainable development strategy. A practical framework called Sustainomics, based on making development more sustainable (MDMS), permits us to address traditional development issues like poverty, food security, health, employment, etc, while simultaneously taking steps to deal with longer term problems such as climate change. CC will undermine SD prospects, and future development paths will affect climate change, in a circular fashion. Synergies between CC and SD may be exploited, while trade-offs need to be resolved. The importance of trans-disciplinary analysis will explained, including the role of scientists and engineers in developing practical solutions. Case studies will be briefly summarized, which illustrate the approach at global/transnational, national/macroeconomic, sectoral/ecosystem, and local/project.

The lecture is based on a recent book "Making Development More
Sustainable: Sustainomics Framework and Practical Applications" by Mohan Munasinghe. Copies (personally autographed) will be available for sale after the lecture.

More info on the INESPE Lecture Series on the Social Responsibility of Engineers and Scientists at http://inespe.org/lectures/. The Lecture Series is organized in collaboration with Center for the Philosophy of Nature and Science Studies at the University of Copenhagen.