Souvenir Cum Abstracts/Proce edings Book (2025)

2024, Cutting-Edge Solutions in Science- Agriculture, Technology, Engineering and Humanities

Innovative solutions at the crossroads of science, agriculture, technology, engineering, and humanities are reshaping the future. In agriculture, the adoption of smart technologies such as drones, sensors, and satellite imagery is revolutionizing farm management. These technologies provide farmers with precise data on crop health, soil conditions, and weather patterns, enabling them to make informed decisions that enhance productivity and sustainability. Technology is not only transforming agriculture but also redefining the way we approach environmental sustainability. The integration of renewable energy sources, such as solar and wind power, into agricultural practices is reducing reliance on fossil fuels and lowering greenhouse gas emissions. These technological advancements are critical for creating a circular economy that supports both economic growth and environmental protection. Engineering is at the forefront of creating resilient infrastructure that supports modern agricultural practices. These engineering solutions are vital for building a robust agricultural supply chain that can withstand the challenges posed by climate change. The role of the humanities in these advancements cannot be understated. As we develop and implement new technologies, it is essential to consider the social and ethical implications of these innovations. The humanities offer critical perspectives on issues such as food sovereignty, land rights, and the impact of technology on rural communities. By integrating these perspectives into the development process, we can ensure that agricultural innovations are not only effective but also socially responsible. This holistic approach is essential for creating a sustainable and equitable future.I wish all participants a rewarding and insightful experience at the Cutting-Edge Solutions in ScienceAgriculture, Technology, Engineering, and Humanities (CASTEH-2024) conference. Over the next three days, I trust that the rich scientific sessions and collaborative dialogues will foster groundbreaking ideas and strategies. I am confident that the outcomes of this conference will leave a lasting impact on our efforts to combat climate change and its many challenges.

Thematic Section What Next? Climate change, technology and development

2008

NICLAS HÄLLSTRÖM ABSTRACT Drawing on the What Next project, Niclas Hällström warns that the urgency of the climate crisis may open the door for new, untried and risky techno-fix solutions. He argues that society must find ways to ensure precaution, sustainability and equity when introducing new technologies. He raises concern that ‘geoengineering’ and new converging technologies at the nano-scale as solutions to climate change could lead to new global problems and highlights the importance of civil society.

Dialog on Science and Policy to Address the Climate Crisis to conclude the International Association of Research Universities Climate Congress, Copenhagen, Denmark

Environmental Research Letters, 2009

International graduate conference on climate change and people

Science, climate change and civilisation: securing a better future for next generations.

This paper explores different approaches to solving climate change. Climate change is the defining issue of our time and as Diamond (2005) argued in his book, "Collapse" how we respond to such life-threatening phenomena largely determines our ability to survive and overcome them. As weather patterns around the world display extreme conditions, a large majority of scientists present a view that humanity is running the risk of catastrophic climate change that may result in habitability crisis. Historically, when there are severe environmental strains on cultures, civilisations or nations the byproducts were unpredictable and dangerous. If the current trends continue the strain on our global civilisation could me enormous and leading to disruptive events. Human activities from hunting to habitat destruction have already driven countless species to extinction, and despite the reasonable voices of scientists and ecologists, the process is accelerating. The destruction of the Earth and its sustainable indigenous cultures has led to tragedy in almost every place around the world. Meanwhile, scientists have confirmed what indigenous cultures have taught for thousands of years: all forms of life are vitally connected. Removing even a single strand from the web of life produces a widening ripple of catastrophe (Ney and Thompson, 2011: 43). Previous research focused on two broad, problem-solving approaches: 'a global strategy' and 'a sustainable retreat strategy'. Both approaches display strengths and weaknesses. According to the first one, global co-operation mainly through multilateral, summit diplomacy and particularly among world leaders, is a vital element of reaching governmental consensus on climate. The second strategy advocates that humanity ought to be acting locally while implementing methods of a civilised retreat allowing Gaia for a temporary respite. There is a significant gap in knowledge as none of the approaches examine the contention that because climate is 'a global public good' it belongs not only to human beings but also to all Life. Elements of both approaches could be combined to gain a broader and unique perspective. Hence, this paper critiques both approaches and sets an agenda for a new perspective. The focus of research centres on the idea that it is in the common interest of all of humanity to preserve civilisation for future generations. This paper suggests some keys to solving climate change in an intelligent and constructive manner. It suggests that human ingenuity and inventiveness can do it. To save civilisation, secure a better future for the next generations humans will have to allow Earth to restore balance in the natural environment, ecological balance. Our planet needs a respite to return to its natural rhythm that humans have been undermining what resulted in a great imbalance. Mankind needs to work with Earth as a medium so that to listen to the signals Gaia sends. Humanity must enact nature-based solutions and be ready to turn them ''into viable and implementable public policies. Governments have to make choices as to the types of policies to create, the sectors they should cover, ministerial jurisdictions and funding'' (Massey, et al. 2014: 10). Gaia is awakening what results in extreme weather events. Consistent with Toynbee, (1976: 290), who researched and examined ancient Meso-American, Hellenic and Indian civilisations Earth could be compared to a goddess, who can use her powers destructively and malignantly, as well as creatively and benignly. According to these beliefs, "even if Mother Earth can sometimes turn savage, it is no wonder that the weather is morally ambivalent power; for the weather is capriciously inconstant, and its caprice can either devastate the crops by flood or drought or can make them yield a harvest by giving and withholding rain in due season." (Ibid). These ideas were further developed on the grounds of 'Gaia hypothesis' by Lovelock (1972). This theory aims to explain why, unlike other planets in the solar system, the Earth’s atmospheric composition and history alongside physics and chemistry can be explained through a strong influence of biology. It explains the survival of life on Earth for nearly 4 billion years by treating life and the global environment as two parts of a single system. In effect, micro-organisms, plants and animals behave in such a way that the Earth’s environment becomes adjusted to states optimum to their maintenance. This is not a conscious act on the part of the biosphere but instead, it argues that adjustments arise from natural selection (Burroughs, 2012: 342). Given humanity's interference with the climate on Earth, the process of 'Gaia awakening' may be happening either in symbiosis with organised humanity or destructively to it. While Gaia is awakening human consciousness must synchronically become more sensitive to the planet. Each of us can become a global citizen and each of us remains individually responsible to stay informed, to vote and keep politicians and institutions in check. We must be conscious that civilisation has its durability which has certain limits and if they are exceeded, cataclysm might occur. Considering the age, the Earth is still powerful and global leaders must take into account rare events such as the conjunction of planetoid impacts, increased volcanic emissions and eustatic lowering of seal-level which cannot be ruled as impossible. Gore (2013: 374) noted, human civilisation on the planet "has reached a fork in the road, we have long travelled to achieve almost a pinnacle of progress as the most powerful of all predators on Earth, who now can undermine its very own existence.'' Gore (2013: 274) states, "One of the two paths must be chosen. Both lead us to the unknown. But one leads toward the destruction of the climate balance on which we depend, the depletion of irreplaceable resources that sustain us, the degradation of uniquely human values, and the possibility that civilisation as we know it would come to an end." The other pathway leads towards a sustainable future and living within the means of the often underappreciated benefits that our sacred planet provides for us. The essence of living green, of being global citizen respecting Gaia is neither naive optimism nor a predisposition to pessimism. If humanity can think about itself as a part of a giant living organism and a cause of Gaia's ailing, equally, we may be guided to live within the limits of our planet in a way that is seemly and healthy (Lovelock, 1991: 20). Humans can never be healthy in a world without wilderness, clear air, crystal blue oceans and beautiful parks. Despite the potential ruthless destructiveness of nature, Earth is not yet at war with us. Earth might be though seriously outraged. In truth, Earth is humanity's best friend, the almighty Protectress of life, the Goldilocks planet that ''has been, so far and all in all, just right for life: not just right at any one time, but continuously so for three billion years'' (Zalasiewicz, 2012: 2). Earth has no hatred, but she also has no fear. Gaia is awesome, fraternal and maternal. It is impossible to lessen her, to humiliate her or to irritate her. Mother Nature loves all Earth’s children unconditionally being resilient against human harm. After so many catastrophes, She still sends her Love to all the peoples from heavens expecting that caring humanity will be responsive by rearranging civilisation wisely with respect for Life and Love. Earth is our shelter and wants to give us everything we need to live intelligently, in good health and with dignity. As Attenborough (2019) noted, ''Each community on the planet has been blessed with a special kind of energy, such as wind, solar, hydro-electric, biomass, hydrogen, geothermal. Each region can help humanity choose a wise symbiosis.'' Thinking this way, however, are we not closer to establishing a world government? And is it a better tool for managing climate than ineffective leaders chosen by materialistically motivated populous? A coevolutive symbiosis has to lead to an economy not based on exploiting fossil fuels. Instead, humans have to create a new economy that is based on restorative and regenerative growth. Stop digging fossil fuels and wisely rearrange civilisation by halting deforestation, restoring forests and investing in clean sources of energy. This energy shift needs to happen well before the fossil fuel reserves are exhausted. Policy decisions to subsidise an energy source can influence investment decisions. Our cities can live in symbiosis with nature. Decision-makers have the tools to do the job of abandoning fossil, but we need a strong, united and global response that is more than an aspiration on the piece of paper. Humanity is running out of time, but there is still hope. We need the political will, a degree of persistence and readiness to act wisely with a long-term goal in mind and following the right strategy.

Climate Change 2024

Climate Change Challenges 2024, 2024

World Resources Institute State of Climate Action 2023 "At a time when climate change is dramatically outpacing our efforts to stop it, we should all be part of the solution. " World Bank Climate Change at-a-Glance "We are now headed for around 2.7 degrees. This is still ruinously high" UN Climate Change 2023 Highlights. Climate Change Challenges 2024 provides insights on renewable energy, evolving weather patterns, science-based solutions, and the role of human psychology in addressing climate change.

Tools of the trade: practices and politics of researching the future in climate engineering

Sustainability Science

Addressing the climate challenge

2021

In 2021, colleagues from across the University of Birmingham community were invited to write articles about topics relevant to the COP26 climate change summit. In this series of articles, experts from across many different disciplines provide new insight and evidence on how we might all understand and tackle climate change.

Small and Slow Solutions: Unleashing the Creativity of the Climate Change Generation

Today's school age generation are being handed the biggest challenge of all, that of 'saving the planet.' You could say that this is a gift from the generation who knew but failed to act meaningfully. Had we listened to the advice given at the Rio Earth Summit in 1992, the problem of climate change would most likely already have been solved. Yet here we are, in 2019, still contemplating the biggest shift in human society and behaviour since development began. There is no magic bullet, no single solution. No government or corporation can solve this. It is going to take the collective action of all of us. The real leaders of the future will come from today's school age populations, what can we do to accelerate this process? This essential book by the One School One Planet team maps out how we can collectively respond to the challenge of our lifetime - that of reforming our relationship with planet Earth. One School One Planet is a three year project, that ran between 2016-2019. Its primary aim was to investigate the long term consequences of the Paris Agreement for education, economy and development in Powys, Wales. A global commitment to reach net zero emissions as fast as possible represents more than a tweaking of our economic models and erecting a few wind turbines, it requires a complete rethink of our priorities for education and development. What cost are we prepared to pay to continue living beyond our ecological means? Schools and communiies have the potential to lead from the bottom up and forge a path to a different future. Human flourishing on Earth requires us to understand the ecological boundaries of our home and to learn how to live within them. Sector39 is an independent enterprise based in Wales committed to exploring how permaculture design can be used as a tool to transform our society and economy to be fully sustainable. Permaculture embraces the concept of re-generative development, recognising the fact that we have damaged the global ecosystem to such an extent that we need to actively repair much of that damage for us to survive. To achieve that we need to learn to think differently, which is precisely what is offered by permaculture design!

Making climate-smart also people-smart

2015 is the year in which the alliance for sustainable development needs to be inclusive, robust and visionary. In this mix, the role of agriculture is critical to meeting food and nutrition goals as well as those related to poverty, health, education, biodiversity, water, energy and economic growth. Gender and climate change are two conditioning factors likely to shape agricultural futures and in these intertwined discourses, (in)equality shapes the art of the possible.