FSN Seminar – June 27 at 1 pm

Title: Why is it so hard to beat Anthropogenic Global Warming?

Youtube link: https://youtu.be/rLzvSsJppEc

Date: June 27, 2023 commencing at 1:00 – 3:30 pm via Zoom with pre-registration required using the following link <deleted as event has passed>.

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.

Abstract:
Sociopathic narcissistic leadership in our current mercantile empire is potentially leading us to the brink of extinction by ignoring climate change solutions. After nearly 300,000 years of egalitarian nomadic life, encounters with archaic humans were quickly followed by a switch to agriculture, and the rise of empires in which wealth, status and the abuse of power established modern society. The extremely wealthy fossil fuel empire is now global. At best, its intentions are to reach net zero by 2100. I will explore the consequences of that decision and describe briefly the potentially devastating climate creep we can expect. 

Feeding the resistance to solving climate change has been the fossil fuel encouraged rise of anti-science and in particular the rise of aggressive climate change deniers. I include examples of their behaviour, including the “macho man” and “petro-masculinity” along with examples. I will describe anecdotal results of a survey of deniers defining the “loss” if we reach net zero by 2100. Then I will examine the cost of ignoring anthropogenic climate change compared to solving climate change, and end with a brief look at a future world that could work.

Biography:

Alan R. Emery, BSc. University of Toronto, MSc. McGill University, PhD. Cornell University and University of Miami

Alan’s scientific specialty is ecology and evolution with a focus on marine sciences. He pioneered in direct observation underwater at night on coral reefs and in fresh water. He was among the first to dive under the ice in the Arctic. He has led expeditions to the Arctic, Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans. He was a research scientist with the Fisheries Research Board of Canada, the Ministry of Natural Resources in Ontario, Professor at the University of Toronto, Curator and Sciences Coordinator at the Royal Ontario Museum, President of the Canadian Museum of Nature, and has been the governor, president, or director of many scientific organizations. 

He has published nearly 100 scientific, technical, and popular articles and books spanning subjects from marine biology to the management of academic organizations. He has appeared on hundreds of radio and television interviews and has been the subject of, technical advisor for, or written over 150 television shows for CTV, Discovery, and the CBC.

As part of his work with indigenous people, he prepared policy papers for Canada, the World Bank and the UN. In addition, he has worked as a consultant with the Canadian Nuclear Waste Management Organization almost since its inception.  When his brother fell terminally ill, Alan brought his engineering company back to a profitable position to be sold by his brother’s family. 

Recently, Alan has moved his primary attention from global biodiversity loss to the solution of human-caused global warming. In 2015, he initiated and is now leading an international group of scientists and engineers to help solve the global warming problems.  It is called The Stable Climate Group (http://www.stableclimate.org/).