Feb 6, 2022
Professor William Moomaw, co-author of the World Scientists' Warning of a Climate Emergency takes a deep dive into why this article, signed by over 11,000 scientists when it was published, is so crucial in driving science led action on the Climate Emergency. He discusses the six identified stressors in the warning - Nature, Food, Population, Energy, Short Lived Pollutants and Economy - and how specific actions related to these stressors must be taken now and not put off again.
Professor Moomaw is joined by Ed Gemmell, Managing Director of Scientists Warning Europe who first summarizes the Planet in Crisis summit, of which this was the concluding session. Gemmell identifies the most important take-homes while also looking forward to the COP26.
Professor William Moomaw, Board Member, Scientists Warning Europe, is Professor of International Environmental Policy and Founding Director of the Center for International Environment and Resource Policy at The Fletcher School, and Distinguished Visiting Scientist at Woodwell Climate Research Center. He received his PhD in physical chemistry from MIT. He had a 26-year career in chemistry and environmental studies at Williams College, where he directed the Center for Environmental Studies.
After addressing stratospheric ozone depletion, he began working on climate change in 1988 as the first director of the climate program at World Resources Institute in Washington DC. He has been a lead author of five Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Reports. The IPCC shared the Nobel Peace Prize for its climate work in 2007. He is an author or co-author of many research papers and reports on technological climate solutions including zero emission renewable energy, and is currently working on natural climate solutions that increase accumulation of carbon in forests, wetlands and soils to more rapidly meet climate goals. He is a co-author of a recent paper declaring a Climate Emergency that has been endorsed by over 13,000 scientists. He chairs the board of directors of The Climate Group North America and chaired the board of Woods Hole Research Center in Falmouth MA for three years, and is a continuing board member. He also serves on the boards of directors of several other science-based organizations. He previously served on the board of the University Corporation for Atmospheric Research.
He and his wife, Margot, completed a high performance, zero net energy home in the cold Northeast U.S. in 2007 that produces sufficient solar electricity to meet all of its heating, lighting and appliance requirements while exporting surplus power to the grid. They have recently added more solar panels for a battery powered electric vehicle.
Scientists Warning Europe presents and promotes science endorsed solutions which will lead to a just transition for our World to a sustainable and equitable future. Learn more, sign up for updates, and support our work at https://www.scientistswarningeurope.org.uk
This podcast series is made possible through the generous help of the GrowthBusters podcast about limits to growth.
MORE INFO:
World Scientists’ Warnings into Action, Local to
Global
https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/00368504211056290
Scientists Warning
Europe
https://scientistswarningeurope.org.uk/
All Three World
Scientists’ Warnings
https://scientistswarningeurope.org.uk/warnings
Planet in Crisis Pre-COP Video Series
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLyl1v07bfIaLHtXjYBtaca3YdlPaKC9Vx
If you’re interested in starting up a Scientists Warning group on your continent, please reach out to us at https://www.scientistswarningeurope.org.uk/contact
GrowthBusters podcast
http://www.growthbusters.org/podcast/
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