Earth Systems science

From the ABC website 10 Jan 2011

For most scientists working in the relatively new area of Earth System Science, talk of the earth “growing a brain” trivialises the growing body of knowledge about the functioning of the whole-earth system. Critically, it misses the point that changes are taking place to this system and that we must understand and monitor these changes for the sake of humanity’s continuing viable development and progress.

While the Gaia hypothesis, first popularised by British scientist James Lovelock as a metaphor of “the living Earth”, has been given religious overtones by some, most scientists, including Lovelock himself, do not assert that the Earth is “alive”. To observe that the earth has some self-regulating features that are similar to those found in living organisms is not to say that it is in fact a living being with a consciousness.

It is also important that the Gaia hypothesis is not confused with Earth System Science, which is in fact a major new development of formal science, embraced by CSIRO and many Australian universities and building on studies of global environmental change, environmental sustainability, economics, complex system science and more.

Earth System Science emphasises the interactions and feedbacks between changes in the earth’s various components - the atmosphere, the oceans, the land, the ice-caps and the biosphere comprising all living things - interactions which can fall through the cracks between traditional scientific disciplines. This is important because many of today’s human-induced changes to the earth’s environment are affecting each other and coalescing to become issues of major global concern.

Climate change, the future of energy and water resources, food production, and decline in biodiversity stand out as much discussed examples of such interacting processes that have a strongly global character.

A critical feature of Earth System Science is to recognise that human activities now form a major interactive part of the functioning and evolution of the entire planet. This is a significant departure from the past where humans have been studied separately from the environment around us. We have been regarded as villains impacting the planet’s natural systems, and victims suffering from the way the planet reacts, for example through changing climate.

This new approach means that the natural science of global environmental change must be linked with social science, economics and the humanities, that is, “global environmental change” must become “global change”.

It also means that the research encompassed by Earth System Science spreads beyond the traditional concerns of environmental sustainability to consider factors as diverse as the psychology of denial or the institutional and political arrangements that can lock societies into behaviours incompatible with long term societal aspirations on this finite planet.

Activity in Earth System Science is going through a growth spurt both in Australia and internationally. In December the Australian Academy of Science, with support from the Department of Climate Change and Energy Efficiency, ran the First Australian Earth System Outlook Conference. At this conference a decadal plan for the new science in Australia was launched by the Chief Scientist, Professor Penny Sackett: To Live within Earth’s Limits: An Australian Plan to Develop a Science of the Whole Earth System.

This document was four years in the making by the National Committee for Earth System Science. Overseas, the International Council for Science working with the International Council on Social Sciences, has just released a major document, based on an open web-based consultation, entitled: Grand Challenges for Global Sustainability Research. That document is providing the framework for a major revamping of the international global environmental change research programs, which have been running since the 1980s.

With these Australian and international programs getting under way in the coming year or two, we can anticipate a substantial increase in the information that science can bring to inform people, businesses and governments about the limits and opportunities that the earth provides for the growth, development and well-being of present and future generations.

Banging On

So every so often on this space on the internet I bang on about Climate Change.  The last time was back in November of last year.  At that time I had come up with the idea that you really need to relate the global problem of climate change and excess CO2 back to an individual level.  You need to say that this is the level of carbon that you produce now and this is what you need to aspire to.

Turns out that someone has approached the problem from this angle.  I was looking at tons of CO2, Saul Griffith's looks at it in terms of watts or energy. I think his approach has several benefits as it's not just a climate change issue but it is also a energy security issue and it relates the global problems back to an individuals experiences. It is also a more direct and complete measure of ones impact on the world.

This is a long video (bit over an hour) but a very worth while one. Please take the time to stream/download this and watch it.

Array

Saw a tee shirt for sale recently with this design on it. Really rather clever though only funny to a fairly select audience. I think it's great though.

A Perk of Our Evolution - Pleasure in Pain of Chilies - NYTimes.com

I just read this in the NY times (link below). interesting fluff piece but with a great line in it, "In my kitchen, as I turn my homegrown habaneros into hot sauce while wearing a respirator (I’m not kidding)". He is using Habaneros which I'm also growing in my garden. they are now the 2nd hottest chillies in the world. I would actually recommend elbow length chemically resistant gloves when handling them rather than a respirator.

A Perk of Our Evolution - Pleasure in Pain of Chilies - NYTimes.com

Openbook - See what's public on Facebook

Another interesting read

http://www.wired.com/epicenter/2010/09/six-reasons-why-wired-uks-editor-isnt-on-facebook/

Then Try out;

Openbook - See what's public on Facebook

Roof Dog

LOL Cats have Ceiling cat. Well I've just spotted Roof Dog.

He Watcheth over us and sees all.

First Time Ever

So here is proof First ever trip to the Ballet.

Ballets not bad. Great as an art form and is an amazingly athletic display. The dancers are definitely to be admired, but to tell a story I prefer a musical or a play. They are just better mediums for story telling.

Where we're at now

Min and I have been back in the country for a while now.  Min has been in hard training and just over 2 weeks ago ran in her first ever Half Marathon.  It was at the Townsville Running Festival held by the local club the Townsville Road Runners.  It was a hard slog for her but she made the 21.1 km in under 2 hours.

For me though my weeks and especially weekends have been all about my house. I have been doing paint prep, gardening, taking off gutters, and  stripping floors nearly every spare moment.  One good thing though is that I am finally getting very close to having the place finished.  Another 3 or 4 weeks and I should have the first of two apartments ready then another couple of weeks and I will have both places finished.  Not long now!!  Just paint both places then sand the floors in one and replace the fans.

Once the house is finished I will have time to get back to my own training and prepare for the OC1 races that are coming up later in the year. I actually hope to start running as well, ot long distances mind just 4-5km once or twice a week. With paddling and cycling I should start to see a definite improvement in my fitness.

All of that though is a while off and we will have to see how the house goes.  For tonight though I'm off to see the The Imperial Russian Ballet Company preform the Nutcracker suite.  I'm quite looking forward to it I've never been to the Ballet will be interesting to see.

Please read before you go to vote

People should know who they are voting for and what those people stand for. Over the last few elections federal politics has definitely declined. Labour hasn't had a strong leader running on strong policies since Keating. The Liberals on the other hand had a strong leader more recently in John Howard. Now I didn't agree with many of Howard's Policies (Especially Work Choices and Lack of Climate Change action) but Policy was front and centre in his election campaign.

If Julia Gillard would put up a strong central Policy on say Climate change or some other area that the Labour party think needs improving in Australia's current system I think they would be further ahead in the polls. All of this is a bit beside the point that I am trying to make though. I want people to know what a bunch of lunatics they would be voting for if they vote for the Liberal party. Please read the direct and referenced quotes on this website and see if Tony Abbott is the type of man that you would want in charge of a country. Remember his policies will affect people you.

http://thedawnchorus.wordpress.com/2010/08/05/reasons-to-not-vote-for-tony/

Also please be aware that Liberal Preference are being directed towards the Family First Party. If the Liberals are a bunch of right wing lunatics then the Family First party are foaming at the mouth crazy! Here is an example of the Family First party trying to Advance Australia as a Modern Country.His contribution to the passing of Australia’s first paid parental leave scheme in June was to VOTE AGAINST IT BECAUSE:

“Drug addicts and welfare cheats can go out there and get themselves pregnant and then after 20 weeks have an abortion and still pocket the government’s cash,” Senator Fielding told the Senate.

Then also there is the belief that the world is only 10,000 years old and we all descended from 2 individuals.

Please take the rather extreme views of these peopl in to account when voting in the election on the 24th.

Get up Ad About Tony Abbot

Some thing everyone should see before the coming election.