This title is of high interest to me because it is the problem we often encounter in Environmental Mangement. Ms. Jackson's address, though highly US-centrism, did reveal some perspectives and insights on science and the society.
The article starts with a retrospective view of the role of science in the history of human development. Then it identified several trends in the recent decades: multidisciplinary, globalization (and national security), decline of workforce and educated scientists, multiple voices or information overload. Scientific innovasion has a better prospect today than any time before, but the challenges of the trends must be answered. More investment on research and education, and more consideration on attract, nourish and raise talents, to ensure national security and interest in the new century.
This is applicable to other countries. However, what strikes me most is that in this information age, voices are easily drown in the turbulent ocean of information. A scientist today face the crisis that his opinions may not be heard and accepted as easily as 30 years ago. Science must address this difficulty to make sure people get valuable information. Or the value of science is lost in such a "Nexus" of interweaving interests and information. It could be replaced by badly proved information which can direct the society to a worse direction. (Though science itself is not necessarily good and correct, most of the time it is helpful in informing policies.)
It is unavoidable that scientists are more likely to 'encounter' the society today because of their research and the interaction of scientific and lay people. The trend calls for science that is more holistic, flexible, adaptable, informing and trustable.
2005年12月10日星期六
又遇到“利”与“义”的矛盾了
(Yale Center for Environmental Law and Policy et al. 2002 Environmental Sustainability Index. 2002.)
今天看了一个 Yale 的环境可持续性指数的报告，作为我们数据处理课下一次作业的准备。看完之后深受震动，因为中国的排名在参与评估的一百四十多个国家当中竟仅列第129位（2002年数据）。
出国之前打定主意要回国工作，不做二等公民，但是出国之后又觉得国内的自由和人权状况不能令人满意（这个在 Yale 报告中也提到了），所以也想过到别的国家呆着，至少得能访问 blogspot.com 吧！
今天看到这个报告，第一反应是不想回国了，但 second thought 是：这正是我学环境科学的原因啊。正因为状况堪忧，所以我这样的人有责任去改进。虽然在现有的体制和气氛之下，能做出什么样的成绩很难说，但是总要有人去改变，不然中国就永远不能成为一个足够可持续的国家。
另一个声音说：我这样的性格在国内目前的科研体制下绝对会过得很郁闷的。然后是那个经典的 Free Rider 悖论：即使我能给国内的环境状况带来任何改变，我自己也必将付出很大代价，而这样做的好处让全体国人分享了，我自己得到的很少。那么我是不是应该让别人来承担这个责任呢？
但是我好歹也是清华毕业的，说我们都以国家为己任可能有点假，但是我不想对不起在国内受的教育，特别是清华四年。
直到现在这两个声音还在我脑海中争吵。一个折衷的方案是到香港发展，可以享受民主政治又可以为国效力，不过，不知道那边的黑社会会不会让我郁闷的说⋯⋯
今天的两大收益
虽然准备考试准备得头大，但是中午溜到 Beeston 去散步＋购物，竟然遇到一个 Mormen 教派的传教士。他是葡萄牙人，眼神很清澈。虽然我并不相信他所说的神迹，也不愿因为信教而放弃我对世界的认知，但是我想到人不管是什么信仰，都应当作为一个整体而相互关怀，所以我对他的态度从最初的不信任转为寻求平等的交流（听他说话的时候我脑海中突然响起了 Lennon 的 Imagine ... 不知道算不算一个 miracle ...）。我们握手道别，我祝他圣诞快乐，彼此都很愉快。
另外，把 Mormen 作为一种文化研究也挺有意思的。改天去那个教堂看看，或者跟他们要一本他们的经典看看。
另外就是读到 AAAS 负责人在 Science 杂志上的致辞，虽然他的观点很有些美国中心论的味道，不过对于科学的作用以及科学发展的趋势和危机倒是有很深刻的分析。稍后我会把链接贴到 English blog 上。
另外，把 Mormen 作为一种文化研究也挺有意思的。改天去那个教堂看看，或者跟他们要一本他们的经典看看。
另外就是读到 AAAS 负责人在 Science 杂志上的致辞，虽然他的观点很有些美国中心论的味道，不过对于科学的作用以及科学发展的趋势和危机倒是有很深刻的分析。稍后我会把链接贴到 English blog 上。
The outcomes of Montreal 2005 COP/MOP
The curtain finally falls after two weeks of negotiation. Though the Independent critisized that there is too much more talk than action, from Friday night to Saturday night delegates from 157 countries finally made some progress in achieving an agreement on further reduction of GHG after 2012. In addition, the mechanism of compensating tropical forest conserving countries was also established in this conference. The total outcome seems not to be too bad.
The US still rejects the idea of global action to reduce carbon dioxide. They say they have spend $3bn on technologies that reduce emission and that was their effort. But Former President Mr. Clinton's speech apparently played a subtle role in the progress. This morning it is reported that US may have an agreement with other countries on further negotiation, after the impolite demostration of walking out the conference earlier yesterday.
This delegates also agreed on the scheme of auditing emission and a rule book making the Kyoto Protocal operational. The next step would be put all these into action. As Clinton said, 40 years later we could end up on a raft somewhere if we do nothing now.
The US still rejects the idea of global action to reduce carbon dioxide. They say they have spend $3bn on technologies that reduce emission and that was their effort. But Former President Mr. Clinton's speech apparently played a subtle role in the progress. This morning it is reported that US may have an agreement with other countries on further negotiation, after the impolite demostration of walking out the conference earlier yesterday.
This delegates also agreed on the scheme of auditing emission and a rule book making the Kyoto Protocal operational. The next step would be put all these into action. As Clinton said, 40 years later we could end up on a raft somewhere if we do nothing now.
2005年12月9日星期五
近来的困扰
1. 老爸非常希望我到美国读博士，但是我不想考 GRE。
好像不论如何都还是比较喜欢英国这边的学术气氛。在这里我有足够的自由而又能得到足够多的支持。在地理和环境方面这里的研究似乎并不弱于美国，而且对第三世界国家的关注比较多。英国的环境研究似乎更偏重农业一些，这应该是欧洲的土地利用状况决定的。
美国的生态学研究似乎确实更发达一些，特别是在理论和建模方面。但是实际应用起来，欧洲这边似乎有更多挑战和可研究的东西。而且欧洲与第三世界国家的关系提供了接触自然生态系统的可能。
有一条非学术的理由，就是欧洲的城市看起来更有文化的气氛。
所以也就不太想花时间精力去考 GRE，目前觉得专心读书和申请这边的 PhD 更重要。
2. 好像对某人有了一点特别的好感。
不许笑，恩。
好像不论如何都还是比较喜欢英国这边的学术气氛。在这里我有足够的自由而又能得到足够多的支持。在地理和环境方面这里的研究似乎并不弱于美国，而且对第三世界国家的关注比较多。英国的环境研究似乎更偏重农业一些，这应该是欧洲的土地利用状况决定的。
美国的生态学研究似乎确实更发达一些，特别是在理论和建模方面。但是实际应用起来，欧洲这边似乎有更多挑战和可研究的东西。而且欧洲与第三世界国家的关系提供了接触自然生态系统的可能。
有一条非学术的理由，就是欧洲的城市看起来更有文化的气氛。
所以也就不太想花时间精力去考 GRE，目前觉得专心读书和申请这边的 PhD 更重要。
2. 好像对某人有了一点特别的好感。
不许笑，恩。
2005年12月4日星期日
Witness history — or become history?
Yesterday there was large scale demonstration in London, Montreal, Washington and cities in other 30 countries. Over 100,000 people took part in it. The demonstration was timed to press the US and UK government to set effective agenda on cutting GHG emission.
As Margaret Beckett, the Secretary of State for the Environment said, the conference in Montreal is not very possible to achieve more than making the issue forward. Not much consensus can be achieved with the attitude of US government. The developing countries are doing something to cut CO2 emission. Now we must wait and see how US response.
The prospect is not optimistic. The change of global climate is at a speed faster than scientists predicted. Therefore this year's demonstration will be of historical meaning, no matter if it can push the US government forward in controlling GHG emission. Luckily the people's attitude has changed a lot since the Katrina disaster. Therefore perhaps we can expect an attitude change of the US government, too.
About UK PM Mr. Blair, I support his approving attitude on the issue of nuclear power -- at least it can solve the most urgent problem, and solution of nuclear waste disposal can be better expected than other low GHG emission energy sources. To what direction will he push Mr. Bush will possibly determine the coming days of mankind.
As Margaret Beckett, the Secretary of State for the Environment said, the conference in Montreal is not very possible to achieve more than making the issue forward. Not much consensus can be achieved with the attitude of US government. The developing countries are doing something to cut CO2 emission. Now we must wait and see how US response.
The prospect is not optimistic. The change of global climate is at a speed faster than scientists predicted. Therefore this year's demonstration will be of historical meaning, no matter if it can push the US government forward in controlling GHG emission. Luckily the people's attitude has changed a lot since the Katrina disaster. Therefore perhaps we can expect an attitude change of the US government, too.
About UK PM Mr. Blair, I support his approving attitude on the issue of nuclear power -- at least it can solve the most urgent problem, and solution of nuclear waste disposal can be better expected than other low GHG emission energy sources. To what direction will he push Mr. Bush will possibly determine the coming days of mankind.
寻找－选择
这几天在找各学校的 PhD 研究项目，深深体会到做出决定的不易。毕竟这是决定自己今后三年的目标，乃至一生的研究方向的问题，马虎不得。
最想去的名校剑桥和牛津，一个没有有空的导师，一个没有研究的空缺，目前看来没有什么指望。现在的目标初步定在爱丁堡和诺丁汉，两个学校都有我感兴趣的项目，虽然它们的 reputation 不及牛津剑桥，但如果三年都没法做自己感兴趣的东西，纵然头顶名校的光环，也会是极度痛苦的。
英国这边的环境科学，基本都归在地理学门下，所以做环境与社会以及景观的比较多。而我感兴趣的生态学是在生物学下，虽然我们学环境的也必然会涉及到。最近几个感兴趣的题目都是跟全球变化和景观有关的，离自己原先的目标——普通生态学倒是有些远了。想想从大一到现在，研究兴趣真是变了又变，不知今后又会有怎样的变化。也许这就是环境科学的特点——永远有可能从一个学科跨到另一个。
不过，自己小时候除了当兵以外的第二个愿望就是做科学家，在长大的过程中对于自己人生的规划也不断改变，想过经商，当记者，甚至当长途货车司机和作家，现在又有了搞科学的愿望而且正在这条道路上前进了，也算是坚持了初衷吧。
最想去的名校剑桥和牛津，一个没有有空的导师，一个没有研究的空缺，目前看来没有什么指望。现在的目标初步定在爱丁堡和诺丁汉，两个学校都有我感兴趣的项目，虽然它们的 reputation 不及牛津剑桥，但如果三年都没法做自己感兴趣的东西，纵然头顶名校的光环，也会是极度痛苦的。
英国这边的环境科学，基本都归在地理学门下，所以做环境与社会以及景观的比较多。而我感兴趣的生态学是在生物学下，虽然我们学环境的也必然会涉及到。最近几个感兴趣的题目都是跟全球变化和景观有关的，离自己原先的目标——普通生态学倒是有些远了。想想从大一到现在，研究兴趣真是变了又变，不知今后又会有怎样的变化。也许这就是环境科学的特点——永远有可能从一个学科跨到另一个。
不过，自己小时候除了当兵以外的第二个愿望就是做科学家，在长大的过程中对于自己人生的规划也不断改变，想过经商，当记者，甚至当长途货车司机和作家，现在又有了搞科学的愿望而且正在这条道路上前进了，也算是坚持了初衷吧。
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