As young people all over the world protest over political
inaction on climate change, we ask how engineers can prevent our planet’s
temperature rising past the point of no return. Responding to this challenge
means that engineering professionals, businesses and institutions must do
things differently. They must say no say no to carbon intensive development,
leave fossil fuels in the ground and focus on developing the solutions that
will enable the world to transition into a low carbon future.



Working with us on this episode is consultant Mott
MacDonald, which is increasingly refusing to work on carbon intensive projects;
is developing new technical solutions; and has embarked upon a global climate
resilience initiative. These steps are enabling it to support organisations all
over the world in lowering their carbon emissions and taking us closer to keeping
global temperature rise to 1.5 degrees centigrade.



Like the medical profession, which developed the Declaration
of Helsinki that went beyond the legislation of the day to reform practices in
medical research on human beings, academics are arguing that engineers should
do the same. This would mean creating a Declaration of Climate Action that compels
professional engineers to ensure that their work does not contribute to climate
change and upholds their professional duty to protect future generations from rising
global temperatures.



GUESTS



Dr Rob Lawlor, lecturer in applied ethics, University
of Leeds



David
Viner,
global practice leader for climate resilience, Mott MacDonald



Ian Allison, global head of climate resilience, Mott MacDonald



Rebekah Marsh, engineering geologist, Mott MacDonald



Mark Crouch, carbon management team leader, Mott MacDonald



Clare Wildfire, global practice leader for
cities, Mott MacDonald



ADDITIONAL RESOURCES




The Infrastructure
Carbon Review, sets out the commercial as well as environmental and social
benefits of cutting carbon.



PAS
2080, is the first international standard for managing infrastructure
carbon, which provides a framework for how to do it.



Mission
Possible is a document that sets out the steps required to keep climate
change to under two degrees.



Dr Rob Lawlor and Helen Morley’s paper: Climate
Change and Professional Responsibility: A Declaration of Helsinki for Engineers




SUPPORTERS



Mott MacDonald – Opening opportunities with
connected thinking.



Mott
MacDonald is a US$2bn engineering, management and development consultancy
involved in: 




solving
some of the world’s most urgent social, environmental and economic            challenges



helping
governments and businesses plan, deliver and sustain their strategic goals



responding
to humanitarian and natural emergencies



improving
people’s lives 




Its expertise by sector includes buildings, communications,
defence, education, environment, health, industry, mining, oil and gas, power,
transport, urban development, water, wastewater and more. Its skills encompass
planning, studies and design, project finance, technical advisory services,
project and programme management, management consultancy and beyond.The post #17 Acting on climate change first appeared on Engineering Matters.

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