OUR RESPONSIBILITY TO THE PLANET BY DR ROLPH PAYET
Growing up in the Seychelles, one would not miss the fact that while we are physically isolated and surrounded by immense natural beauty, hundreds of tons of plastic has been washing up our shores since the early eighties. This is what we see and can observe. And what about the invisible chemicals being irresponsibly dumped in many corners of our planet, ending up in its oceans and atmosphere?
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limate change, ozone depletion in our atmosphere and persistent organic pollutants in many fish species are all evidence that our planetary footprint far exceeds our doorstep. Let’s take the waste we generate at home – we place it in the bin, park it by the roadside, someone picks it up and we forget about it. Did you know that only nine per cent of all the plastics we generate at home is recycled? It is estimated that by 2030, emissions into our atmosphere as a result of plastic use will be equivalent to 295 new 500 megawatt coal-fired plants. While our planet absorbs about 25 per cent of our carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions, deforestation, marine pollution and growing fossil fuel energy are further increasing CO2 in our atmosphere. In 1982, our atmosphere had 320 ppm (parts per million) of CO2, and in 2017 we measured 405 ppm. The last time our planet had 400 ppm CO2 was several million years ago, with no megacities or millions of people living on the coast. Irrespective of your views on climate change, the bottom line is that all of our human activities are closely linked and impacting the planet, with even remote islands like the Seychelles not spared.
Empowering people through education The root cause is clearly grounded in human and industry behaviour linked to relentless production, irresponsible consumption and unsound disposal, whether it be energy, products or services. Are there business or economic cases for sustainable development? Indeed, there are, and our schools and universities should embrace those, not only as separate subjects but rather as part of all subjects or fields of study. At a recent EU conference on future chemicals policy, it was clear that sustainable chemistry or green chemistry is not on the curriculum of aspiring chemists. We will not be able to solve the present if we do not empower the future generation. In designing the environmental science degree courses at the University of Seychelles, I was keen to introduce key concepts of sustainable development, natural science economics and global planetary cycles in year one of the undergraduate degree. This is a reflection of my academic journey and the understanding of the policy-science interface, especially how we can reconcile human needs with the needs for existence and planetary stability. While we need something as basic as wood, we also need forests for cleaner air and water, among other needs. It is not rocket science, but we need to empower people through better awareness and education, so they can make sound consumer decisions.
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