SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY AND THE CHALLENCE OF GLOBAL SUSTAINABILITY

Professor Arcot Ramachandran

December 15, 2008, 10AM - 11AM

The world today is witnessing profound changes in the economic and social systems at all scales-local, national, and global as never before. These changes are impacting on the ecosystems of the planet at such a rapid rate, and in such a wide ranging manner that they threaten the very basis of life on earth. Globalization has transformed the world in an unprecedented manner. Yet the divide between developed and developing societies persists. Poverty and inequity continues to be endemic. Production and consumption patterns that have evolved over the years are becoming unsustainable. It is time that we reflect on the role of S&T in order to reach a better understanding of the issues, challenges and options involved in sustainable development.

 The reconciliation of society's economic and social development goals with the planet's environmental limits is what constitutes the basis for sustainable development. Sustainable development thus rests on three pillars- economic growth, social progress and protection of the environment. This idea emerged from the Brundtland Commission report on Environment and Development, based on scientific perspectives about the interdependence of society and the environment, and has since evolved along with the significant advances in our understanding of this interdependence.

 Today, problems faced by society are no longer determined by local events but by an interconnected world system which, shaped by the forces of science and technology and communication, has effectively eroded the traditional insulators of distance and time and have drastically altered one's notion of resource frontiers.

 Humanity has faced many challenges in earlier eras and revolutionary changes in economic and social spheres have occurred largely through agricultural, industrial and informatics revolutions. We are now on the threshold of a new era that promises even deeper and wider transformation of society that can bring improvements in quality of life if only we can manage the challenge of sustainability. Technologies that underpinned the development of societies in the past and the consumption patterns that evolved subsequently, many of which have roots in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, are no longer considered to be sustainable. A whole generation of new technologies, many of which are already in the pipe line, will shape the production and consumption patterns of future generations. That there is a compelling need to reconcile the imperatives of environmental integrity, social progress and economic growth is resonating not only in political circles but more so in the scientific and technical community.

 Technology is one of the principal drivers of our interconnected world. We find that many national and global issues are interlinked to a large extent. Energy, clean air and water, transportation, medicine and health, systems of management, and conservation of natural resources, to name a few, are all dependent on global developments in science and technology.

 To generate adequate responses to the challenges of our times particularly, those that are posed by the quest for sustainable development, the thrust of science and technology will have to be progressively reoriented.

 There is a compelling need for a new relationship between science and society. This new relationship should obviously be built on a reinforcement of scientific education and cooperation, giving due recognition to the need to connect modern scientific knowledge and traditional knowledge, and to foster inter-disciplinary research. The importance of addressing the ethics of the practice of science and the use of scientific knowledge, should also receive due attention.

 A responsive S&T system that can contribute critically to the sustainability transition is clearly needed at this time. It must be able to harness its capacity and readiness to incorporate the perspectives and concerns of the major stakeholders involved, and adopt methods for collective decision making in pursuing practical applications.

 Although the mobilization of collective will and setting up of appropriate institutional mechanisms are political tasks, the S&T system can and should play a facilitating role in bridging the gap between policy makers and stakeholders in exploring alternative pathways to sustainable development.

 Already dramatic progress is seen in advanced materials, energy systems, biotechnology, electronics, information and communication technologies, and nanotechnology, and these among others, have the potential to provide new products and processes which fulfill both economic growth and environmental protection goals. Increased awareness and emphasis on green technologies represents a desirable trend that could not only reduce environmental stress but could be an attractive business opportunity. Placing greater emphasis on clean production processes and cleaner products is what makes the environmental revolution in industry and services sectors a truly scientific and technological challenge.

 Much cleaner processes and cleaner products and innovative use of scarce resources are required across a wide range of industries and sectors than what we have today. In this talk, I shall however specifically focus attention on three such areas namely, i) energy and transportation that is inextricably linked to atmospheric pollution and climate change - a prime environmental issue of our day, ii)water and iii) food security, and address some of the challenges therein.

About the Speaker

Dr. Arcot Ramachandran obtained his M.S., and Ph.D. degrees from Purdue University, U.S.A. On his return to India he joined the Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, in 1950 as a faculty member in the newly established Department of Power Engineering. During 1954 -55 he was Research Engineer in Babcock & Wilcox R&D Centre in Renfrew, Scotland. He was Post Doctoral Fellow in Columbia University and Purdue University during 1955 -56, and participated in the Summer Session on Advances in Heat Transfer in Massachusetts Institute of Technology. On his return to Indian Institute of Science, in 1957 he became head of Mechanical Engineering and in 1965 also head of Industrial Management. He established a school of research in Heat and Mass Transfer. He established a number of post graduates programs in Mechanical Engineering.

 In 1967 he was invited to become the Director of Indian Institute of Technology, Madras. During his tenure, the Institute obtained a reputation as a Centre of Excellence. In 1973 he was invited to be Secretary to Government of India in the newly established Department of Science and Technology. The first Science and Technology Plan, prepared by NCST was published. He implemented the S & T plan. Noticeable accomplishments were the setting up the National Remote Sensing Agency in Hyderabad, transferred to Department of Space. Ocean Science and Technology Agency (OSTA) which later became the Department of Ocean Development, Science and Engineering Research Council (SERC), Environmental Planning, Coordination and Research (now Ministry of Environment and Forests) New and non conventional sources of Energy), (now Ministry of New and Renewable Energy), National Information System for Science and Technology, and the UN Asia - Pacific Centre for Transfer of Technology (UN-APCTT) in Bangalore in 1977 (now relocated in Delhi). He is recognised as the Architect of the National Programme for Research and Development in Renewable Sources of Energy.

 He was elected Chairman of the Preparatory Committee of the UN Conference on Science and Technology in 1977. In October 1978 he was appointed Under Secretary General and Executive Director of the newly established United Nations Centre for Human Settlements. During his tenure, the United Nations approved his initiatives viz., Observance of World Habitat Day on the first Monday of October every year, the 1987 International Year of Shelter for the Homeless and the Global Strategy for Shelter with adequate shelter for all. In 1990 he launched the Sustainable Cities programme in 12 cities. UN Habitat rendered technical assistance to 108 countries.

 He is the recipient of many National and International awards, notably, the 1986 Heat Transfer Memorial Award by the American Society of Mechanical Engineers, the World Habitat Award in 1994 by the Building and Social Foundation of U.K. at Windsor Castle, England, the Sir S.S. Bhatnagar gold medal for Science and Technology in January 1998; the INAE award in February 2000 and the Sir. M. Viswesaraya Award in February 2002 for Life Time achievement in Engineering; and the World Federation of Engineering Organisations award for 2005 for excellence in Engineering.

 He is the recipient of Honorary Doctorates in Engineering from USA, Germany, Italy, five Indian Universities, and Honorary Fellow of IISc, the Institution of Engineers, INSA; INAE; IASC, ASME etc. He was conferred the Padma Bhushan In 2003. A Collection of selected articles and lectures delivered by him have been published in two books. The Urban Challenge in 2003, and Technology, Environment and Sustainable Development in 2005.

 He is Chairman of TERI (The Energy and Resources Institute) New Delhi and Hon. Visiting Professor in National Institute of Advanced Studies, Bangalore.