Coleen Vogel

Professor of Sustainability at the University of the Witwatersrand in South Africa and member of the South African Scientific Committee for Global Change

1.  What in your view are the most urgent problems in the field of climate change?

First of all, we need to improve our knowledge of the global climate change systems (this includes Earth System science but also how we frame and interpret knowledge to better understand this complex system). Second, we need to gain more insight not only on what happens on a global scale, but also what the impacts are on a local scale. Moreover, I think the biggest challenge is that we sometimes focus only on the technological aspects of climate change, and not on the range of other interconnections that we could have with other people that could add value to the whole climate change problem. For example, for me it has been very interesting to see the shift to a more risk-reduction approach in the latest IPCC report, and not only to discuss the climate drivers and climate impacts. This results in a more proactive approach where the paradigms of other stakeholders are also taken into consideration.

I notice that by maintaining a technocratic approach, much of the research is still focussed on emission mitigation. This is important but we also should focus on development and adaptation to climate change. This is what I mean by the phrase ‘developing insights on a local scale.

2.  How can we achieve this?

We should not only communicate our knowledge, but also engage in dialogue. I therefore think that we should open up the community in the field of climate change so that not only meteorologists are working on the problem, but also, for example, scientists from anthropological and political sciences. For example, what does an agriculturalist need from a climate model? If you work in the energy domain, what else do you need besides renewable energy? We tend to look at this as scientists only: we produce our papers, maybe include them in the IPCC report and that’s it. But we need to produce this knowledge in other ways, including a variety of perspectives, than we are currently doing, because we need it more and more quickly.

3.  What are the necessary conditions for successful solutions?

We need to conduct more research not only on how people are responding to climate change and future adaptations, but also how people respond to current adaptations. We need to have governments and other funders supporting good basic research by, for example, setting up integrated and comprehensive monitoring stations. Furthermore, we need more research involving multidisciplinary teams coming together to try to answer these questions. For example, I think it is a pity that we do not have more behavioural psychologists and sociologists working on the problem, because then it would really be an issue around how can we live sustainably, given many constraints. Finally, we also need political will of course. Hence, it is important to have different levels of political engagement so that there is top-level support, as well as support at local municipal level. In order to achieve this, capacity is necessary. In Africa for instance, we are limited by our capacity not our ability. North-South and South-South partnerships need to be created where information and expertise is shared and exchanged, so that we can enhance our capacity and really work on mitigation and adaptation for climate change.

I think there are a lot of people that would like to get involved, but just don´t know how to. For example the media, just look at what Al Gore has done to make climate change a real issue in peoples’ lives.

4.  Are there any biotechnological solutions for these problems?

I think there are biotechnological solutions, such as GM food, but it should not just be limited to coming up with a solution ‘made up in a laboratory’. It should be put in a wider context in order to tackle the problems. We have to be careful that we do not rush into things and create other problems. This includes looking at the political aspects, and research on who will benefit and who will suffer from the technology. Different stakeholders should therefore be included in discussions in the early stages when adopting new technologies. This should minimize the risk that we are creating new problems.

5.  Should biotechnological solutions be placed higher on the social, political or scientific agendas? If so, why?

Biotechnological solutions should be on the agenda, but clearly we have got other more urgent issues that also deserve attention like food accessibility and human security.

6.  Which solutions might lead to public debate?

Biotechnology is one issue on which people have different opinions. This could lead to public debate. Another issue is how we insure ourselves against risks, since the public will also be paying for this. The same is true for the security issues. My guess is that especially the issues that affect the people on a day to day basis will be in the newspapers and therefore in the public debate.

7.  What are the differences between developing and developed countries (in terms of both problems and solutions)?

In general the problems will be very much the same since floods and droughts can occur in all regions. But the impacts and the solutions will be different, based on how much capacity there is available. If a country is already in a vulnerable situation, it may need more resources to withstand impacts.

8.  In your view, what will the field of climate change look like in 20 years time?

Hopefully, if we do our homework now, the problems won’t be too disastrous. I would like to think that, in 20 years time, we will have a society where, regardless of where you are, there is a natural system that can withstand the shocks and the stresses that may come with climate change. So I would like to hope that in 20 years time, we have changed our lifestyles enough that we are able to handle some of the things that may happen if we have climate change.

9.  Which statement/question/dilemma would you like to put to the readers of this interview?

I am quite interested in what the business community in various countries is doing around adaptation.