UNU/UNESCO International Conference
Globalization: Challenges and Opportunities
for Science and Technology
Workshop: Linking Globalization, Science and Technology
for Peace and Sustainable Development
― 3. Society and Policy-making -―
A Proposal of A global project “Total Study of the Earth”
involving UNU/UNESCO, ICSU and IUPAC
in the age of “Science for Society”
August 23-24, 2006 Yokohama Pacifico, Yokohama
Akihiro Abe
Tokyo Polytechnic University
Nano-Science Research Center
NASA Eos Committee Report
The earth is essentially a chemical planet
controlled by
1. Mass Conservation Low
2. Energy Conservation Low
For a given energy consumption, we are obliged
to pay certain entropy bill in terms of either heat
or low-energy materials. The environmental
problems are typical examples. The principle
applies to all energies regardless of their source:
fossil, nuclear, water power, sunshine, etc.
It does not matter whether the arguments are
from materialism or dualism. Those who are not
materialists should also accept the results.
A pessimistic view on the human
civilization:
Human-beings have succeeded in establishing a
modern civilization by learning the use of energy.
For humanity to last longer, Chemical sciences*
must play a leading role in the society.
Otherwise, sooner or later the humans would
possibly come to the cease of existence in
ignorance of the entropy concept.
------------------------------------------------------------------*Chemistry is the discipline studying the consistency
between energy and matter (materials), the two being
like the two sides of a sheet.
SCIENCE
Biology
IUPAC DIVISIONS
Macromolecular
Analytical
Organic &
Biomolecular
Environment
Inorganic
Human Health
Physical &
Biophysical
Nomenclature &
Structure Representation
Chemistry
Physics
MATERIALS
hn
hn
H2O
CO2
ADP
ATP
CO2 Fixation
Photosynthesis
NADP+
O2
NADPH
C6H12O6
Carbohydrates
Macromolecules
A modern role of Chemistry :
These days most chemists are working in their
own laboratory isolated from the mother nature.
We, chemists however should realize that we
are obliged, more than anyone else, to
understand all aspects of the materials-energy
circulation taking place on the earth. (cf. ACS
Project, “Chemistry in Context: Applying
Chemistry to Society” 5th Ed., McGraw-Hill, NY,
2006.)
This applies to all chemists regardless whether
he/she is a technological optimist or an
environmental pessimist.
After all these considerations, I am inclined to
propose a large-scale international collaboration
as a contribution to the world society by means of
the knowledge indigenous to chemistry
(materials-energy balance).
A Proposal of a Long-Term Project: “total
studies of the earth” in terms of the
materials-energy balance:
A standing committee sponsored by UNU/
UNESCO and/or ICSU in collaboration with
IUPAC and other scientific organizations.
After a hard work over an extended period, I am
sure they will come up with a collective (semiquantitative) picture of our planet in terms of the
materials-energy balance for both living and nonliving systems.
.
Project (continued):
In these studies, all branches of chemistry including
thermodynamics (the energy-entropy relations) must be
involved.
Collaborations with other disciplines such as biology
and physics are of course inevitable. A world-wide
cooperation with the other organizations is a prerequisite.
A global project advocated by UNU/UNESCO and/or
ICSU would possibly increase the number of
scientifically-motivated people who can voluntarily
contribute by observing the living and non-living systems
in their surroundings. The limitation arising from the
availability of professional scientists may be
complemented by their participation.
The most difficult part of this program would
be to find a right person(s) to lead the
project. I hope someone will raise his/her
hand.
Concluding Remarks:
I often feel a gap between what scientists (chemists)
think important and the needs of the society. I have
proposed a project as a start toward a new S&T to fill the
gap. A total study of the earth will eventually
demonstrate the capacity (highly possibly the limitation)
of the earth as a material-energy circulating system.
The importance of peace (a life with minimum entropy
emission) may be strongly supported on the scientific
ground, which should inevitably affect human civilization,
culture (our life-style) as well as various policies.
A MODERN ROLE OF S&T FOR SOCIETY:
・Where do we come from?
— Most recently from monkey.
・What are we?
— We should spend more resources (money
and manpower) on this subject: a total
study of the earth.
・Where are we going?
— Move ahead more cautiously!
--------------------------------------------------Comment: this might imply a conflict between
the DNA strategy and the human wisdom.
The Long-term Project proposed may yield some
secondary, but immediate merits such as
1．The project may provide some useful academic
interaction with the ESD program of UNU/UNESCO.
2．The ambiguity associated with the use of
terminology “sustainability” or “sustainable
development” would be cleared up by these steady
efforts.
3. The activities may be expanded by involving volunteer
(amateur) scientists. (The limitation arising from the
availability of professional chemists may be
complemented by their participation.)