PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE Continued from p. 35 “
Climate change is a reality that we as humans, along with the other spe- cies that we share this planet with, are facing. If current trends continue, it will result in a worldwide disruption of our concept of how the world works.
ing off the main ice shelves that make the nightly news. I am talking about the very real impacts of back-to-back tropical storms that pummel the east- ern seaboard3, relentless wildfires that decimate carbon-trapping forests in the western US and the Amazon, and the loss of productive farmland due to insects, flooding, or drought.4 The super-storms that seem to get bigger each year, or the fish runs that are dying off because our oceans are warming, or even the incursion of invasive species decimating native ecosystems.5 Entire communities are relocating because they are being inundated by eroding shorelines or by constant flooding. The biggest change that my colleagues and I find we must keep up with in arctic engineering is the constantly increasing average tempera- tures, which in turn has a large influence on the design of arctic infrastructure.
Climate change is a reality that we as humans, along with the other spe- cies that we share this planet with, are facing. If current trends continue, it will result in a worldwide disruption of our concept of how the world works. Yes, life will survive, and the planet
will keep orbiting the Sun. But many species, including humans, may not. At the very least climate change will bring challenges, such as heat, drought, and sea level change, that displace popula- tions and create resource conflict. The longer we wait and the less that is done to mitigate effects, the more severe the consequences may be.
AIPG is in the process of updating our position statements as many of them are either out of date or irrelevant for 2019. Some of them will be eliminated, but many will be reviewed by qualified individuals and updated for the current period and available data. As indicated above, we are developing a position state- ment regarding climate change; AIPG’s peer organizations, such as AGI, GSA, AGU, and even EFG have all developed positions regarding climate change and acknowledge it as a critical issue for the geosciences. While AIPG does not need to necessarily develop a formal position on the causes of climate change, we do need to formally acknowledge that climate change is occurring and the impacts happening as a result.
I am proud that our organization’s leadership has agreed to reevaluate our position statements and to work to develop one specific to climate change and its relevance as a critical geoscience issue. As professional geoscientists, we can no longer put our heads in the sand and worry about those who might be offended by taking a stand. AIPG must look ahead to the impacts of climate change and support policies to slow it or adapt to it. Climate change is resulting, and will continue to result, in increased geological hazards, such as slope insta- bility, coastal erosion, reduced replen- ishment of groundwater, and thawing of permafrost. Geoscience will be at the core of society’s efforts to identify, mea- sure, and predict the effects that climate change will have on the Earth; we thus have the skills to help shape the conver- sation regarding climate change and the actions needed to mitigate it.
If we can’t discuss climate change now, when there may still be a chance to have an impact, then when?
If we as geoscientists can’t intelli- gently discuss climate change and what to do about it, then who?
3.
https://www.climate.gov/news-features/featured-images/warming-may-increase-risk-rapidly-intensifying-hurricanes-along-us 4.
https://www.ers.usda.gov/topics/natural-resources-environment/climate-change/agriculture-and-climate-change/ 5.
https://www.fs.usda.gov/ccrc/topics/insect-disturbance-and-climate-change
Insight, continued from p. 26
sional successes and these successes may be new jobs, a raise in salary or other advancements.
2. Secondly, let us organize a mentor program that creates teams of mentors for each young profes- sional. These mentorships will be continued through the professional life cycle of the young professional and, at the same time, give purpose and satisfaction to the retiring com- munity of geoscientific professionals. This means; 1) help new geoscien- tists enter the professional world and 2) help members thrive throughout their professional career’s life-cycle through interaction, knowledge and mentoring.
Common topics of concern during the courses of our professional lives are: finding a school, finding that first job, keeping your job, setbacks in the industry, ethics, continuing education, relationships and outreach within communities.
These suggestions are significant and the timing is now. But to move forward on such a significant front requires input and conversation with all our members, young and old. Think about the trends identified in this article and the two suggested actions then ask yourself: Do I want to be a part of something big- ger than myself? Success is earned and working together yields meaning to your life and the lives of those you support. I want to hear from each of you. Please
share your thoughts and opinion for mov- ing this vision forward. We can do this when the will to advance our science and profession drives the process. Contact me at
stevebaker@operationunite.co, or write a letter to the Editor at aipg@
aipg.org.
About the Author
Stephen J. Baker serves as a 2019 AIPG Advisory Committee member. He is a California and Washington Registered Geologist and Certified Hydrogeologist and owned and operated his consulting firm, HydroSolutions of California, Incorporated, for 29 years. He now consults and has cre- ated Operation Unite that focuses on building public responsibility for water related projects through public and stakeholder outreach programs.
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