Week 5 Reflection

I learnt more about the mechanisms behind ocean acidification.  It would have been useful if I had studied more chemistry!

It's always good to see the Devon seaside in the fine summer weather.  I have many happy memories of family holidays at my grandmother's in Honiton and visits to places like Exmouth, Budleigh Salterton, Sidmouth, Beer and Lyme Regis.  I studied at Exeter University and it's been fun trying to spot places I remember in the background like the arboretum.

Attended the latest in the Adaption to climate change seminar series on Thursday evening entitled Sea Level Rise, Coastal Cities, and Wetlands. It was useful when thinking about the questions about sea level rise in this week's session.  Professor Charlie Kennel is a very interesting speaker and I think there are plans to use the seminar series as the basis of a MOOC.  The Centre for Science and Policy exists to promoting engagement between researchers and policy professionals. Unfortunately, speaking to other attendees over drinks afterwards I think all of them were from a science background.  The politicians and policy professionals who really need to understand about climate change didn't appear to be there.

Back in the 1970s I worked for the Water Data Unit, part of the Department of the Environment.  While there I worked with Terry Marsh, one of the authors of The Recent Storms and Floods in the UK (February 2014).  I am very sad and disappointed at the poor treatment of the professionals at the Environment Agency as reported in Floods: Environment Agency frontline staff hit by cuts, whistleblowers reveal.

It's very disappointing that many politicians and media commentators seem unaware of resources such as the Science Media Centre and and their briefings on Expert reaction to continued flooding.