Wild Deer: Seminar in Parliament Tomorrow

Tomorrow sees the formal launch of the POSTnote written by the 2008 BES POST Fellow, with a seminar in Westminster. Laura Spence has spent the past few months working at the Parliamentary Office of Science and Technology, researching and writing a briefing note for parliamentarians (POSTnote 325) on "Wild Deer".

Wild deer populations are increasing in number and geographic range in the UK. Deer are a valuable natural resource if managed sustainably, but when occurring at excessive densities, they can have negative effects on biodiversity, the rural economy, human health and
safety, and animal welfare. The POSTnote examines the current status of wild deer in the UK, their ecological, economic and social impacts and legislation on their management.

The seminar will take place in the Jubilee Room, Westminster Hall, from 3.30 - 5pm. To find out more see the Event Flyer.
If you would like to attend, please contact POST@parliament.uk or telephone Emma Kearney on 020 7219 2840.

To apply for the 2009 BES POST Fellowship, visit the BES website. Applications must be received by 6 April.

A Million Ponds by 2059

Yesterday evening, the BES Science Policy Team attended the launch of the Million Ponds Project. The ambitious project is a national initiative to reverse the long-term decline in ponds; from around a million 100 years ago, to 500,000 now. Of those that remain, only 8% are thought to be in good condition.

Launching the project last night, Alan Titchmarsh focused on the need for the conservation community to communicate with the public over not only the importance of ponds for wildlife, but also the joy to be had from engaging with nature. Well set-up and maintained ponds provide a fantastic habitat for freshwater organisms but also provide a unique area where children can learn about the natural environment.

Pond Conservation, a national charity dedicated to creating and protecting ponds, and other freshwaters, and the wildlife they support, is co-ordinating the project. Other organisations who are taking part, digging the ponds and providing advisors to assist those wishing to establish ponds on their land, are: Countryside Council for Wales, Natural England, Environment Agency, the Forestry Commission and many others. In total, 11 major partners are involved. The Ministry of Justice and Defence Estates are key partners, wishing to establish ponds in prison grounds and on firing ranges.

Over the first five-years of the project, which is to run for 50 years in total, Pond Conservation hope to facilitate the establishment of 5,000 ponds, at a cost of £3million. Establishing and maintaining ponds is key for the survival of freshwater species: the IUCN has warned that freshwater biodiversity is extremely threatened, and there are more threatened species in ponds in Britain than in lakes or rivers.

IUCN Consider Successor to Biodiversity 2010 Target

The BES Policy Team yesterday attended an international conference in Brussels, to explore the successor to the target to 'halt biodiversity loss by 2010'. Organised by Countdown 2010, the meeting brought together representatives from the European Parliament, NGOs, learned societies, European agencies and academics to consider whether the 2010 target would be reached, including how to build on successes and mitigate potential failures in policy.

Stavros Dimas, European Commissioner for the Environment, was frank in acknowledging that the target would not be met. However, speakers and participants recognised that the existence of a target has spurred on the development of policy, and led to actions which would not otherwise have occurred. Developing a successor to the target was therefore acknowledged as a vital next step.

The 2010 biodiversity target 'had teeth'; this was the prevailing view of the audience. The Birds and Habitats Directives had provided core, useful components to allow member states to take steps towards addressing biodiversity loss. The Natura 2000 network should also be recognised as taking steps towards success. However, there was general recognition that more needed to be done, and that a successor to the target should be far broader.

Gathered from discussion during the day, participants were broadly calling for the target to possess the following, post-2010:

• a broader focus, incorporating ecosystem services and encouraging an ecosystem-wide approach to biodiversity conservation.
• to include sub-targets to assess progress on the way to achieving the overall goal by 2020 or 2025.
• to take into account the unique conservation needs, incredible biodiversity, and incredible challenges, faced by the Overseas Territories.
• a recognition that EU-wide policy is important, but that implementation should be sensitive to local needs and conditions.

To make any target a success, broad societal change would be necessary, not least the shift to a 'Green New Deal'; a change to the economic and policy framework underlying society, a re-think of GDP and the development of an economic successor to this tool which measures natural capital. Integration of land-use for multiple needs will be absolutely vital. Education of the public, raising the profile of biodiversity to public consciousness in the same way as climate change over recent years, will also be integral to success. Perhaps to facilitate this there should be a change in terminology. Is 'biodiversity' too sterile, too devoid of any 'spiritual significance' - is it too 'scientific'. Do we need to shift to present the target as 'halting declines in life on earth'?

Ladislav Miko, Director of 'Protecting the Natural Environment' at DG Environment, stressed that although the European Commission had its own ideas about the successor to the 2010 target, the target would be developed through stakeholder engagement. He called on NGOs, individual ecologists, economists and others, to participate in the development of the target over the coming months. It was hoped that a successor to the target could be introduced in the first half of 2010.

The BES is working with the IEEM to deliver a reception in the UK parliament in October 2009, exploring the 2010 biodiversity target, and successor, from a UK perspective. If you would like more information, please contact Policy@BritishEcologicalSociety.org.

Voice of the Future: 10 March 2009

The Royal Society of Chemistry's annual Voice of the Future event is to take place at Portcullis House, Westminster on 10 March.

This is a free event, open to all those interested in science, and aged under 37.

Voice of the Future aims to strengthen links between the scientific community, parliament and Government. It provides a great chance for young scientists, and aspiring scientists, to question members of Parliament about the use of science in policy-making; and about support for science across Government more generally.

For more information, see the Royal Society of Chemistry website. Places are expected to disappear quickly so do register as soon as possible.

Save Our Bees

As part of the celebrations for this year's National Science and Engineering Week (6-15 March 2009), the British Science Association (formerly the BA) want you to help save UK Bees by planting bee-friendly plants across the country. The 'Save Our Bees' campaign has been launched with a dedicated website and resources for schools.

Billions of the UK's bees are dying from unknown causes and one in three bee colonies in the UK were lost last winter alone. Bees are vitally important: In all, they are responsible for pollinating one-third of all the foods we eat.

Register your interest at the website of the campaign to receive a FREE pack of seeds and a education pack of activities designed for KS1, KS2 and KS3 children.

Look out for further information from the BES later this year, as we develop an event for the 2009 British Science Festival (5-11 September), focused on attracting pollinators to gardens and green spaces.

Standing up for Science 2: Launch Event 29 January 2009

Tomorrow night (29 January) sees the launch of 'Standing up for Science 2: The nuts and bolts', a new publication from Sense about Science building on the success of their initial 'Standing up for Science' publication. Delivered through Sense about Science's 'Voice of Young Science' (VoYS) programme, the publication is targeted at early career scientists who want to promote good science and fight misinformation.

If you are interested in joining the VoYS team at the launch event, for drinks and discussion, then contact Launch@SenseaboutScience.org.

29 January 2009, 5.45 - 7.45pm at the Royal College of Pathologists, London, SW1Y 5AF.

Finding a global solution to Climate Change: 26 January 2009

The Policy Team this afternoon attended a seminar organised by the Overseas Development Institute (ODI) on ‘Brokering a global deal on climate change’. Speakers Joan Ruddock MP, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Climate Change, and Yvo de Boer, Executive Secretary of the UNFCCC, discussed the steps needed to secure assent to a comprehensive, truly global treaty on climate change in Copenhagen later this year.

The Copenhagen treaty, successor to the Kyoto agreement, could be judged a success if it contained the following, according to Mr de Boer:

• Clarity on quantifying emission limitation for developed countries.
• Clarity on nationally appropriate mitigation strategies in developing countries.
• Clarity on financial and technological support for mitigation and adaptation, involving innovative new methods of funding outwith carbon markets.
• Clarity on an institutional framework to deliver support for mitigation and adaptation measures.

The Minister stated that the UK Government was under no illusions about the size of the task as hand but stressed that Government’s commitment to tackling climate change would not falter in the face of the global economic crisis. The global economic downturn did present a challenge to this agenda, said Mr de Boer: in Copenhagen, a method of making climate change mitigation ‘pay for itself’, without the need to mobilise extra finance from Government, should be found.

The Minister defended the Government against comments from the audience that campaigns relying on individual voluntary, rather than society-wide mandatory, action did not go far enough. She stressed that as an elected body, the Government could not realistically impose radical measures upon voters if it wished to retain their support. The Government would instead proceed through consensus building amongst the public, whilst introducing legislation to necessitate business taking action to mitigate climate change which it would not previously have done. She noted that the UK Climate Change Act: to reduce CO2 emissions by 80% of 1990 levels by 2050, is groundbreaking legislation.

Mr de Boer viewed accurate pricing as the key to tackling climate change. The price paid for goods and services should adequately reflect the pollution created through their manufacture or consumption. The effect of this would be to stimulate innovation: to bring renewable energy solutions to the market and so drive down the price of using them relative to fossil fuels.

The commitment to tackling climate change was palpable from both The Minister and Mr de Boer and both were optimistic that a deal could be reached in Copenhagen, particularly given the willingness of the new Obama administration to engage with negotiations. Mr de Boer stressed that further refinement would be needed post-Copenhagen, but that it was vital to reach initial agreement this year.

CaSE Forum Focuses on the Impact of the UK Science Base

Today saw the participation of the BES Policy Team in an Opinion Forum organised by the Campaign for Science and Engineering (CaSE), focusing on the impact of the UK science and engineering base. The Forum was the first step towards the publication of a policy document by CaSE, summarising discussion and to be used as a basis for the organisation's lobbying activities.

Participants heard presentations from Professor Sir Chris Llewellyn-Smith FRS, former Director General of CERN, Dr Graeme Reid, DIUS, and Professor Philip Esler, Chief Executive of the Arts and Humanities Research Council. Interesting points were made regarding the distinction between 'basic' (or 'curiosity driven') and 'applied' research; including whether such definitions were in fact unhelpful. Is 'basic' research simply applied research which hasn't been applied yet?

Basic research was seen as a vital component of the UK research base and participants felt strongly that the increased emphasis on Knowledge Transfer by the Research Councils should not be at the expense of 'blue skies' thinking. Basic research has a vital role not only in the possibility it offers of discoveries of enormous economic and practical importance, but also in the contribution it offers to culture and to education: attracting people to science through the often fantastic nature of blue skies endeavours.

Discussion in the afternoon's break-out sessions highlighted the importance of communication between researchers, industry and Government to capitalise to the development of benefits from research, and to effecting a 'culture change' within universities: Knowledge Transfer is important and is something researchers should engage in. Changes are also required in the consumers of research however. Government in particular was singled out as needing to become a more intelligent customer of research. Finally, participants felt that there was the need for the formation of a body to act as an 'independent broker' of research, matching researchers to industry and Government need and vice versa. In some respects, this echoes the work of Learned Societies such as the BES, but at a much wider, cross-disciplinary scale.

For further information about the work of CaSE please visit the CaSE website.

Registration Now Open for 'Natural Capital Initiative' Symposium

Registration has today opened for the inaugural symposium of the 'Natural Capital Initiative' (NCI).

The NCI is a new partnership; between the Institute of Biology, Centre for Ecology and Hydrology, British Ecological Society and Science Council, which aims to bring together scientists, policy-makers and other interested groups to discuss how to better value and appreciate the planet's natural resources.

The three-day symposium will take place at Savoy Place, London, from 30 April - 1 May. The first day will see a number of high profile speakers discuss their views on delivery of an 'ecosystem approach', whilst the second and third day take the form of workshops focusing on land use, planning and the marine environment. The diversity of the expected audience is reflected in the diversity of our confirmed speakers, who include: Professor John Beddington (Government Chief Scientific Advisor), Lord May of Oxford, Professor Gretchen Daily (Stanford University), Baroness Barbara Young (Care Quality Commission) and Lucy Neville-Rolfe (Director of Corporate Affairs, Tesco).

Register before 1 February to benefit from a discount to the registration fee. Members of the BES are also eligible for a discount.

Natural Capital Initiative: Valuing our life support systems 30 April - 1 May 2009

Forthcoming Workshop on 'Space and the Marine Environment'

GLOBE UK will hold a workshop in London on Thursday 22 January on 'space and the marine environment'. Together with partners, including the Advisory Committee on the Protection of the Sea (ACOPS) and the British National Space Centre (BNSC), GLOBE UK will explore the need for mapping and monitoring the marine environment, necessary for setting up marine reserves around Europe. This is a key feature of the Marine Bill, currently passing through the UK Parliament. The speakers will address this and other applications including marine pollution monitoring, fishing, hydrographic surveying, oil and gas exploration, the arctic and carbon sequestration. The event will cover technical, environmental, operation and policy aspects of the contributions of satellites and new systems for the analysis and communication of the data.

The event will be held from 2-6pm in the Boothroyd Room in the Portcullis House, opposite the Palace of Westminster. If you would like to attend this meeting or would like more information, please email globe@parliament.uk.

Natural Capital Initiative: Linking Environment and Policy

The BES is a major partner and sponsor in a new project, the 'Natural Capital Initiative', which has launched its website today.

The BES, the Institute of Biology, the Centre for Ecology and Hydrology and the Science Council are co-operating as a partnership (the NCI) to deliver a three-day symposium in April 2009, aiming to bring together ecologists, scientists from other disciplines, policy-makers and others (including architects, land managers, planners, representatives from business and from across Government departments) to discuss gaps in research and implementation of the ecosystem approach - and how to solve them.

The three-day event, from 29 April - 1 May 2009, consists of a high-profile first day with keynote speeches and discussion, followed by two days of case -studies. Groups will get together to discuss the ecosystem approach in the context of rural land-use, urban planning and the marine environment.

Confirmed speakers for day one include: the Government Chief Scientist, Sir John Beddington; Professor Gretchen Daily, Stanford University; Lord May of Oxford, Committee on Climate Change; Baroness Young, Care Quality Commission and Graham Wynne, CEO RSPB. We will also be joined by figures to discuss the importance of an ecosystem approach to business: Lucy Neville-Rolfe, Director of Corporate and Legal Affairs at Tesco and Richard Brown, CEO Eurostar, are amongst our high-profile speakers.

You can find more information about the symposium at www.naturalcapitalinitiative.org.uk. Registration will open in January.

Darwin Exhibition Launches in London

The biggest ever exhibition on the life and work of Charles Darwin has today opened at the Natural History Museum in London.

Highlights of the exhibition, which is on until 19 April 2009, include rare specimens of Galapagos mockingbirds, never before displayed, which were instrumental in the development of Darwin's thinking on the theory of evolution whilst on the HMS Beagle. Other exhibits include live specimens and a recreation of Darwin's study at Down House in Kent.

2009 marks the 200th anniversary of Darwin's birth and the 150th anniversary of the publication of 'On the Origin of Species', and this is the first of a number of events which will run over the course of the next year marking these important milestones. Find out more about these at the 'Darwin 200' website.

Climate Change Minister Online Today to Answer Your Questions

Joan Ruddock MP, Minister for Climate Change, Biodiversity and Waste, will be online today at http://www.guardian.co.uk/ to answer your questions on climate change and fuel poverty. You can post questions to the Minister in advance and see them answered when the Minister is live online between 12.30pm - 1.30pm.

Eat Less Meat to Tackle Climate Change

The BES Science Policy Team last night attended a lecture given by Dr Rajendra Pachauri, Chair of the International Panel on Climate Change, sponsored by Compassion in World Farming. Dr Pachauri argued that one way for citizens in developed countries to tackle climate change is to eat less meat, particularly beef; the production of which uses vast tracts of land, along with huge amounts of grain and water.

Dr Pachauri presented the audience with some disturbing figures during the course of his lecture, including that of the massive increase in agricultural land in the past 40 years (gaining 500MHa from forests and other land uses); a growth which is set to continue. 80% of the emissions from agriculture are accounted for by livestock, whilst livestock rearing and processing itself accounts for 18% of global greenhouse gas emissions. The livestock industry accounts for only 1% of global GDP. Dr Pachauri argued that these statistics illustrate the lack of productivity in livestock farming, stating that although meat consumption is increasingly seen as the 'right' of a developed society, livestock rearing is often a symptom of poverty.

Perhaps the most powerful statistic displayed by Dr Pachauri was this: that a farmer can feed up to 30 people on 1Ha of land providing vegetables, fruit, cereals and vegetable fats, over the course of one year, but if the same area of land is used for the production of eggs, milk and meat, only five to 10 people can be sustained.

Dr Pachauri was joined after the talk by a panel including Professor Bob Watson, Chief Scientific Advisor to Defra, Felicity Lawrence, Guardian correspondent, and Dr John Fowles, Cambridge University Institute of Public Health. Interesting points to emerge from the discussion were the need to "educate the public for choice", starting with engaging children with the issue of climate change, links to our diet and inequalities the need to reform agricultural subsidies to ensure that over-production and over-consumption of meat is not peversely supported,

Dr Fowles argued for the "double dividend" which could arise through a reform of patterns of meat consumption. Through 'contraction' of intake in the West, developing countries would be given space to 'converge' on meat consumption currently enjoyed in the developed world. Over time, greenhouse gas emissions from the livestock industry would remain constant. Greater consumption of meat in poorer areas would encourage better childhood growth and health, whilst evidence sugggested that reducing meat consumption in the developed world could lower the incidence of heart attack and colon cancer.

Media articles:

Eat less meat to curb global warming: Juliette Jowit, Observer, 08 Sept
Save the planet by cutting down on meat? That's just a load of bull: Boris Johnson, Telegraph 09 Sept

Sir David King Opens BA Science Festival in Liverpool

The 2008 BA Science Festival has begun in Liverpool. Professor Sir David King, President of the BA, is due to address the Festival this evening and is expected to call for a shift in focus of science research in the UK, with the nation's most innovative minds applied to the world's most significant challenges, such as climate change.

It has been widely reported in the media today that Sir David will suggest that less time and resources be spent on space exploration and particle physics: controversial given the imminent opening of the Large Hadron Collider at CERN later this week.

In his speech, Sir David is to criticise anti-GM advocates and to argue that advanced approaches to agriculture, such as GM crops, are the only way that Africa can feed itself. He is quoted in today's media as saying: "The position taken by non-governmental organisations and international organisations is to support traditional agricultural technologies. These technologies will not deliver the food for the burgeoning population of Africa,"..."Suffering within that continent is largely driven by attitudes in the West which are anti-science and anti-technology. We have the technology to feed the population of the planet. Do we have the ability to understand what we have?"

Click here for further details of events taking place at the BA Festival (6 - 11 September)

Science Blogging 2008: London, 30 August

Tomorrow (30 August) sees the first conference dedicated to science blogging. 'Science Blogging 2008: London' will be held at the Royal Institution and is jointly organised by the RI, Nature Networks and DIUS.

The conference will bring together science bloggers worldwide to explore issues in science research, science communication, public engagement and education. Participants will explore whether blogging can contribute to scientific research and careers. Can blogs contribute to the public understanding of science? What can science bloggers do to maximise the impact of their blogs?

This is a great chance to meet others blogging about science and learn more about this growing area of science communication.

Find out more about the conference and register on the Science Blogging website.

Forthcoming Conferences: September 2008

Two conferences are taking place in the next two weeks which may be of interest to readers of the Blog....

The BES Annual Meeting and AGM

The BES is holding its annual meeting next week, from 3 - 5 September (student session 2 September) at Imperial College, South Kensington, London. It is not too late to register for the event: simply turn up on the day you would like to attend and make your way to the registration desk. Day registration costs £100 for BES members, £160 for non-members and £70 for students.

Several talks are highly relevant to policy and there is a dedicated 'Special Session' on Thursday 4th September, organised by the BES and UK BRAG, bringing together policy-makers, ecologists and others to discuss the ecosystem approach. This will be followed by a networking drinks reception for participants.

Access full details of the BES meeting
Access the programme for the joint BES - UK BRAG session on the ecosystem approach

IALE (UK) Annual Conference

The International Association for Landscape Ecology (UK) is holding its annual conference at the University of Cambridge from 8 - 11 September.

To find out more and to register, visit the IALE website.

Public Event - Flying Green : Making Air Travel More Sustainable

Lecture: Flying Green: Making Air Travel More Sustainable
Organised by: The Royal Institution
Time: 7.00pm - 8.30pm
Location: The Royal Institution, 21 Albermarle Street, London (Map)

Is there a way to make air travel more sustainable for those times when we can't avoid flying? Boeing are building an airliner that uses biofuel to make its journeys. Hear from one of their top environmental strategists, Bill Glover, explaining how it works. Ian Poll, an expert from Greener By Design will also be on the panel, looking at what else society can do to make air travel more sustainable, and where air travel fits into the UK's larger plan for getting greener. How much can we improve current technology and what will the future of aviation look like? Will we ever have an emission-free plane?