“Ethics and Climate Change” Interview with the 5th Laureate of the UNESCO Avicenna Prize for Ethics in Science and Technology, 19 May 2020
The 16th NatChat streamed a live interview with the 5th laureate of the Avicenna Prize, Professor Donald Brown, Environmental Lawyer and Scholar in Residence for Sustainability Ethics and Law at Widener University Commonwealth Law School (USA). The session was moderated by Dr Ehsan Shamsi Gooshki, member to the Iranian National Committees for Bioethics and Ethics in Science and Technology.
The UNESCO Avicenna Prize is named after the renowned 11th century physician and philosopher of Persian origin known in Europe as Avicenna (980-1038). A healer and humanist, Avicenna developed an exemplary holistic approach that captures the essence of ethics in science and has thus come to serve as a source of inspiration for the promotion of this concern, which is of central importance to UNESCO. It rewards the activities of individuals or groups in the field of ethics in science with the gold Avicenna Medal, a certificate, and the sum of $50,000 as well as a one-week academic visit to the donor country.
The discussion, among others, focused on the impact(s) of climate change on:
- Africa;
- melting of ice caps; and
- viral pandemics
Professor Brown explained that climate change can severely impact on people’s lives and is considered a serious threat to humanity. In Africa the phenomenon can lead to drought and/or floods. Melting ice caps release Methane and accelerate global warming, explained Professor Brown. It was said that climate change and its impacts was downgraded and less attended to by the media, whereas it could impact on the human life far worse than many viruses, including COVID-19, which can also be a result of climate change considering the various changes climate change brings about in animals’ lives.
Further into the discussion, the Professor was asked to expound his views on combating climate change. The need for an international entity to promote ethical structures and international solidarity was emphasised, considering the harsh situation that threatens the lives and future of the human race as well as the fact that ethics is yet a less attended to topic in relation to climate change. The role of the media in increasing ethical sensitivity to climate change and the need to make the best use of media capacities was focused on. Additionally, the state of commitment of States parties to the UNITED NATIONS Framework Convention on Climate Change was discussed.
