Career choice and climate change

The document outlines the causes and consequences of global climate change, highlighting the role of greenhouse gas emissions and the influence of the fossil fuel lobby. It categorizes career paths for scientists and engineers into four areas of positive contribution: understanding the problem, technological solutions, economic solutions, and social/political solutions, while warning against the influence of vested interests.

• Human-induced greenhouse gas emissions are projected to increase global temperatures by between 1.4°C and 5.8°C by 2100, which would be the fastest rate of change since the warming following the last ice age over 10,000 years ago.
• Climate change is expected to cause sea level rises of 9cm to 88cm by 2100, leading to a seven-fold increase in people affected by flooding, primarily in southern Asia, and causing approximately three billion additional people to suffer water stress by 2080.
• Carbon dioxide is the primary contributor to global warming, with approximately 8 billion tonnes emitted annually, mainly through the burning of fossil fuels (roughly 75%) and deforestation.
• The fossil fuel industry lobby has historically attempted to undermine climate science by funding "climate sceptic" scientists, with some corporations like Exxon-Mobil remaining opposed to action despite the 1997 Kyoto Protocol.
• Ethical career options for scientists and engineers are divided into four categories: understanding the problem (e.g., atmospheric and oceanographic sciences), technological solutions (efficiency and renewables), economic solutions (carbon taxes and emissions trading), and social/political solutions (regulatory auditing and policy analysis).
• Certain technological interventions to combat climate change, such as nuclear power, CO2 capture and storage, and geo-engineering, present significant ethical dilemmas regarding safety, waste, and potential environmental damage.
• Economic models used to influence policy often reflect political assumptions; 'top down' models tend to overestimate the costs of reducing GHG emissions, while 'bottom up' models tend to underestimate them.
• A precautionary approach to climate change would require a reduction of global GHG emissions by at least 75% over the next 100 years to avoid the most severe potential damage.

APA

Parkinson, S. (2003). Career choice and climate change. Scientists for Global Responsibility. https://www.sgr.org.uk/sites/default/files/2020-02/climate_final.pdf

Chicago

Parkinson, Stuart. Career choice and climate change. Scientists for Global Responsibility, 2003. https://www.sgr.org.uk/sites/default/files/2020-02/climate_final.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Parkinson |first1=Stuart |title=Career choice and climate change |publisher=Scientists for Global Responsibility |date=2003 |url=https://www.sgr.org.uk/sites/default/files/2020-02/climate_final.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{parkinson2003career, author = {Parkinson, Stuart}, title = {{Career choice and climate change}}, institution = {Scientists for Global Responsibility}, year = {2003}, url = {https://www.sgr.org.uk/sites/default/files/2020-02/climate_final.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }