Abstract

In this seminar, we will be joined by the two authors of a recent commentary piece in Nature Geoscience called “A clean energy future isn’t set in stone”. In their article, Franssen and de Wilde raise the question as to whether a sustainable future has to be based on continued ‘development’ in the way that we know it. In particular, they offer a critique of the mantra that green development requires the mineral-intensive future that geoscience is shaping itself to address. They also appeal to social and geoscientists to work together on setting research aims that promote a sustainable and just, rather than simply a green, future. The seminar will involve a brief introduction to the motivations behind this piece, and then we will then hear a response from members of our department. The ultimate aim of this seminar is to discuss how geoscience and geoscientists can evolve to enact a sustainable future.