Climate Change and Nature’s Social Union

IAFOR Chairman, the late Professor Stuart D. B. Picken discusses the dilemma modern societies face in regards to climate change with the Chancellor of the University of Glasgow, Sir Kenneth Calman.

In this interview Professor Picken follows up with Sir Calman on some of the points raised in his Keynote Speech, Power: The Impact of Energy Generation on Health and the Environment, made at The European Conference on Sustainability, Energy & Environment 2015 (ECSEE2015) in Brighton, England. Sir Calman explains the dilemma he sees facing modern societies in regards to climate change. He offers that there is a noticeable and vocal concern over the effects of climate change but that concern is being meet with a troubling and passive approach toward taking action. An argument is made for those concerned to personalize the issues and make a conscious effort in their own lives to find solutions.


Sir Kenneth Calman

Sir Kenneth Calman is Chancellor of the University of Glasgow. He graduated in medicine in Glasgow and became Professor of Oncology in 1974. He remained in that post for 10 years. In 1984 he became Dean of Postgraduate Medicine and Professor of Postgraduate Medical Education at the University of Glasgow and Consultant Physician with an interest in palliative care at Victoria Infirmary, Glasgow. In 1989 he was appointed Chief Medical Officer at the Scottish Home and Health Department and in September 1991 he became Chief Medical Officer in the Department of Health in London. He was a member of the Executive Board of the World Health Organisation, and its Chairman from 1998-9. He was Vice Chancellor and Warden of the University of Durham from 1998 until 2007. He was a Member of the Statistics Commission from 1999 until 2007. He is President of the Institute of medical Ethics and Deputy Chair of the Board of the British Library. He chaired the Commission on Scottish Devolution 2008-9, and was President of the British Medical Association 2008. He was awarded a KCB in 1996. He became Chairman of the National Trust for Scotland in September 2010. His most recent books are A study of storytelling, humour and learning in medicine and Medical Education: Past present and future. He has recently completed research for an MLitt on Scottish Literature and Medicine and will be publishing a book on this subject in July 2014 entitled A Doctor’s Line. Poems and Prescriptions in Health and Healing.

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