Another Inconvenient Truth

The National Oceanography Centre in Southampton is home to a £20 million research program on the dangers of rapid climate change. It also houses the southern office of the Tyndall Centre for Climate Change Research. But while its staff are investigating the impact of carbon emissions on our climate, their bosses enjoyed a trip to America with their wives last weekend on a private jet.

Ed Hill (Director of the Centre), Andrew Roberts (Head of the University of Southampton School of Ocean and Earth Sciences) and Bill Wakeham (Vice-Chancellor of the University) flew from Southampton to North Carolina with various other hangers-on. Their private jet was provided by an American businessman that they were courting (and presumably they did not want to offend this would-be philanthropist by insisting on taking scheduled flights). As a result, their journey put several times more carbon per passenger into the upper atmosphere than using a regular airline.

Several staff that I have spoken to from the Centre who are working on the dangers of climate change feel betrayed by this affair. The "do as I say, not do as I do" example of the their bosses undermines their credibility when highlighting the need to reduce carbon emissions. It also hands ammunition to those denying climate change and suggests that the principles of those involved are for sale to anyone who offers to write a cheque.

If challenged, the culprits will no doubt offer to offset the emissions from their trip through a carbon-credit scheme. But while these schemes are better than doing nothing, they ignore an important fact. The carbon from their private jet was added to the atmosphere in a matter of hours. Planting trees or investing in alternative technology in developing countries will eventually offset this, but at a much slower rate over many years. So it is simply wrong to think that we can carry on "business as usual" and just buy our way out of the problem of carbon emissions.

Tackling carbon emissions requires taking personal responsibility for our actions. It is therefore shocking to see a lack of leadership from those representing an institution where a good deal of public money is invested in climate change research. So what can we do? Letters to those involved expressing your dismay at their actions would be welcome, but may be shrugged off. The Oceanography Centre, however, is run by the UK Natural Environment Research Council and the University of Southampton. So if you have time, please write to the Chief Executive of the Research Coucil and the Chancellor of the University. Please urge them to apologize for this outrageous incident and make it policy that staff do not use private jets when scheduled flights are available. Marking your letters "Personal", as always, should bypass screening by secretaries.

Addresses for letters:

Professor Alan Thorpe
Chief Executive
Natural Environment Research Council
Polaris House
North Star Avenue
Swindon SN2 1EU
( a.j.thorpe@reading.ac.uk)

Sir John Parker
Chancellor
University of Southampton
Highfield
Southampton SO17 1BJ

The culprits named and shamed:

Ed Hill, National Oceanography Centre, Southampton SO14 3ZH
( ehill@noc.soton.ac.uk)

Andrew Roberts, National Oceanography Centre, SOuthampton, SO14 3ZH
( arob@noc.soton.ac.uk)

Bill Wakeham, University of Southampton, Highfield, Southampton, SO17 1BJ
( W.A.Wakeham@soton.ac.uk)