Interview
Filipe Duarte Santos: “We must work on young
people’s awareness”
people’s awareness”
Published on December 15th, 2015
Filipe Duarte Santos is a physicist, a lecturer at the Faculty of Sciences of the University of Lisbon (Faculdade de Ciências da Universidade de Lisboa) and one of the most sounding Portuguese names in the area of climate change. His research on the subject had begun even before we had heard of global warming. Today, over 30 years later, he believes that society is more informed than in the past, but he warns that there is a need to “engage young people to take responsibility for the future” of climate.
When did your interest in the topic of climate change appear?
It all started in 1980/81 during a sabbatical stay at the University of Wisconsin, in the United States. At the time, I was researching in theoretical physics and I became interested in the debate at the University about the human influence on climate: whether there was an impact of pollution with aerosols or the emission of greenhouse gases, which would tend to cool the atmosphere. It was pretty much since then that I became convinced greenhouse gases would be the principal agent. I became interested in the subject and, in 1987, I published, with my collaborator, an article on the consequences of global climate change caused by the emission of greenhouse gases in Portugal. By that time, even before the establishment of the IPCC [Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change], we concluded that there was a tendency for increased temperature and decreased precipitation. That was how I came to this.
How has your journey been since then?
Afterwards, in 1999, I came up with the idea of making an assessment of impacts in Portugal and that's how the project SIAM appeared [Climate Change in Portugal. Scenarios, Impacts and Adaptation Measures] appeared . We were given funds for a project that involved about 60 people from various fields: from physics to climate, through engineering, biology, sociology, economics and medicine. The first phase of the project ended in 2002 and the respective report was published. A second phase of the project, the SIAM II, focused on mainland Portugal, the Azores and Madeira, and ended in 2006. It took seven years of great activity in which I learned a lot and eventually established a network of scientists interested in these climate issues. As a result, there was a research group called CCIAM [Centre for Climate Change Impacts and Adaptation Modelling]. Today, the group has over 40 members and several projects, both on mitigation and adaptation, with European and national funding by public entities and also by companies and associations. It is a group of mainly young people- I'm the “old man” of the group - and working with it has been a very rewarding challenge.
You have dedicated yourself to this subject for over 30 years. How do you feel public perception of this issue has evolved throughout this time?
I think it evolved into a higher perception. There is some noise regarding this issue, that is, contradictory opinions that appear in the media and communicate the view that climate change does not exist, or that exists but is not caused by humans (anthropogenic), especially in other countries such as the United States of America. But in general, people are more informed and more aware of this problem.
Is society informed nowadays?
Yes! No doubt that it is more informed than in the past. When I started to become interested in this subject in the 80s [the 20th century], it was something that we did not speak of this issue! From the 40s to the 70s the global average temperature of the atmosphere’s surface had decreased, and that was why nobody was addressing this issue.
Do you feel that young people care about this issue?
I think so! I'm not sure to what extent they have viable information about the very phenomenon of climate change, but they are aware that the climate is changing and they relate it to energy, fossil fuels... We have evolved a lot in 30 years and in teaching we are already addressing this issue.
What is the role of education in the understanding of this issue? In your opinion, is it being fulfilled?
Education has a very important role, and this is especially important for climate observation. To know the climate you have to make meteorological observations for at least 30 years. It is necessary to measure some variables in a weather station (maximum temperature, minimum temperature, solar radiation, wind direction, humidity, etc.). All this implies observations and measurements. Often in teaching, we talk in an abstract way, without emphasising that science, in this case, begins with observation. I do not know to what extent this is something sufficiently explained to young people ... Knowledge is theoretically transmitted in the classroom when it is related to field work! In addition to measurements, the approach to this issue also involves observing, objectively, what are the impacts of climate change on various sectors.
"Look at the news critically"
What is the importance of the media in raising awareness among young people?
The media are very important! Sometimes with more interesting and detailed content and other times too simplified or distorted... On this topic, the media convey ideas, concepts and conclusions that are often contradictory. Nowadays, it is essential to have a critical capacity, especially when browsing the Internet ... Therefore, it is necessary to reflect and have minimal training in this area to formulate one’s ideas. Hence, the media are very important as a vehicle for information, but it is crucial to look at news critically.
What is the importance of projects such as those supported by the AdaPT programme?
They are key projects so that on the one hand, people are more informed and, on the other, they increase their adaptability through municipalities. It is worth noting that these projects are mostly financed by funds from other countries, in this case, Norway. It would be natural for Portugal to display some financial readiness to take the initiative and, from its budget, finance such projects, but that does not happen. And, these projects would probably not exist without these funds. These are major long-term projects! The ClimaAdapt.Local project in which I am involved creates the conditions for the municipalities to adapt to climate change and minimise the impact of these changes. These projects are expected to have a multiplier power.
What can be done in the future so that young people become more involved in this issue?
First, it is essential to have information: knowing what it is and what are the risks associated with this phenomenon for the future. Climate change is mainly a medium and long term problem. Its impacts are already notorious, but at this point, they are not yet seen as onerous. But if nothing is done they will surely be burdensome in the future... So we must put the idea that “we'll see when it effectively becomes a serious problem" ” behind us. We must work on young people’s awareness so that they take action: using more efficient energy systems, reducing the consumption of fossil fuels (coal, oil and natural gas), operating a change of consciousness that leads to an energy transition [to renewables]. Basically, to involve accountability for the future, in solidarity with future generations.
By: Isabel Pereira
It all started in 1980/81 during a sabbatical stay at the University of Wisconsin, in the United States. At the time, I was researching in theoretical physics and I became interested in the debate at the University about the human influence on climate: whether there was an impact of pollution with aerosols or the emission of greenhouse gases, which would tend to cool the atmosphere. It was pretty much since then that I became convinced greenhouse gases would be the principal agent. I became interested in the subject and, in 1987, I published, with my collaborator, an article on the consequences of global climate change caused by the emission of greenhouse gases in Portugal. By that time, even before the establishment of the IPCC [Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change], we concluded that there was a tendency for increased temperature and decreased precipitation. That was how I came to this.
How has your journey been since then?
Afterwards, in 1999, I came up with the idea of making an assessment of impacts in Portugal and that's how the project SIAM appeared [Climate Change in Portugal. Scenarios, Impacts and Adaptation Measures] appeared . We were given funds for a project that involved about 60 people from various fields: from physics to climate, through engineering, biology, sociology, economics and medicine. The first phase of the project ended in 2002 and the respective report was published. A second phase of the project, the SIAM II, focused on mainland Portugal, the Azores and Madeira, and ended in 2006. It took seven years of great activity in which I learned a lot and eventually established a network of scientists interested in these climate issues. As a result, there was a research group called CCIAM [Centre for Climate Change Impacts and Adaptation Modelling]. Today, the group has over 40 members and several projects, both on mitigation and adaptation, with European and national funding by public entities and also by companies and associations. It is a group of mainly young people- I'm the “old man” of the group - and working with it has been a very rewarding challenge.
You have dedicated yourself to this subject for over 30 years. How do you feel public perception of this issue has evolved throughout this time?
I think it evolved into a higher perception. There is some noise regarding this issue, that is, contradictory opinions that appear in the media and communicate the view that climate change does not exist, or that exists but is not caused by humans (anthropogenic), especially in other countries such as the United States of America. But in general, people are more informed and more aware of this problem.
Is society informed nowadays?
Yes! No doubt that it is more informed than in the past. When I started to become interested in this subject in the 80s [the 20th century], it was something that we did not speak of this issue! From the 40s to the 70s the global average temperature of the atmosphere’s surface had decreased, and that was why nobody was addressing this issue.
Do you feel that young people care about this issue?
I think so! I'm not sure to what extent they have viable information about the very phenomenon of climate change, but they are aware that the climate is changing and they relate it to energy, fossil fuels... We have evolved a lot in 30 years and in teaching we are already addressing this issue.
What is the role of education in the understanding of this issue? In your opinion, is it being fulfilled?
Education has a very important role, and this is especially important for climate observation. To know the climate you have to make meteorological observations for at least 30 years. It is necessary to measure some variables in a weather station (maximum temperature, minimum temperature, solar radiation, wind direction, humidity, etc.). All this implies observations and measurements. Often in teaching, we talk in an abstract way, without emphasising that science, in this case, begins with observation. I do not know to what extent this is something sufficiently explained to young people ... Knowledge is theoretically transmitted in the classroom when it is related to field work! In addition to measurements, the approach to this issue also involves observing, objectively, what are the impacts of climate change on various sectors.
"Look at the news critically"
What is the importance of the media in raising awareness among young people?
The media are very important! Sometimes with more interesting and detailed content and other times too simplified or distorted... On this topic, the media convey ideas, concepts and conclusions that are often contradictory. Nowadays, it is essential to have a critical capacity, especially when browsing the Internet ... Therefore, it is necessary to reflect and have minimal training in this area to formulate one’s ideas. Hence, the media are very important as a vehicle for information, but it is crucial to look at news critically.
What is the importance of projects such as those supported by the AdaPT programme?
They are key projects so that on the one hand, people are more informed and, on the other, they increase their adaptability through municipalities. It is worth noting that these projects are mostly financed by funds from other countries, in this case, Norway. It would be natural for Portugal to display some financial readiness to take the initiative and, from its budget, finance such projects, but that does not happen. And, these projects would probably not exist without these funds. These are major long-term projects! The ClimaAdapt.Local project in which I am involved creates the conditions for the municipalities to adapt to climate change and minimise the impact of these changes. These projects are expected to have a multiplier power.
What can be done in the future so that young people become more involved in this issue?
First, it is essential to have information: knowing what it is and what are the risks associated with this phenomenon for the future. Climate change is mainly a medium and long term problem. Its impacts are already notorious, but at this point, they are not yet seen as onerous. But if nothing is done they will surely be burdensome in the future... So we must put the idea that “we'll see when it effectively becomes a serious problem" ” behind us. We must work on young people’s awareness so that they take action: using more efficient energy systems, reducing the consumption of fossil fuels (coal, oil and natural gas), operating a change of consciousness that leads to an energy transition [to renewables]. Basically, to involve accountability for the future, in solidarity with future generations.
By: Isabel Pereira