Want to learn more about this interviewee? About Bruce Hewitson
Want more videos featuring this interviewee? Bruce Hewitson Videos
At COP-15, Bruce Hewitson was a South African climatologist working with the Climate Systems Analysis Group (CSAG).
Category: South Africa
Want to learn more about this interviewee? About Bruce Hewitson
Want more videos featuring this interviewee? Bruce Hewitson Videos
At COP-15, Bruce Hewitson was a South African climatologist working with the Climate Systems Analysis Group (CSAG).
Want to learn more about this interviewee? About Bruce Hewitson
Want more videos featuring this interviewee? Bruce Hewitson Videos
At COP-15, Bruce Hewitson was a South African climatologist working with the Climate Systems Analysis Group (CSAG).
Bruce Hewitson is a self-described climatologist with a hatred of labels, and insists that his interests are eclectic. He has been a resident at the University of Cape Town in Rondebosch, South Africa, since 1992. He currently works with the Climate Systems Analysis Group (CSAG) research group in the ENGEO department. His research interests include climate modeling, climate change, and interesting analysis methodologies. Extended interests in appropriate technology for Africa and scientific capacity building.
Credit to an autobiographical snippet from the CSAG webpage.
Want videos featuring this interviewee? Bruce Hewitson Videos
Question asked: What would be a successful outcome for COP-15?
Hewitson’s response: Hewitson argues that success means something different to every nation. He does, however, venture at a few factors that would aid in an outcomes success: the agreement could not be imposed by the developed world onto the developing nations; each country would have to make significant sacrifices; and the tenants would need to be enforceable (legally binding).
Want to learn more about this interviewee? About Bruce Hewitson
Want more videos featuring this interviewee? Bruce Hewitson Videos
At COP-15, Bruce Hewitson was a South African climatologist working with the Climate Systems Analysis Group (CSAG).
Hewitson_research policy at COP
Question asked: How do researchers and policy-makers interact at the COP?
Hewitson’s answer: Hewitson states that scientists were necessarily divorced from the political presence by the time of Copenhagen; he felt the political process was already complicated and the necessary science informing the negotiation had already been done. Copenhagen, he said, was not about the interaction of scientists and politicians, but instead was, for scientists, about working with other scientists and organizations that focused on issues of adaptation and response work.
Want to learn more about this interviewee? About Bruce Hewitson
Want more videos featuring this interviewee? Bruce Hewitson Videos
At COP-15, Bruce Hewitson was a South African climatologist working with the Climate Systems Analysis Group (CSAG).
Question asked: What area of research do you work in and how does it relate to the COP?
Hewitson’s answer: Hewitson focused mainly on regional climate projections in Africa. He did not feel that it directly tied into the political process, but that his presence added visibility of Africa’s issues to other scientists in attendance at the COP.
Want to learn more about this interviewee? About Bruce Hewitson
Want more videos featuring this interviewee? Bruce Hewitson Videos
At COP-15, Bruce Hewitson was a South African climatologist working with the Climate Systems Analysis Group (CSAG).
Question asked: do ethical interests gain ground in the negotiations or are practical interests more directly addressed?
Hewitson’s answer: Hewitson comments that countries almost exclusively favor their national interests to altruism. He notes that certain groups, such as the European Union, have made altruistic sacrifices (by my colleague, Brett Shollenberger’s, best definition: actions that are not economically, socially, or politically beneficial to a nation in the short term, with the exclusion of intergovernmental social and political interaction). Hewitson argues, however, that altruism is the only way to achieve intergenerational equity. He feels that the United States’ target of 17% reductions relative to 2005 levels by 2020 is inequitable (to put it nicely).
Want to learn more about this interviewee? About Bruce Hewitson
Want more videos featuring this interviewee? Bruce Hewitson Videos
At COP-15, Bruce Hewitson was a South African climatologist working with the Climate Systems Analysis Group (CSAG).