The First Image of Earth from Space

“Earthrise, December 1968 – the first picture of our world taken from space was published 40 years ago this week and still retains its haunting power” (headline from an article in the Independent newspaper from 10th January 2010).

From my own experience, a significant event in the history of science and technology is the first image of the Earth from space. The photograph was captured on Christmas Eve 1968 during the Apollo 8 mission, and was published over 40 years ago in January 1969. That a team of astronauts could travel to space is a great feat and of huge significance for science and technology. The creativity and intelligence of the human mind astounds, and surely has much to offer to sustainability and development.

However, the significance of the image is also symbolic. This image inspired the environmental movement as the social movement as we know it today. This image brought an awareness of a global environment. Seen as the ‘blue marble’ suspended in space, the potential fragility and finiteness of the Earth became apparent. Focus widened to an awareness of more global or transnational threats, and a dialogue between the green movement, which became institutionalised in environmental NGOs, and the private sector and governments was established worldwide.

The significance of the environmental movement today can be seen in its “impact on cultural values and society’s institutions”, in its “distinctive place in the landscape of human adventure”, and how it is “at the root of a dramatic reversal in the ways in which we think about the relationship between economy, society, and nature, thus inducing a new culture” (Castells, 1997). The importance of this ‘new culture’ for sustainability and development is that it links the public with ideas and progress in innovation and technology.

The pursuit of science and technology does not take place in a vacuum, it is given legitimacy by civil society. The environmental movement served as a two-way bridge between the research, design and development in innovation and sustainability and their intended sites for use and implementation, the public sphere. This is a two-way communication whereby civil society informs innovation and sustainability and vice versa, a symbiotic relationship driving science and technology forward on a greener path.

Source: Castells, M. (1997) The Power of Identity. Oxford: Blackwell Publications.

Entry submitted by Orla Martin

Association of African Women for Research and Development

The Association of African Women for Research and Development (AAWORD -Senegal) highlights the importance of women’s participation in politics and development.

There has been no space in Africa which has really encompassed women in politics, development and decision making. Women have been excluded in decision making process in many patriarchal societies. There is a need for creating awareness that women can (!), yes they can, and we should campaign for their inclusion in decision making processes and increased representation in Parliament.

Entry submitted by Perpetua Ng’ang’a

Livestock’s Long Shadow (FAO)

Livestock’s Long Shadow: Environmental Issues and Options is published by the UN FAO (Rome, 2006). Scientists from around the globe acknowledge that the link between development/economic growth and increased meat intake will likely be problematic. The livestock industry is largely unsustainable.

Source: FAO (UN)

Entry submitted by David Havelick

Fourteenth session of International Bioethics Committee

This event gathered various experts from across world to discuss issues of bioethics and technology transfer. This led to establishment of a UNESCO Regional Bioethics Centre at Egerton University, Njoro campus, Kenya and was followed by another conference at the Centre on Bioethical Perspectives and Practices in Research, Medicine, Life Sciences and Related Technologies in Sub-Saharan Africa, which gathered researchers, scientists, observers and guests from sub-saharan Africa and other parts of the world with an interest in bioethical issues in Africa.

Source: UNESCO http://portal.unesco.org/shs/admin/ev.php?URL_ID=6349&URL_DO=DO_TOPIC&URL_SECTION=201&reload=1263744318

Entry submitted by Geoffrey Kololi Wanyama

TRIPS agreement

The Agreement on Trade Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) was negotiated during the Uruguay Round of talks of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT). It is an international agreement that sets down minimum protection standards on various intellectual property rights. It is administered by the World Trade Organization (WTO) and applies to all members of the WTO.

The TRIPS agreement’s goal was to standardize the way intellectual property rights are protected around the world in order to provide inventors with an incentive to produce ideas that will benefit society as a whole. “It strikes a balance between the long term benefits and possible short term costs to society. Society benefits in the long term when intellectual property protection encourages creation and invention, especially when the period of protection expires and the creations and inventions enter the public domain.” (WTO website on TRIPS)

Nevertheless the TRIPS agreement has been criticised for limiting access to medicine in developing countries and distributing wealth from the developing countries to the developed ones. In response to these concerns the Doha Declaration was released in 2001 reinterpreting the agreement “in a manner supportive of WTO members” (WTO website on Doha) right to protect public health and, in particular, “to promote access to medicines for all” and reaffirming the provision for flexibility to circumvent patent rights for this purpose.

Sources:

WTO website on the TRIPS agreement http://www.wto.org/english/thewto_e/whatis_e/tif_e/agrm7_e.htm

WTO website on the Doha Declaration http://www.wto.org/english/theWTO_e/minist_e/min01_e/mindecl_trips_e.htm

Entry submitted by Samantha Krawczyk

Documentary film ‘An Inconvenient Truth’

‘An Inconvenient Truth’ is a documentary film about passionate and inspirational former U.S. Vice President Al Gore’s campaign to educate people about global warming.

This film was so shocking and successful that it became a worldwide phenomenon, the most-watched documentary, seen by an estimated audience of 5 million people.

Since its release in 2006 the film has helped awaken governments, leaders, organizations and individuals across the world to take action on global warming.

Entry submitted by Jurgita Zukauskaite