Just Imagine...

Imagine a world where engineers were honour-bound to respect the rights of future generations. Just imagine… Today, we face some amazing challenges. Worldwide problems of global warming, climate change, and the diminishing supplies of inexpensive carbon-based energy threaten our biosphere and our industrialized economies. These problems not only threaten our ability, but the ability of future generations to meet their needs, to fulfill their dreams, and to determine their destinies.

Solving these global problems means that we need to work together to make more sustainable decisions, and we need to begin making them now. Although change is occurring, according to William D. Ruckelshaus, former head of the US Environmental Protection Agency, bringing about the necessary paradigm shift toward more sustainable behaviour will be a momentous task. He believes that:

“Moving nations and people in the direction of sustainability would be a modification of society comparable in scale to only two other changes: the Agricultural Revolution of the late Neolithic and the Industrial Revolution of the past two centuries. Those revolutions were gradual, spontaneous, and largely unconscious. This one will have to be a fully conscious operation, guided by the best foresight that science can provide. If we actually do it, the undertaking will be absolutely unique to humanity’s stay on earth.”

As awareness grows, the case for change becomes more compelling. The enlightened no longer debate whether change is necessary, but ask how scientists and engineers should respond so that orderly and prudent change is brought about.

Education is frequently cited as a key component in leading the transformation to a more sustainable society.
Engineering education could lead us from what we call the ‘Age of Selfishness’, into the ‘Age of Responsibility’. Here in the Civil Engineering and Mineral Engineering programs, change is occurring. The undergraduate programs are undergoing change and steps are being taken to introduce longer-term, more sustainable thinking into the curricula.

As these changes are occurring, students are asking, “Is there something that we can do to help bring about the necessary change in thinking?” When issues of sustainability are discussed among students, it is apparent that many students already recognize the need for change, and the need to become more sustainable in our decision-making. To many students, this isn’t ‘news’ or a paradigm shift in thinking. It is a natural course forward that begins with considering the environment and the needs of future generations in addition to the needs of the present generation. Ultimately, students see the need to protect future generations, in part, because they see themselves as a future generation.

So how can students protect the needs of the people of the future? Beyond a weak ethical duty, there is no duty in law requiring anyone, including engineers, to protect the interests of future generations. In fact, creating such a legal duty has yet to occur. Back in the 1970’s Jacque Cousteau saw the need for such a law and created a “Bill of Rights for Future Generations”. Through the auspices of the Cousteau Society, a declaration of these rights by the United Nations was sought in 1992. Although the work of his Society was not accepted, the need for such a Bill of Rights still exists.

That leads us to today. A group of students and staff, including the authors of this article, have been working on a project known affectionately as “The Cousteau Initiative”. Cousteau’s ‘Bill of Rights’ has been adapted and has inspired the creation of “A Promise to Future Generations”. It has been set out here in draft form.

The plan is to make the promise voluntary - an active choice made by students who believe they have a duty to protect the rights of future generations to enjoy this bountiful earth. Students will be exposed to the Promise throughout their undergraduate career with workshops in fourth year used to explore what it means to them.

By recreating some of the discussions and debates held by the writers and the other committee members, students will be able to consider the meaning of each clause and article and to determine how the Promise relates to their lives.

At the end of fourth year, those students who choose to commit to this promise will participate in a ceremony that the steering committee hopes may eventually become part of convocation. At the ceremony, students will stand up in front of their friends and family and declare the promise with their like-minded peers and future colleagues. By committing to the Promise together, students will see that they are not alone and find strength in the combined efforts of their peers who share their sense of duty.

Well, that is the plan. For now, we have a draft “Promise”. Can you imagine a world where all engineers stepped forward and agreed to be bound by such a promise? Just imagine…