Environmental Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
become good citizens of the global village, we need to learn quickly and also to
teach our young people to take a global view and to respect, appreciate, and under-
stand the different cultures of different peoples. In this aspect, scientists certainly
can lead the way.
5
Science and Technology in Society Forum in Kyoto
In the fall of 2004, Mr. Koji Omi, the former Minister of Finance of Japan, or-
ganized a very important annual forum in Kyoto, with the title of “Science and
Technology in Society forum”. More than six hundred leading scientists, business
leaders and policy makers were invited every year from all over the world to discuss
problems related to the subject matter of the forum. The forum aroused great enthu-
siasm among participants, and has since become a very successful and important
annual event. During the past October, the fifth forum was held with more than 600
attendees.
Mr. Omi made two important points when he described the fundamental concept
of this forum in the opening ceremony of the first forum. He mentioned positive and
negative aspects of the rapid progress of science and technology, and noted that the
benefits of science and technology have not yet reached everyone equally, which, as
he said, “is really what symbolizes the lights and shadows of science and technol-
ogy.” While the negative aspects must be properly controlled, the positive features
of science and technology should be promoted.
Mr. Omi's other important point was stated thus: “Today's problems are global
and can not be solved by any single country or by scientists alone.” He went on say-
ing that “Boundaries between nations are merely lines on a map; nature makes no
such distinctions. We should think of ourselves as members of humankind, whose
very existence will be at risk if we do not live in accordance with the principles of
Mother Nature.” Indeed, as an astronaut observes the beautiful earth from the space-
craft, the astronaut will not find any national boundaries.
I believe most of us sitting in this room would support this idea without hesita-
tion. However, if we do not try to answer some other questions related to the fact
that the earth is “limited” and the world is only “partially globalized”, our efforts
to find solutions might encounter some difficulties. For example, we must also ask,
“How many people can the planet support if we were to extend the living standard
of the people in the so called “developed countries” to everyone on earth?” It is
interesting to note that when India became independent, in response to the question
of how the people in that country could catch up with the living standard of the
people in Great Britain, Gandhi, rightfully recognized that it would take the natural
resources of many Planet Earths, if the people in India were to have the British way
of life. It is just impossible.
If we do not fully appreciate and understand the boundary conditions of the
earth, the rules of the game and the consequences of competition in a globalized
market-driven economy, practicing the so called “good sciences” for the greater
