Short Course
The First EAGE Workshop on Geothermal Energy and Hydro Power in Africa will include a short course presented by Prof. Iain Stewart.
Short Course Overview
Geoscience Communications for Publics and Policy
Securing the 'social licence to operate' is emerging worldwide as one of the critical investment and implementation barriers in both geothermal energy and hydropower development. But gaining social acceptance of geo-energy projects is hampered by low public awareness about geo-energy and poor community participation in energy development projects. Therefore, the key to gaining social licence is effective communication of highly technical science to non-technical audiences, from local residents to political decision-makers.
In this workshop, Prof Iain Stewart will build on a 15-year partnership working with BBC television making popular earth science documentaries, intergrated with direct experience of public communications and communtiy engagement with a deep geothermal drilling project in SW England, to examine how the principles and practices of effective science communication and public engagement can be applied to the geo-energy landscape in Africa. The workshop, which is part of the UNESCO Interntational Geoscience Programme's initiative on 'sustainable geoscience', will highlight the important critical role of geoscientists in addressing wider societal challenges around sustainable development.
About Prof. Iain Stewart
Iain Stewart is professor of Geoscience Communication at the University of Plymouth and Director of its Sustainable Earth Institute. His long-standing research interests are in geological hazards, sustainable geoscience, and geo-communication. His geo-communication expertise has been built on a 15 year partnership with BBC television presenting popular natural history documentary programmes, including ‘Earth: The Power of the Planet’; ‘Earth: The Climate wars’; ‘How Earth Made Us’, ‘How To Grow A Planet’, ‘Rise of the Continents’ and ‘Planet Oil’.
His active involvement in public engagement has been recognised with an MBE, awards from numerous international geoscience organisations, and his designation as UNESCO Chair in Geoscience and Society. He leads UNESCO's International Geoscience Programme project 685 on Geology and Sustainable Development.