date: Wed, 16 May 2001 14:41:27 +0100 from: Trevor Davies subject: Re: Taylor & scepticism to: Mike Hulme Mike, Others have now commented on Taylor's "sceticism" - albeit in different terms. Referring to the NADW deabate, he propounded the view that it wasn't worth putting any funding into it, since "even if we knew ahead of time, what could we do about it?". I think it would be wise to bear this in mind. His background is industry - Director of HP labs. He will need convincing that business/industry see cc as an important issue for them. And TC is on very strong ground here. Trevor At 19:56 15/05/01 +0100, you wrote: >Trevor, > >Interesting gossip. > >I talked with Saleh Ahmed - the guy from OST who visited us - about >Taylor's visit. He indicated that he and one other will accompany Taylor. > >I pushed him for background to Taylor's visit and he gave no impression of >the opinion Sir Geoffrey voiced to you. > >The things he felt Taylor would look for were: > >- evidence of innovative, interdisciplinary science >- good interaction with user groups across society inc. knowledge transfer >- international links >- Tyndall's role in agenda setting > >It is a curiousity visit, driven by climate change as key policy issue and >Tyndall as high profile new cross-RC enterprise. > >I'm working on a structure for our part of the day. > >Mike > >At 14:50 12/05/01 +0100, you wrote: >>Mike/John, >> >>Had dinner with Sir Geoffrey Allen last night. >> >>(John, Allen is the UEA Chancellor - strictly the top man in the whole >>university, altho the position is "honorary" & most Chancellors are very >>"hands off". Allen however, is very involved, & tries to be genuinely >>helpful. As with most Chancellors - he is extremely well-connected - Fellow >>of Royal Society, ex Chief Exec of Engineering and Physical Sciences >>Research Council, etc. He is a chemist - career in both universities & >>industry (Unilever)). >> >>He indicated that his impression was that Taylor was "not wholly convinced >>of the contribution of Man's activity to climate change". Probably worth >>spending the first 5/10 minutes taking a step backwards from where Tyndall >>is starting, to review some of the evidence which has led to its >>establishment. This might be part of the reason for his visit - so we >>shouldn't assume that he is "signed up". We shouldn't overlook the >>possibility that he has not actually been briefed by experts in the area. >>Director-Generals of Research Councils tend to be on a railway line without >>ever having the opportunity to stop. >> >>Trevor >> >>++++++++++++++++++++++++++ >>Professor Trevor D. Davies >>Dean, School of Environmental Sciences >>University of East Anglia >>Norwich NR4 7TJ >>United Kingdom >> >>Tel. +44 1603 592836 >>Fax. +44 1603 507719 >>++++++++++++++++++++++++++ > > ++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Professor Trevor D. Davies Dean, School of Environmental Sciences University of East Anglia Norwich NR4 7TJ United Kingdom Tel. +44 1603 592836 Fax. +44 1603 507719 ++++++++++++++++++++++++++