User:Mlack65

Full Name: Martin Charles Lack.

Nationality: British

Year of Birth: 1965

Education:

St Albans School, Hertfordshire, 1976-1983.

BSc (Hons) in Geology (Portsmouth), 1983-1986.

MSc in Hydrogeology (Birmingham), 1989-1990.

Postgrad. Cert. in Education (Keele), 1998-1999.

MA in Environmental Politics (Keele), 2010-2011.

Professional Qualifications:

Fellow of the Geological Society (FGS) since 1992.

Chartered Geologist (CGeol) since 1998.

Member of Chartered Institution of Water and Environmental Management (MCIWEM) since 2000.

Personal Statement:

After 25 years of professional work experience, as a geologist and hydrogeologist, in both public and private sectors, I have decided to change direction; and try to help humanity - if we must have continuing growth within a finite system (even though this is impossible in perpetuity) - decouple that economic growth from environmental degradation. This is because, as John Dryzek has put it so well in The Politics of the Environment (2005): "The driver of an accelerating car about to hit a brick wall might well say ‘so far so good’ – but that does not mean that the wall is not there!" (page70).

More about the MA in Environmental Politics at Keele University

My chosen dissertation topic: "A Discourse Analysis of Climate Change Scepticism in the UK".

Abstract: Discourse analysis is understood in the sense proposed by John Dryzek (2005) that it involves the textual assessment of (a) basic entities recognised or constructed; (b) assumptions about natural relationships; (c) agents and their motives; and (d) key metaphors and rhetorical devices used. As a piece of social science research, no attempt is made to prove or disprove the validity of the scientific consensus view that climate change is happening and that human activity is its primary cause. However, this reality has been assumed solely in order to analyse the views of climate change sceptics that dispute it. To this end, the philosophical roots of scepticism; its possible misappropriation for ideological reasons; and the psychological causes denial are reviewed. In this context, based on the finding of numerous researchers that conservative think-tanks (CTTs) often act as the primary driving force of campaigns to deny environmental problems, the output of such UK-based CTTs is analysed, along with that of scientists, economists, journalists, politicians and others. Whereas the majority of CTTs analysed dispute the existence of a legitimate consensus, and the majority of sceptical journalists focus on conspiracy theories, the majority of scientists and economists equate environmentalism with a new religion; whereas politicians and others analysed appear equally likely to cite denialist and/or economic arguments for inaction. However, because of the economic and political realities of the world in which we live, politicians will not take any action that will be unpopular with business interests and/or the wider electorate. If so, Peter Jacques (2009) would appear to be right to conclude that anti-environmentalism (i.e. environmental scepticism) needs to be exposed as being “in violation of the public interest”.

Blog (old): http://my.telegraph.co.uk/earthyissues/

Blog (new): http://lackofenvironment.wordpress.com/