In this week’s Space Café WebTalk Prof. Thomas Schildknecht, Director of Swiss Optical Ground Station and Geodynamics Observatory Zimmerwald and Vice-Director of Astronomical Institute of the University of Bern, Switzerland, talked about Sustainability beyond (our) planet protection from the perspective of an astronomer.
Human-caused climate change, global pandemics, ocean acidification and species extinctions may eventually threaten the collapse of humanity, while others argue that for political or economic reasons we should allow industrial development to continue without restrictions.
Can we afford that?
What role plays space?
The current Long-Term-Sustainability Guidelines for behaviours in outer space are a start to address the issues, but how can they help the astronomy community to continue their work. Astronomers need dark and quiet skies to explore the universe.
Can we still protect this keyhole into the universe?
What is sustainability for us?
Prof. Thomas Schildknecht offered some thoughts on that, also answered relevant questions from the audience.
This Space Cafè WebTalk, held on 1 June 2021, was hosted by Torsten Kriening, publisher of SpaceWatch.Global.
Here the video:
