Civil Engineering May 2021 | Vol 29 No 4

From the Pres ident ’ s Desk On 22 April, Earth Day was commemorated around the world. Since its inception in 1970, hundreds of millions of people across the globe have come together to provide a voice for environmental consciousness, advancing concerns about protecting the planet. Earth Day is commonly identified as the largest nonreligious obser- vance in the world, and is marked as a day where human behaviour can be influenced to fight for a clean environment in light of the ever-growing threat of climate change. There is a social and cultural following gaining momentum as the younger generation demands concrete action on climate change. Social media is being used to disseminate information and bring together like-minded individuals on a global scale never seen before, empowering citizens around the globe with the knowledge and tools to make an impact and push for change for the protection of the planet. Principle 4 of the 1992 Rio Declaration states: “In order to achieve sustainable development, environmental protection shall constitute an integral part of the development process and cannot be considered in isolation from it.” Similarly, Sustainable Development Goal 13 states: “Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts.” It is imperative that we as engineering professionals begin to take these initiatives very seriously. On a local level, President Cyril Ramaphosa, in one of his recent weekly open letters to the public, stated that tackling climate change is a national priority for South Africa which plans to intro- duce regulations to curb the damage of climate change through the Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC), which defines goals for reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. The aim is to see South Africa’s carbon emissions gradually declining from 2025, a decade earlier than previously expected. It has been noted, how- ever, that the goals of the NDC can only be achieved if government collaborates with business, professional bodies, labour, civil society, and communities, working together towards an equitable change as we balance the need to reduce GHG emissions with the need to ensure sustainable economic growth. As engineering professionals and a learned society, what can we do to contribute to this effort? THE ENGINEER’S ROLE Each one of us has a role to play when it comes to fighting the climate crisis. By tackling climate change we may be able to meet our developmental objectives and improve quality of life for all our citizens. But where do we begin, and what role is there for us to play? It is sometimes argued that the climate crisis can only be resolved by politicians making immense changes, and that the lesser efforts of individuals are inconsequential. This may not be true as our contribution to the built environment can influence both the environment and the climate. In the construction sector, concrete contributes significantly to GHG emissions. It is the most extensively used man-made material on the planet and is second only to water as the most used resource. Studies undertaken by Chatham House in 2018 found that the production of cement caused about 8% of the world’s CO 2 emissions. This is around three times the annual emissions of aviation. However, efforts are underway to look at reducing the levels of CO 2 emissions during the cement manufacturing process. By im- plementing innovations around new ingredients, kiln technology, alternative fuels and binders, as well as better utilising thermal mass and re-carbonation properties and unlocking the recycling potential of the byproducts, cement manufacturers are hoping to drastically reduce their carbon footprint. There are many solutions, but manufacturers and users usually do not want to stray from the norm due to cost and scale of availability. SOLUTIONS FOR CLIMATE CHANGE Upgrading of infrastructure may help in reducing climate change as buildings worldwide contribute around one third of all GHG emis- sions. National power grids, carrying dirty energy created by coal power stations, are at capacity and most are overloaded as demand for power continues to rise. Transport infrastructure is another major contributor as badly maintained roads can lower the fuel efficiency of vehicles, thereby creating more emissions. Maintaining old infra- structure and investing in new infrastructure for transportation and alternate power generation is imperative. CONCLUSION The global coronavirus lockdown helped the environment to bounce back. During the pandemic, the earth had the opportunity to breathe and create clear blue skies and produce cleaner air. In many parts of the world, particularly where air pollution is prevalent, this sight built a feeling of hopefulness towards achieving a cleaner and better environment. This positive impact on the environment may have been momentary, but we as professionals in the built environment should learn from this and perform our duties responsibly in order to decrease pollution on a long-term basis and reduce the severe effects of climate change on the environment in order for us to leave a better planet for generations to come. Vishal Krishandutt SAICE President 2021 vkrishandutt@nyeleti.co.za Are engineers doing enough for the planet ? “No challenge poses a greater threat to future generations than climate change” – Barack Obama, Former US President. Civil Engineering May 2021 1