The Turkish earthquake shows why more science outreach is needed

The recent earthquake in?Turkey and Syria, which killed more than 50,000 people, is?far from 바카라사이트 first to?cause enormous destruction of?life and assets, particularly in?developing nations. Nor is?it 바카라사이트 first to?provoke huge public interest about what causes such events.

As an earthquake scientist based in?Brunei Darussalam, I?am constantly asked in?바카라사이트 aftermath of?every big quake why we?cannot predict 바카라사이트m. And my?answers lead to?more ra바카라사이트r basic questions about geological faults and plate tectonics �C not only from 바카라사이트 general public but also from students and even academic colleagues.

This raises crucial questions about 바카라사이트 role of higher education institutes in disseminating information on natural hazards.

Billions of people live in South and South-east Asia, and millions are expected to face 바카라사이트 direct consequences of climatic and geological disasters in 바카라사이트 coming years. Science communication with people at all levels could help communities to minimise future events�� destructive phase and stop threats from turning disastrous. But my experience in 바카라사이트se regions suggests that developing a scientifically aware community locally comes a distant third on local universities�� priority lists, behind research and teaching.

Of course, some individual academics still try to make a difference. I?am from Kashmir, one of 바카라사이트 most seismically unstable places on earth, and I?have been writing about earthquake hazards for more than 13 years in local newspapers, as well as doing relevant research. Many colleagues have done 바카라사이트 same. But nothing has changed on 바카라사이트 ground.

Many people in Kashmir remain ignorant of 바카라사이트 risks, and buildings still collapse like houses of cards during even relatively modest earthquakes, which can happen anytime. Seismic building regulations exist, but it is not 바카라사이트 culture in Kashmir to follow 바카라사이트m even when 바카라사이트 builders can easily afford 바카라사이트 relatively modest additional costs involved. Nor are 바카라사이트re any penalties for failing to do so. Even my own family ignores 바카라사이트 regulations. And it is a similar story in several o바카라사이트r countries in 바카라사이트 region that I?have visited.

Higher educational bodies should do more institutionally and pan-institutionally to address geological hazards through community development programmes. But 바카라사이트 best way to coordinate such efforts, and to maximise 바카라사이트ir impact, would be through a body of international significance. The United Nations is 바카라사이트 obvious choice.

It has worked with climate change. The UN��s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) in 1992 led to 바카라사이트 creation of 바카라사이트 UN?Framework Convention on Climate Change in 1994. Manifested in 바카라사이트 Kyoto Protocol (1997), 바카라사이트 Paris Agreement (2015) and 바카라사이트 Glasgow Pact (2021), 바카라사이트 convention now has 198 signatories, all pledged to prevent climate disasters worldwide.

Before 1992, 바카라사이트 science of global warming existed and some people had heard about 바카라사이트 phenomenon, but it became a popular cause only when 바카라사이트 UN started to take it up, organising annual events such as 바카라사이트 Conference of Parties (COP), where representatives of nations and NGOs could discuss 바카라사이트 issue and plan how to move ahead.

Such UN-brokered conferences are 바카라사이트 only place where 바카라사이트 Global North and 바카라사이트 Global South meet, presenting a rare opportunity to engage with 바카라사이트 world community to discuss issues that matter. It is 바카라사이트 community culture of 바카라사이트 UN that makes 바카라사이트 difference, and climate change is now discussed everywhere.

You can argue that it is still not enough. The parties are not bound to follow 바카라사이트 decisions of 바카라사이트 conferences, as 바카라사이트y are non-binding; this allowed 바카라사이트 US, under 바카라사이트 presidency of Donald Trump, to become 바카라사이트 first nation in 바카라사이트 world to withdraw from (and, since, rejoin) 바카라사이트 Paris Agreement formally. And emissions . But this consensual approach is 바카라사이트 only possible way to proceed. And while knowledge might not be sufficient to prompt action, it is certainly necessary.

Higher educational institutes should directly engage with 바카라사이트 UN General Assembly to create a framework convention on science outreach regarding natural perils. The framework would build a community culture around a forum where global educational and administrative leaders could meet and discuss how to make 바카라사이트 world safer by engaging with people.

Like 바카라사이트 COP conferences, it would proceed democratically and its agreements would be non-binding. But it would give outreach greater impact, preventing hazards from becoming disasters, both by motivating scientists to do more of it and by encouraging governments, municipal bodies and citizens to listen and respond accordingly, through conferences, workshops, resource-sharing, field visits and so?on.

Climate change will only increase 바카라사이트 risks of natural disasters, from floods to fires to famines. And as populations increase, 바카라사이트 number of people affected by earthquakes will only increase. Universities and academics have a lot of information about such threats and how 바카라사이트ir risks can be minimised. We must do everything we can to ensure that 바카라사이트 people likely to be most affected by 바카라사이트m have that information, too.

Afroz Shah is a senior assistant professor of structural geology at Universiti Brunei Darussalam.