I too am saddened. One addition, from memory, to the biographical details: I think Peter was a naval cadet and may indeed have been in the navy for some time, either as national service or as a volunteer, before his first degree. I always thought of him as a rather naval man, though can't quite explain how
On Nov 26, 8:25 am, "John Gorman" <[email protected]> wrote: > Maybe due to a similar background I communicated quite a lot with Peter > recently and I am very sorry never to have met him. I can pass on some > information on his life. He must have been about 73 > > Dr Peter Read did his BA and PhD degrees in engineering at Cambridge between > 1955 and 64 and subsequently an MSc in Economics at the London School of > Economics in 1976. > > (Title of Professor? No [except by my travel agent - it works wonders in far > eastern airports] > > Career (A rolling stone that eventually fell into a black hole) > > Opting out of academic engineering from an interest in policy I became part > of Wilson’s (UK prime minister 64 to 70 or so) “white heat of technology” > (labour government image slogan) in Whitehall (UK government service) for 11 > years before retreating through the LSE to "know my enemy" after which an > interesting but unproductive 3 years as Research Fellow in Alternative Energy > Technology at the Open University (UK). Wanting an academic seat upon which > to sit and think (and teach wicked economics as little as possible), and > given Callaghan's (next UK prime minister) retrenchment on Robbins' > university expansion, I retired to the land of my wife where Massey > University turned out to be that bourne from which no man returns, with > advancement only for those willing to undertake tedious chores in aid of > institutional objectives with which I had no sympathy. So Lecturer, Senior > Lecturer, Part time Sen Lecturer, Part Time Research Fellow and finally > Honorary [=unpaid] Research Fellow. > > (Hon Research Fellow probably the most impressive to those who don't know > what it means) > > Kings College Exhibitioner 1955-58 > > Research Fellow Open University 1976-79 > > Research Fellow Massey University 2005 > > Hon Research Fellow 2006 > > Convenor, United Nations Foundation Expert Workshop on Policy > Implications of Potential Abrupt Climate Change, Oct 2004. > > Lead Author IPCC Special Report on Land Use Land Use Change and Forestry > (LULUCF) 2001 > > Contributing Author IPCC Fourth Assessment Report 2007 > > Coiner of the word "Biochar" (2005) and credited with intellectual > priority with the BECCS concept (2001) > > Peter was a great scientist and engineer with a great sense of humour. I do > hope his work on Biochar will eventually play its part in bringing the world > back to a stable climate. > > My sympathy to Peter’s family. > > John Gorman > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: Sam Carana > To: [email protected] > > Cc: [email protected] ; [email protected] ; Geoengineering > Sent: Thursday, November 26, 2009 7:47 AM > Subject: Re: [geo] [Fwd: [biochar] Hasta siempre Peter Read!] > > So sad to hear that news, Ron and others. > > We have lost a great man, who devoted so much of his time and work to > improve the quality of soils and forests. Peter was one of the strongest > advocates of biochar -- at the same time, Peter was one of the kindest > persons I have come to know, always ready to respond to requests for > information and always going out of his way to describe biochar and to share > the wealth of information and experiences he had accumulated over the years. > > He will be dearly missed, > > Sam Carana > > On Thu, Nov 26, 2009 at 5:54 PM, John Nissen <[email protected]> wrote: > > Dear Ron and Roy, > > This is sad and terrible news. > > It is sad for me because I had met Peter a few months ago and we were > instant friends. He was an incredibly kind person, and was willing to > support me in an area which was not his direct interest. And when there was > any technical question, he was willing to produce facts and figures and do > the necessary calculations. I have never known anybody with an academic > capability who was so generous in this way. And he had an extraordinary > empathy for the poor people of this world, seeing his beloved biochar as a > real benefit for them. I felt I could seek Peter's advice on any matter, and > he would give generously and wisely - perhaps more wisely than anybody I have > known. > > The news is not only sad news but terrible news. Peter had incredible > experience, knowledge and understanding, of utmost importance to the world at > this time of impending environmental crises. He was one of the very few > people who understood the true gravity of the situation, and that if we did > not act now, the chances of avoiding a "point of no return" in the Earth's > climate system were slim. But, more than this, he acknowledged and upheld > the scientific logic that emissions cuts, however drastic, could not save the > situation. He supported the open letter I wrote to Dr Pachauri [1], chairman > of IPCC, concerning the other actions required besides emissions reduction - > on the one hand "carbon stock management" (Peter's term) to reduce CO2 levels > in the air, and on the other hand "solar radiation management" (an > established geoengineering term) for cooling the Arctic. The loss of one of > the main supporters of such actions is a loss to the world, at a time when it > is focussed entirely on emissions reductions. > > I am sure that Peter would feel his best memorial would be an > acknowledgement of the role he had played in trying to save the world from > its own foolishness. > > In great sadness, > > John > > Chiswick, London W4 > > > [1]http://geo-engineering.blogspot.com/2009/03/open-letter-to-dr-pachaur... > > --- > > Ron Larson wrote: > Geoengineering list: I am sorry to pass on the attached sad news about > the death of Peter Read. > > Ron > > -- > > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups > "geoengineering" group. > To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. > To unsubscribe from this group, send email to > [email protected]. > For more options, visit this group > athttp://groups.google.com/group/geoengineering?hl=en. > > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- > > Subject: [biochar] Hasta siempre Peter Read! > From: Ruy Korscha Anaya de la Rosa <[email protected]> > Date: Thu, 26 Nov 2009 15:33:00 +1300 > To: [email protected] > To: [email protected] > > Dear all, > > I've been informed that Peter Read, a renowned advocate of biochar, > passed away last night in his hotel room in the Netherlands -- having been > presenting his ideas on biochar that day. > > Ruy > > __._,_.___ > Reply to sender | Reply to group > Messages in this topic (1) > Recent Activity: a.. New Members 5 a.. New Files 1 > Visit Your Group Start a New Topic > MARKETPLACE > Going Green: Your Yahoo! Groups resource for green living > > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- > Mom Power: Discover the community of moms doing more for their > families, for the world and for each other Switch to: Text-Only, Daily > Digest • Unsubscribe • Terms of Use. > > __,_._,___ > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- > > No virus found in this incoming message. > Checked by AVG -www.avg.com > Version: 9.0.709 / Virus Database: 270.14.83/2526 - Release Date: 11/25/09 > 12:43:00 > > -- > > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups > "geoengineering" group. > To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. > To unsubscribe from this group, send email to > [email protected]. > For more options, visit this group > athttp://groups.google.com/group/geoengineering?hl=en. > > -- > > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups > "geoengineering" group. > To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. > To unsubscribe from this group, send email to > [email protected]. > For more options, visit this group > athttp://groups.google.com/group/geoengineering?hl=en. -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "geoengineering" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected]. For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/geoengineering?hl=en.
