FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE : June 30, 2008
A leading scientist for Shell has spoken in a new EarthSky Clear Voices for Science podcast about the need for what he called "aggressive action" on the issue of CO2 and other emissions leading to global warming. Chief Technology Officer Jan van der Eijk told a reporter from Earthsky - whose science podcasts are heard on broadcast outlets around the world - that the "increase in energy demand and also the need to use all kinds of sources of energy will lead to an increase in CO2 emissions, and we all know that the CO2 emissions are related to global warming. That's a major concern and also something that calls for aggressive action." In this interview, Dr. van der Eijk described to EarthSky's Jorge Salazar "the three hard truths" of the world's energy use. The first, he said, is simply that Earth's population and energy needs will substantially grow. The second is that the easy-to-reach oil and gas will struggle to supply that growth. And the third hard truth relates to rising CO2 in our atmosphere . "What is important is that people start to realize that fossil energy is a finite resource, and that we need to find ways to use that energy in a more responsible manner," said van der Eijk. A second EarthSky Clear Voices for Science podcast- also released today - features Carl Mesters, Chief Scientist of Shell, on the subject of gas-to-liquid technology for use in transportation fuels. EarthSky will release 6 more interviews on global energy over the coming months, featuring such topics as biofuels from algae and cellulose, technologies for recovery of hard-to-reach oil, and research on carbon sequestration. "Bringing these interviews to our audience is part of our mission to be a clear voice for science," said Deborah Byrd, founder and lead producer of EarthSky. "These interviews will give our audience a unique look at the research, insights, concerns and hopes of oil company scientists." The podcasts are available here: Jan van der Eijk of Shell on '3 hard truths' Carl Mesters on gas-to-liquids technology
