Annual Conference begins

ESTA's annual conference, this year hosted by Liverpool University with the theme "Addressing Global Challenges", began this afternoon with a brilliant lecture from Peter Burgess, professor of sedimentary geology at the university.

Peter talked at length about the scale of global challenges humanity faces, beginning with a prediction of population growth over the next 50 years. From resource development and management to some of the effects we are now experiencing, his lecture was a sobering look at the imbalances between what we use and what we will need going forward. Sadly the two do not seem to currently tally!

Peter ended his lecture by talking about strategies and targets worth exploring, from the way nations generate electricity to how we as individuals can have a larger cumulative effect than we often realise. Finally, he noted that the next generation of geologists are largely going to be responsible for dealing with these issues. Reason enough for schools and colleges to keep geology as GCSE and A Level options?