The impact of international conferences can be mitigated by more than
the decision not to fly. Choice of venue could do much to send a message
to conference organisers and governments. I first heard Ian Roberts'
concerns about excessive conference air miles at the Cochrane Colloquia in
Australia (he sent a letter), a country which refuses to ratify the Kyoto
protocol, is the second largest global producer of greenhouse gases per
capita and is suffering the worst drought in recorded history. A boycott
of this country by all international medical conference attendees would
send a clear message to conference organisers, and indirectly to
governments, that Australia's ignorance and arrogance about climate change
is not acceptable to the thinking people of this planet.
Our next door
neighbour, New Zealand, has a much better track record. Given that the
air miles are about the same, New Zealand is a better choice. The same
could be said for Canada compared with the US. Then hold the conference
in a conference centre run on renewable energy, with stringent waste and
water recycling. Surely those fabulous market forces can drum up
something of the kind! And while we're at it, I'd be very happy to never
again receive a tacky conference bag, tattooed with drug company logos and
made in a sweat shop.
Danielle Wheeler
Competing interests:
Danielle Wheeler is a contributor and editor for the Cochrane Collaboration and Research Manager of the Cochrane Child Health Field
Competing interests:
No competing interests
13 March 2007
Danielle M Wheeler
Research Manager
Cochrane Child Health Field, Westmead, NSW, Australia 2145
Rapid Response:
Choice of venue
The impact of international conferences can be mitigated by more than
the decision not to fly. Choice of venue could do much to send a message
to conference organisers and governments. I first heard Ian Roberts'
concerns about excessive conference air miles at the Cochrane Colloquia in
Australia (he sent a letter), a country which refuses to ratify the Kyoto
protocol, is the second largest global producer of greenhouse gases per
capita and is suffering the worst drought in recorded history. A boycott
of this country by all international medical conference attendees would
send a clear message to conference organisers, and indirectly to
governments, that Australia's ignorance and arrogance about climate change
is not acceptable to the thinking people of this planet.
Our next door
neighbour, New Zealand, has a much better track record. Given that the
air miles are about the same, New Zealand is a better choice. The same
could be said for Canada compared with the US. Then hold the conference
in a conference centre run on renewable energy, with stringent waste and
water recycling. Surely those fabulous market forces can drum up
something of the kind! And while we're at it, I'd be very happy to never
again receive a tacky conference bag, tattooed with drug company logos and
made in a sweat shop.
Danielle Wheeler
Competing interests:
Danielle Wheeler is a contributor and editor for the Cochrane Collaboration and Research Manager of the Cochrane Child Health Field
Competing interests: No competing interests