Net zero needs you! Help us find the future generation of earth scientists?

We will give two short talks followed by an open extended discussion as follows: Talk 1: University of Southampton – overviewing the need for Earth Scientists and reviewing the trends of applications for university (or equivalent) courses. Talk 2: Society for Underwater Technology – presenting the need for Earth Scientists from the industry perspective (using Offshore Renwable Energy as an example) Discussion: How schools can inspire the next generation of Earth Scientists. To highlight the essential role Earth Scientists play in understanding, and implementing solutions for, the impact of climate change on a global and local scale and how teachers and pupils can become involved with these challenges. For example, encouraging interest and learning how it links to the GCSE and A-level science curriculum in the following areas: Understanding the impacts of climate change on our environment. For example: the impacts of sea-level rise on coasts; understanding and managing increasingly harmful weather events (flooding, droughts, landslides); finding and managing our water resources: - Appreciating the wide range of green and renewable energy sources (solar, wind, wave, tidal, geothermal) and groundwater resources; - How we capture and store carbon from the atmosphere; - Developing large-scale renewable energy projects, both onshore and offshore; - Sustainable exploration and use of rare earth minerals that underpin the technology of today and the future, including green power storage technology and our mobile phones! To generate a dialogue between Teachers, Universities and academics need to stimulate interest in this crucial area of study. Over the last five years there have been numerous attempts by the academic and industry communities to raise the issue of the new generation of Earth Scientists but to no avail. Numbers of undergraduate Geoscientists are still dropping and University Earth Science Departments are closing across the planet, whilst the need for qualified graduates with knowledge in the above areas increases.