Engineers For Social Responsibility

Who we are

Engineers for Social Responsibility Inc.

We are an independent group of engineers who consider that being knowledgeable in the field of technology means that they also have a special obligation to the public at large.

About Us
Events
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Upcoming event: Improving safety with a vehicular internet of things At least one New Zealander is killed and seven people are injured in road crashes every day. This presentation by Dr William Liu looks at how emerging ‘Vehicular Internet of Things’ technology could be used as a part of government strategies to reduce road deaths and serious injuries by 40% by 2030, compared with 2018. Find Out More
Watch video: The path to net-zero carbon concrete by 2050 On Wednesday 20th March, 2024 we heard from Concrete NZ's head of architecture, Ralf Kessel, as he outlined their “Roadmap to Net-Zero Carbon for Aotearoa New Zealand’s Concrete Industry” (launched August 2023). Find Out More
Watch video: Climate Change and the Economy of Aotearoa Dr Ilan Noy is an expert on the economic impacts of disasters. He speaks to us about global and local costs and economic losses attributable to extreme weather, and also adaptation costs and economic risks. Find Out More

Submissions

From time to time ESR makes submissions to Local Bodies or to Government, on issues of concern. These submissions are listed here and can be accessed for perusal.

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Submission On The Government Policy Statement On Land Transport 2024 This submission provides feedback on the draft Government Policy Statement on land transport 2024 (GPS 2024). GPS 2024 outlines the government's land transport investment strategy over the next 10 years, the funding available, and where funding should be directed to deliver on this strategy. Our submission provides feedback on the new strategic priorities, identifies inconsistencies… Read more
Submission to Draft Advice of Climate Change Commission on 2nd Emissions Reduction Plan The advice document subscribes to the economic growth paradigm in assuring the economy “would continue to grow under the recommended emissions budgets”. On the other hand, it has been established, that economic growth brings with it emissions’ growth, because an absolute decoupling of the two has not been achieved yet. It is therefore timely to… Read more
Submission on Measures for Transition to an Expanded and Highly Renewable Electricity System We recommend to commence work on a vision of how New Zealand will look without fossil fuels and then to develop a pathway how to get there. This consultation document assumes a great manufacturing effort over the next decades of power lines, power pylons, windmills, PV panels, electric cars, rail tracks and other infrastructure. This… Read more

Position Papers

From time to time ESR prepares Position Papers which state ESR’s viewpoints, with the intention of providing useful guidance on particular topics. Information in this section of the ESR website is presented in good faith, having been checked and reviewed for accuracy and fairness.

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Newsletters

We publish a Newsletter from time to time, with news of ESR activities, articles and discussion on topics of interest.

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April 2024 This newsletter starts with something different, namely translation of an interview with Jens Beckert, Director at the Max Planck Institute for the Study of Societies and Professor of Sociology in Cologne. On the brighter side, it also includes a number of items on positive actions that are helping improve people’s lives, and on technologies that… Read more
February 2024 CONTENTS - COP28’s potential impact on climate change - Human ‘behavioural crisis’ at root of climate breakdown, say scientists - Carbon released by bottom trawling - India rebuilds coal stocks to ensure electric reliability - World groundwater levels showing 'accelerated' decline - Short extracts from Reuters website - French farmers - Solid state batteries update… Read more
November 2023 CONTENTS - Some environmental statistics - Global warming rate - China and India struggle to curb fossil fuels - Renewable hydrogen takes flight with octocopter - Space-based solar power - New Scottish blade a ‘step change’ for tidal energy - Power grids investment needed - World’s tallest wooden tower to be built in Australia Read more

Climate Fact Sheets

Engineers for Social Responsibility and the Sustainable Energy Forum are concerned about the consequences of human-induced climate change and global warming and the need for widespread understanding of the facts and underlying science. Our combined organisations have prepared a series of discussion sheets and further papers will be published soon. Each paper is peer reviewed by top professionals with specialist knowledge about the topic being described.

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Carbon Dynamics in New Zealand’s Native Forests Native forests play an important role in storing and sequestering carbon in the New Zealand landscape. They do not sequester carbon as quickly as pine forests but can provide significant carbon stores and sinks, as well as a range of other benefits. Read more
Renewable Energy Renewable energy is energy derived directly or indirectly from sunlight, wind, rain, tidal flows and ranges, waves, and thermal energy stored in the oceans, which are naturally replenished over fairly brief periods of time. Geothermal energy is also regarded as renewable because of the extremely large amounts of heat available from the earth’s core. Major… Read more
New Zealand’s Paris Target New Zealand’s commitment under the Paris Agreement, as stated in our Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) promises that “Emissions will be reduced to 30% below 2005 levels by 2030. The 2005 reference has been chosen for ease of comparability with other countries. This responsibility target corresponds to a reduction of 11% from 1990 levels.” We are… Read more