“Come up with innovation that will reduce the global warming weather. When you do research, make sure that it will contribute to the improvement of the environment,” said Dr Eric Musekene who delivered a 2019 Annual Climate Change Public Lecture. This public lecture took place on Friday, 02 August 2019 at Univen School of Environmental Sciences CADLAB. The theme of this public lecture was ‘Climate Change does not respect border; it does not respect who you are – rich and poor, small or big’.
Dr Eric Musekene
Dr Eric Musekene advised Environmental Sciences students to remain relevant and add value to the needs of the changing environment. “Make sure that your research addresses the global warming issue,”
Principal Specialist: Monitoring and Evaluation at Vodacom, Dr Musekene who is Univen graduate continued to tell students that everything they are doing while they are studying should complement the sustainable development goals. “If they don’t support the sustainable development goal then know that what you are learning will not benefit the world.”
“You are in a relevant school and we want you to contribute in this plan. Your curriculum is linked with the national development plan.” He said South Africa is the best producers of coal. In terms of population, South Africa has grown significantly to 58, 8 million people. “This means there is a need to improve our environment. Unemployment has also increased and is still increasing.” He advised students to think about starting businesses in the environmental field to employ others and improve the ever-changing climate. “Every year the earth is becoming warmer and warmer. We do not need excessive heat because it causes a lot of diseases such as skin cancer. Global warming affects your health, your resources and your environment, water, forest, money, cities, the air we breathing and agricultural products.
“There is no organisation that will fund your research to duplicate what they already have. There is money that South Africa is putting into funding for those whose research focus on challenges that the country is faced with.”
Dr Musekene also spoke about the issue of the 4th Industrial Revolution. He said the fourth industrial revolution is technology that comes to us and make things easier for us which is a good thing. He spoke about 4th Industrial Revolution being the internet of things. “The internet makes things easier.” He highlighted that there is 5G which will be rolled out soon. With the internet of things, things become very simpler each day. “When there is any shift or change that affects the country, the country must shift very quickly to the need at that time. The government should start retraining its people to remain relevant without retrenching. He concluded his lecture by mentioning that government should start changing the education curriculum to fit in the 4th Industrial Revolution era.
Mr Zwivhuya Netshivhambe
Mr Zwivhuya Netshivhambe, Mining and Environmental Geology student proposing a vote of thanks
Dr Eduard Stam
Dr Eduard Stam introducing the guest speaker
Audience listening to the speaker during the introduction of the guest speaker
Issued by:
Department of Communications & Marketing
University of Venda
Tel: (015) 962 8525
Date: 05 August 2019
