Ecology
Fisheries

Dorothy J. Dankel, How to save the ocean | Talks at Google

Burgess COMMENTARY

Peter Burgess

Dorothy J. Dankel, How to save the ocean | Talks at Google

How can we sustainably use our Ocean? In a visit to Google's Cambridge MA office on May 28, 2014, Dorothy J. Dankel argues along the lines of E.O. Wilson's book Consilience (1998) that ever since the French Revolution we have systematically undermined our ability to conduct integrated assessments to the detriment of our natural environment. Dankel draws on her experiences in European fisheries, and illuminates the term 'post-normal science' as the paradigm in which fisheries management must work, and finally, how integrated assessments are the most logical, and easiest, tool to save the ocean.

Burgess Comment:

This has been an interesting talk. I was the CFO of an international fishing (shrimp) back in the 1970s before getting involved in international development assistance (planning, oversight and evaluation). Our company did some resource analysis work for the FAO where fisheries population dynamics was in its infancy and headed up by Dr. John Gulland FRS.

I am impressed by the way data science has progressed ... but the use of data for good decisions has a long long way to go. In my view this is a very big issue. As a professionally trained accountant, I am bothered by the world's singular focus on profit as a 'good thing' because a huge part of the important externalities that are incredibly important are totally ignored by the world's decision makers.

We live in a complex worlds ... the tools for decision making are not up to the challenge.

Peter Burgess - TrueValueMetrics - Multi Dimension Impact Accounting