Events

In 2021, the Hungarian Young Academy connects to one-month-long scientific event series announced by the Hungarian Academy of Sciences, i. e. the Hungarian Science Festival, by a programme focusing centred around sustainability and climate protection. The event will take place in the Ceremonial Hall of the MTA Palace on 23 November 2021, but it will also be broadcast online on the MTA YouTube channel. All those interested are welcome to join in!

Programme

Moderator: Péter Török, D.Sc. of MTA, Co-chair of the Hungarian Young Academy, ecologist and full professor (University of Debrecen, Department of Ecology)

10.00–10.15: Opening remarks
Eörs Szathmáry, ordinary member of MTA, chair of the MTA Presidential Committee on Sustainable Development, research professor (Centre for Ecological Research, Institute of Evolution); Péter Török, Co-chair of the Hungarian Young Academy, ecologist, full professor (University of Debrecen, Department of Ecology)

10.15–10.40: Climate change through the eyes of the meteorologist
Anna Kis meteorologist, assistant lecturer (Eötvös Loránd University, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Department of Meteorology)

10.40–11.05: Certain social aspect of sustainability – is there such a thing as climate law?
Gábor Kecskés, Board Member of the Hungarian Young Academy, environmental lawyer, associate professor (Széchenyi University, Deák Ferenc Faculty of Law), senior research fellow (Research Centre for Social Sciences, Institute of Legal Studies)

10.05–11.30: Climate change and agriculture. Global challenges, local answers
Attila Jámbor, D.Sc. of MTA, member of the Hungarian Young Academy, agroeconomist, full professor (Budapest Corvinus University, Institute of Entrepreneurship and Innovation)

11.30–11.55: The effects of climate change and plant invation on pollinators
Anikó Kovács-Hostyánszki biologist, senior research fellow (Centre for Ecologial Research, Institute of Ecology and Botany, “Lendület” Ecosystem service Research Team)

11.55–12.05: Closing remarks
Anna Erdei, ordinary member of MTA, Deputy Secretary-General of MTA, full professor (Eötvös Loránd University, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Institute of Biology)

Overview of presentations

Climate change is one of the most pressing challenges of our time, with very serious consequences for both the natural environment and human society. Climate change is not just an increase in average temperatures. Through changes in the planet’s climate, extreme weather events will become more frequent and water scarcity may become permanent in some areas. We need to adapt to these changes, but also to moderate the rate of warming of our planet. Our country is one of the areas the most affected by climate change. The central lowland areas of the country are already facing severe water scarcity, which is expected to worsen in the coming years. Addressing these problems effectively will require a broad national and international response, which will necessitate that not only policy makers and economic actors, but also the general public be made aware of the wide-ranging impacts of climate change and the mitigation options available at local level.

The most blatant effects of climate change, through changes in weather patterns, can already be felt on our skin. As average temperatures rise, extreme weather events are becoming more frequent and may cause significant natural and economic damage. Developing appropriate adaptation strategies is essential to mitigate future hazards. Meteorologist Anna Kis will use the latest IPCC report as a basis to present the changes in climate observed in recent decades and the likely trends for the future. She focuses on the findings for Europe and discusses the causes of change and possible solutions.

The economic and sociological dimensions of climate change pose legal and political challenges that go beyond their own significance for individual states and the international community. In his presentation, environmental lawyer Gábor Kecskés will focus on the social pillar of sustainability, including primarily domestic (Hungarian) legal and international legal challenges, as well as international political quagmires. His talk will touch upon the relevant activities of states and international organisations in the fight against climate change and the process of adaptation.

Every change has its beneficiaries and victims; climate change is no different for the flora and the fauna. More than three quarters of flowering plants are pollinated by animals, mainly bees. Partly as a result of climate change, the number of natural pollinators across Europe is declining every year. However, certain invasive plant and animal species are establishing themselves in new areas precisely because of the changing conditions. In her presentation, ecologist Anikó Kovács-Hostyánszki will discuss the effects of climate change and plant invasions on pollinators. The diversity and distribution of pollinating insects is influenced by a number of factors, including climate change and the advance of invasive plant species, often independently of the former. It is predicted that climate change may cause some wild bee and butterfly species to decline in parts of their current habitat, which could have a significant impact on flower visitation and thus pollination, not only in southern but also in northern Europe. Invasive plant species can also cause significant changes in pollinator communities in invaded areas, by suppressing native plant species and in many cases creating new food sources. The presentation will illustrate these effects, drawing on examples from the literature and on the results of the researcher’s own work.

International agricultural trade has increased significantly in recent decades and, in parallel with this growth, pollution and climate change have become global concerns. Despite the scale of agricultural trade, the number of studies exploring the relationship between environment, trade and agriculture is rather limited in the academic literature. Attila Jámbor, agricultural economist, will present the global interactions between climate change and agriculture and their implications for Europe and Hungary. He will also discuss the responses of modern agriculture and the food industry to climate change and the management of different climate impacts.