Climate Change and Professional Responsibility: A Declaration of Helsinki for Engineers

Abstract

In this paper, we argue that the professional engineering institutions ought to develop a Declaration of Climate Action. Climate change is a serious global problem, and the majority of greenhouse gas emissions come from industries that are enabled by engineers and represented by the engineering professional institutions. If the professional institutions take seriously the claim that a profession should be self-regulating, with codes of ethics that go beyond mere obedience to the law, and if they take their own ethical codes seriously, recognising their responsibility to the public and to future generations (and also recognising a duty of “responsible leadership”), the professional institutions ought to develop a declaration for engineers, addressing climate change. Our argument here is largely inspired by the history of the Declaration of Helsinki. The Declaration of Helsinki was created by the medical profession for the profession, and it held physicians to a higher standard of ethical conduct than was found in the legal framework of individual countries. Although it was not originally a legal document, the influence of the Declaration can be seen in the fact that it is now enshrined in law in a number of different countries. Thus, we argue that the engineering profession could, and should, play a significant role in the abatement of climate change by making changes within the profession. If the engineering profession sets strict standards for professional engineers, with sanctions for those who refuse to comply, this could have a significant impact in relation to our efforts to develop a coordinated response to climate change.

The Role of Community-Engaged Learning in Engineering Education for Sustainable Development

“…Considering the impact of engineering achievements to date, it could be argued that engineering has had one of the biggest influences on the climate crisis, but also the biggest opportunity to help transition to a more resilient society [7]. Since the majority of greenhouse gas emissions come from industries that are enabled by engineers, Lawlor and Morley (2017) [8] called on professional engineering institutions to develop declarations for engineers addressing climate change.…”

Above and beyond: ethics and responsibility in civil engineering

“…This need was evident in interviews with those who had encountered ethical dilemmas and was also evident within the literature (e.g. Lawlor and Morley 2017). The need to collectivise may be particularly poignant in the UK where the profession has traditionally regulated itself rather than being overseen by the state (Uff 2016;UK Parliament 1980).…”

The ethics of climate activism

“…Engineers enable the most emitting activities, and can develop technological solutions for mitigation and adaptation. The engineering profession could therefore adopt a code of ethics demanding a commitment to the climate cause, with sanctions ranging from warnings to revoking an engineer's chartered status (Lawlor & Morley, 2017). Finally, academics who pursue climate scholarship may be under a professional duty to engage in climate politics as advocates, not just as impartial analysts and scientists.…”