Proceedings of the Workshop Panel on ENERGY CONSERVATION, MANAGEMENT, WATER QUALITY, LEGAL AND SOCIO-POLITICAL ASPECTS OF ICEBERG UTILIZATION

ABSTRACT Recent scientific and technical advances have encouraged society to put much faith in technology as a problem solver. This has resulted in some unforunate attempts to redefine all problems in terms of things technology can solve. And when that technology fails, as in the case of recent New York City black-out, for example, some unfortunate side effects can result. And when a technology is accepted by society – as in the case of the automobile – a whole new set of opportunities and issues is created. These technical successes and failures – and their unexpected side effects – suggest that considering technology separately from the society it serves can be a gross oversimplification. What we must do is integrate the technology into the larger framework and purpose of the society it serves. How can that be done? One way is to consider, in advance, what effects a particular technology may have and what issues it may generate. This workshop was an attempt to initate this kind of discussion. The panel considered issues associated with iceberg utilization, the possible effects of iceberg utilization upon society and it's environment, and ways to facilitate iceberg utilization in light of these effects. The panel was composed of eight distinguished persons: William W. Bishop, Jr., Professor Emeritus, Law School, University Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan (USA) Steven J. Burton, University of Iowa, College of Law, Iowa City, Iowa (USA) Jean-Pierre Chamoux, Economiste, Paris (France) Dudley Coillet, Development Analysis Associates, Boston, Massachusetts (USA) Gordon A. Enk and William F. Hornick, Institute on Man and Science Rensselaerville, New York (USA) John L. Hult, Application Concepts and Technology, Santa Monica, California (USA) W. Marvin Watson, International Six Inc., Washington, D. C. (USA) Five recommendations emerges from the panel's too brief discussions of the non-technical factors associated with iceberg utilization: 1. Execute in-depth analysis of the non-technical factors in parallel with the development of the iceberg technology; 2. Identify alternative solutions to potential legal issues, the implications of each alternative and strategies for resolving the issues; 3. Identify potential societal impacts and techniques for providing shore and water distribution facilites, for guiding social changes resulting from water availability, and for resolving equity issues; 4. Systematically identify such societal impacts and adjustment to change processes throughout the technology development process; and 5. Incorporate non-technological considerations into the planning of the pilot project(s) in order to better insure the success of the pilot effort(s). The above set of recommendations are not intended to provided for all non-technological considerations. There is not yet enough known vis-a-vis iceberg utilization, the transportation technology or the international legal implications of harvesting and transporting icebergs. Nor is there enough time in one workshop to develop a more complete set of recommendations. In the paragraphs that follow the workshop discussion is summarized. This summary provides insight regarding the recommendations cited above. Implicit in the summary is a skeleton framework for aiding decision-making relative to the use of icebergs for water (and energy) supply. The summary focuses upon: 1. Issues associated with the identification, selection and transportation of icebergs, 2. Issues associated with the development of shore facilities and the distribution and use of the water, 3. Factors common to both sets of issues identified by items 1 and 2, and 4. The relationship of iceberg utilization to energy conservation.