Dr. András Gelencsér is a chemical engineer, university professor, corresponding member of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences, head of the academy’s air chemistry research group. Rector of Pannon University since 2015. His main research area is atmospheric chemistry related to air pollution and climate change, especially atmospheric aerosol chemistry. He was the first to recognize the process of formation of humus in the atmosphere. His joint article with the director of the Max Planck Institute for Biogeochemistry became one of the most cited publications in the field.
An important part of his work is that he is a consistent advocate of the effects of climate change. He also published a book on the subject entitled “Under the spell of illusions – the limits of sustainable development”.
The volume explores the topic of global sustainability, which has suddenly become hot for all of us, in an unorthodox way, exclusively using the tools of natural and engineering sciences. The imaginary camera approaches the Earth from outside the planet, and the author calculates on the ground of inviolable natural laws with brightly shining illusions fueled by sustainable development and serving the short-term interests of the political and economic elite. The author’s “sword” is the tension between the continuous supply of huge amounts of energy essential for the survival of modern civilization and the finite and limited resources necessary for this. The author, who, unlike the majority, “does not hang on the milk of fairy tales” when it comes to the issue of sustainability, is driven solely by concern for the future of humanity. In his book, he mercilessly shows the hitherto silent dark side of the medal, and invites the reader to honest and responsible reflection. After all, “existence is at stake” here, we don’t have another planet and one more chip to start over.
We recommend it to everyone who feels that things are not going in the right direction in the world at the moment, and who is deeply worried about their own future and that of our Earth. Provided he is brave enough to step out of the confines of alternate realities.
