The unique position of professionals who witness climate change is to take part in the global warming debate. They may act as advocates and stress a particular side of the debate, but they have a different obligation to the public than a citizen. As such, their witnessing must avoid bias and ensure that facts highlighted are accurate.

However, the practice of witnessing is not easy. There are both practical and political constraints. There are tensions between the obligation of serving the public and the obligation to respect professional knowledge. Professional witnessing requires professional witnesses to communicate clearly and persuasively with the public. Tension is created by the need to be persuasive in public speech and the obligation to present expert knowledge responsibly.

Professional witnesses may be called to court as witnesses in criminal cases. They may be summoned by the Procurator Fiscal, Reporter on the Children’s Panel or any other legal counsel. They may also be summoned by a defense attorney, family lawyer or child lawyer. In these situations, witnesses will receive formal notices requiring them to attend.

In some cases, a professional witness will be called upon to give oral evidence. Their role is to interpret the facts in a case. They will be under oath in the court. This requires a clear understanding of their role and the GMC guidelines when giving evidence. The witness should be ready to answer questions from the barristers during the trial.

Expert testimony is an important component of civil and criminal cases. Forensic experts often testify. Judges will benefit from their expertise in complex scientific issues. As such, these professionals are crucial in deciding the fate of a case. Each case is different and so the role of an expert witness can vary.

A comprehensive investigation of the opposing expert witness is standard procedure for litigators. A failure to thoroughly vet an expert witness can expose an attorney to professional liability or even a negligence claim. Therefore, it is imperative to do research on the topic and identify thought leaders and respected professionals. The objective of conducting research is to have a clear understanding of the subject and determine if the expert opinion is helpful to the case.

Expert witnesses must establish a proper chain for custody of the evidence they provide. This chain of custody includes scholarly works, field studies and trainings that build a firm foundation of knowledge. In addition, they must prepare a report before trial, which allows the opposing party to cross-examine the expert.

A simple Google search for Californian water contamination reveals the tip of the iceberg.

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• California has many, many water quality challenges. Local challenges are many. They are caused by both human actions and naturally occurring processes. Some contaminants come from past activities, such as mercury from mining, but many sources of pollution are ongoing. Additional pollutants continue to be identified.
• Small communities face chronic water quality problems. Almost 400 small rural water systems and schools can`t even provide safe drinking water. In some areas, nitrate—produced by nitrogen fertilizers and manure—has polluted local groundwater basins. Chemicals such as arsenic and chromium-6 are also a challenge. Treatment to remove contaminants is costly for small systems that do not benefit from economies of scale. Solutions for at-risk communities statewide would require additional expenditures of $30–$160 million annually -and this may grow as requirements are tightened.
• Salt buildup is a major water quality concern for cities and farms. It`s one of our most common pollutants. Salt occurs naturally in some soils but it`s also found in fertilizers, animal waste, and urban wastewater.
• Water quality has declined with the extended drought. River flows and reservoir releases help maintain water quality for aquatic species. During the present drought, low flows and extended heat have raised water temperatures and caused lower oxygen levels in rivers and streams. At Alkaway we have always understood that it`s the little guys who are at most risk. They don`t have the money to instal costly water purification systems, so they do the best they can, buying an off-the-shelf water filter that -especially in rural situations, only filters things they don`t need filtered – like chlorine and lead. A well or rainwater home has special requirements and here at AlkaWay we configure our water filter systems for just this need. Here at home we rely on both well water and rain water. We use a combination of high level sediment filter to catch the high sediment levels in the rainwater that feeds the kitchen, then our UltraStream to remove all the other contaminants that land on our roof, blown in from polluted, sprayed farmland. In this way the integrity of the UltraStream is preserved, giving high performance over a long time. Sediment is easily trapped prior to the UltraStream in a recyclable ceramic filter. This saves money on filter replacement while maintaining the very high level of filtration given to the UltraStream owner. If you don`t want to wait for the government to send you a water filter but understand you can`t get an off-the-shelf solution… Check us out. Talk to Leon in USA Talk to Angela in Canada Talk to Callum in UK Talk to JJ in Singapore and Malaysia Talk to Michael in Australia Talk to Leon in NZ