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Sylvain Chermette: “Volcanoes are dangerous, but they also have many benefits"
The scientific side of the congress was taken care of today by Sylvain Chermette, geologist and director of the 80 Jours Voyages travel agency, with which he intends to convey a passion for volcanoes to tourists visiting Asia. And he also succeeded in this today at Worldcanic.
Speaking ahead of Bali chef Ketut Sri Gayatri Tata, Chermette took us to Indonesia with an explanation of the risks posed by volcanoes to communities living nearby; but he also spoke of "the beauty and power of volcanoes", which not only enamours one of them, but also "affords many benefits" to these communities.
The geologist began his presentation with the negative part of things, listing the risks of volcanoes in Indonesia, a country with many subduction points, and therefore many volcanoes. Among all the risks of eruption, Indonesia is particularly afflicted by the effect of ash and lahars. “Burning clouds, a mixture of ash and gases, move rapidly down the sides of the volcano, like snow avalanches", and the lahars, "rivers of mud which create many problems for communities, even years after the eruptions, when the rains carry along the material built up, and bury villages", pose serious problems to people, and also to agriculture and animals. And also tsunamis because, as Chermette reminded the congress, Indonesia is a country of islands, and "when a volcano erupts on an island, it creates huge tsunamis”.
Volcanic communities, on the other hand, also reap the benefits of the effects in a number of ways. One of them has been reiterated on several occasions during this very congress: “volcanic soil is very rich, and is of enormous assistance to agriculture in these areas". It may also be said that volcanoes become "suppliers of raw materials such as sand or rock, used in construction, and even sulphur, which can then be used in agriculture". However, Sylvain Chermette also dwelt on new ways of exploiting volcanic resources: geothermal energy. “Indonesia is the sleeping giant of geothermal energy, which is only now beginning to be used", a considerable asset in a world in which "obtaining energy is increasingly problematic".
Finally, Chermette did not wish to forsake an up-and-coming industry which is cashing in on the attraction of volcanoes - tourism. Volcanic areas attract visitors as natural phenomena which are "a unique experience", and so Chermette urged congress-goers "not to consider only the images of the disasters caused by volcanoes, but also their beauty".
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