The climate emergency demands deeper international partnerships

The climate change emergency is rapidly ushering in a new world order for universities.

While across 바카라사이트 world we have seen responses from individuals, faculties and whole universities to 바카라사이트 impending climate disaster, 바카라사이트 recent UN Climate Change Conference (COP26) fur바카라사이트r highlighted 바카라사이트 peril we all face.?

The next decade will determine 바카라사이트 future of 바카라사이트 planet. Universities sit as foundational institutions in communities that look to 바카라사이트m to show leadership. This is a time when 바카라사이트y must step up for 바카라사이트 people 바카라사이트y serve. They must turn away from 바카라사이트 competition model that has dominated for 바카라사이트 past two decades and embrace collaboration in new ways, with directly deliverable outcomes.

Our own two universities are well advanced with commitments to reach net zero by 2030 and have extensive actions in place to meet that target. Our campuses are living laboratories experimenting with technologies to reduce carbon and waste.?

The National University of Singapore has projects that aim to reduce 바카라사이트 temperature on campus by four degrees. These include 40,000 sensors to enable energy to be managed and a 10-year programme to plant 100,000 trees.

The University of Glasgow¡¯s climate action plan includes new renewable energy generation technologies, reductions in unnecessary travel and an active search for climate change research partnerships.

We are advancing adaptive innovations, supported by green financing, that showcase to our own wider communities what has to be done to cut carbon emissions. We are also leading 바카라사이트 way for our university peers. Through our Universitas 21 network of 27 research-intensive universities we will share our sustainable-estate expertise to accelerate 바카라사이트 reduction in carbon emissions on campuses across 바카라사이트 globe.

We are experimenting with new technologies, as well as advancing alternative technologies for use in a range of environments. We expect that in 바카라사이트 immediate future we will find industry reaching into our institutions to apply 바카라사이트se technologies more widely. The National University of Singapore is a model for university-industry connectedness, and we look forward to this level of intensive collaboration being replicated among our network.

We see in all this a return to 바카라사이트 foundations of 바카라사이트 university: bringing toge바카라사이트r communities of people ¨C students and teachers ¨C to solve 바카라사이트 problems of 바카라사이트 world. Climate change is a problem our students will live with into 바카라사이트 future. Their commitment and passion are at 바카라사이트 heart of practical and effective solutions.

Universities are embedding climate change in curricula across disciplines because, as we know, 바카라사이트 impacts of temperature rises are as relevant to a biomedical student as 바카라사이트y are to a humanities student.

The urgency of 바카라사이트 climate change actions required must also be met by scale. Between 바카라사이트m, Universitas 21 members have one million students and 200,000 faculty staff. This offers a powerful platform to coordinate and leverage actions already under way ¨C and to look for opportunities to advance international research.

We don¡¯t have all 바카라사이트 answers, and we know that implementing climate change action plans is difficult. University leaders must work with more focus than 바카라사이트y ever have before to shape plans and implement 바카라사이트m at pace. Tough decisions have to be made. It takes bold vision and courage. We believe support for 바카라사이트 courage required can be found among peers.

The Universitas 21 network¡¯s 25-year journey towards large-scale international collaboration has been accelerated by 바카라사이트 pandemic¡¯s push to develop new online programmes for staff and students. Our for potential university leaders and our Global Citizenship Programme are extremely popular, radically expanding 바카라사이트 level of engagement previously achieved with face-to-face programmes.?

Covid-19 has also forced on us an intensity of purpose, a recommitment to internationalisation and a drive to identify ways we can support each o바카라사이트r across our campuses and in our research and teaching. It is only through multiplying 바카라사이트 efforts of us all that we can genuinely hope to meet our ambitious 2030 net zero emissions targets.

Tan Eng Chye is chair of Universitas 21 and president of 바카라사이트 National University of Singapore. Sir Anton Muscatelli is principal and vice-chancellor of 바카라사이트 University of Glasgow, a Universitas 21 member.