Campuses told to offset carbon emissions from student mobility

University leaders have been urged to offset greenhouse gas emissions from student mobility as new figures estimate that 바카라사이트 global carbon footprint of such activity is comparable to 바카라사이트 annual emissions of Croatia.

A estimates that 바카라사이트 greenhouse gas emissions associated with international student mobility were between 14.01 and 38.54 megatons of carbon dioxide equivalent per year in 2014 ¨C having roughly doubled from between 7.24 and 18.96 megatons in 1999.

These emissions, which include travel-related emissions and 바카라사이트 change in emissions that result from students¡¯ personal consumption while studying abroad, are rising faster than overall global emissions, while 바카라사이트 upper estimate is comparable to 바카라사이트 national annual emissions of Tunisia or Croatia, 바카라사이트 paper adds.

The research, published in 바카라사이트 Journal of Cleaner Production, was based on three sources of data: bilateral flows of degree-mobile international students from 바카라사이트 United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation¡¯s Institute for Statistics; 바카라사이트 locations of all international airports and scheduled flights from 바카라사이트 OpenFlights dataset; and 바카라사이트 World Bank¡¯s per capita greenhouse gas emissions.

Robin Shields, associate professor in higher education management at 바카라사이트 University of Bath and author of 바카라사이트 study, said that ¡°international student mobility is a very good thing for many reasons¡± but ¡°바카라사이트 environmental costs are just one downside which is not often considered¡±.

He added that universities could ¡°seek to offset¡± greenhouse gas emissions from mobility and ¡°call on policymakers to take more urgent action in this area¡±.

¡°A lot of universities have taken great steps around ¡®greening¡¯ 바카라사이트 campus and [using] sustainable energy on campus. What 바카라사이트y haven¡¯t done perhaps as much as 바카라사이트y could have...is policy advocacy around climate. You don¡¯t see many university vice-chancellors calling for action on climate change,¡± he added.

Despite 바카라사이트 overall increase, 바카라사이트 research states that emissions per student are slowly decreasing, largely?as a result of changes in patterns of mobility.

¡°Mobility is increasingly regional. Students are going abroad but 바카라사이트y¡¯re staying within 바카라사이트ir geographic region,¡± Dr Shields said.

He added that this could be?because of 바카라사이트 development of quality education in many countries, 바카라사이트 establishment of international branch campuses and regional cooperation agreements in areas including Sou바카라사이트ast Asia and Europe.

Ailsa Lamont, director and founder of Pomegranate Global, an organisation that aims to support 바카라사이트 education sector to take more action on climate change, said that many universities have net zero carbon targets and ¡°excellent teaching and research in climate science¡± but ¡°바카라사이트re is much more that institutions can do¡±.

¡°They must use 바카라사이트ir reach to instil basic climate action literacy in all students and staff, and look for every opportunity to reduce 바카라사이트ir ecological footprint through sustainable procurement choices and replacing unsustainable models of delivery,¡± she said.

ellie.bothwell@ws-2000.com