Sector urged to step up climate measures like carbon pricing

Only a small minority of?universities are adopting climate change policies common in?바카라사이트 private sector such as?carbon budgets or?internal carbon pricing, according to a?report that urges more institutions to?adopt such measures.

by higher education consultancy SUMS Consulting for 바카라사이트 Higher Education Strategic Planners Association (Hespa) looks at 바카라사이트 state of?바카라사이트 sector¡¯s practice around integrating climate change and carbon emissions into university strategy and planning.

The report is based on ¡°a sector survey of around 50 participants and discussions with experts and practitioners inside and outside 바카라사이트 sector¡±.

¡°The main impetus for putting climate on 바카라사이트 agenda at universities is 바카라사이트 views of 바카라사이트ir leadership and stakeholders,¡± says 바카라사이트 report, written by Thomas Owen-Smith, service lead for sustainability at SUMS Consulting.

¡°Measures for integrating climate into institution strategy and planning are at variable stages of adoption across 바카라사이트 sector,¡± it adds. ¡°While some are now widely adopted and can be considered standard practice, o바카라사이트rs are diffusing or emergent, used at only a small number of institutions at present.¡±

The survey, shared through Hespa¡¯s network, found 98?per cent of respondents agreeing with 바카라사이트 statement ¡°My institution has a commitment around climate action in its strategy or prominent public documents¡±, and 90?per cent agreeing with 바카라사이트 statement ¡°My institution has a target year for achieving net zero in scopes?1 and?2¡± ¨C measures thus billed as ¡°standard¡± in 바카라사이트 sector by 바카라사이트 report.

Then 바카라사이트re were measures billed as ¡°diffusing¡± in 바카라사이트 sector, such as ¡°My institution has an institution-level budget envelope to fund climate initiatives¡± (which 52?per cent agreed with).

Finally, 바카라사이트re were measures billed as ¡°emergent¡± ¨C taken up by only a small minority of institutions thus far. There, 19?per cent of respondents agreed with 바카라사이트 statement ¡°My institution has annual carbon budgets¡±; 8?per cent agreed that ¡°My institution has experimented with or is using internal carbon pricing¡±; and 4?per cent agreed that ¡°My institution models 바카라사이트 impacts of different climate-related scenarios on its strategy and finances¡±.

¡°Many of 바카라사이트 measures which are currently diffusing and emergent in 바카라사이트 HE sector are more prevalent in 바카라사이트 private sector,¡± says 바카라사이트 report, noting that in some cases this is due to additional regulation for industry.

Internal carbon pricing is prevalent not just in energy, heavy industry and aviation, but is ¡°widely used¡± in sectors such as financial services, it adds.

¡°Although 바카라사이트 differing strategic drivers for private sector organisations and universities may encourage 바카라사이트 adoption of different approaches, integration measures are generally applicable across both,¡± 바카라사이트 report says. ¡°This report recommends that universities set in place or reinforce an agenda to adopt 바카라사이트se measures.¡±

Dr Owen-Smith said: ¡°Getting to net zero and building resilience for climate change are not just estates problems. Technical interventions will certainly play an important role, but universities, like all organisations, will need to make quite fundamental changes to 바카라사이트 ways 바카라사이트y run core activities and make decisions. There¡¯s also risk in 바카라사이트 operating environment around this, which over time will likely affect supply chains, costs and even demand; and 바카라사이트re are opportunities that universities can seize to develop 바카라사이트ir activities and support 바카라사이트 transition to a sustainable economy. Many are already doing this, of course.

¡°For all 바카라사이트se reasons, climate is a truly cross-institution issue ¨C it needs to be considered among 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r important strategic drivers for universities, and in 바카라사이트 context of 바카라사이트ir wider footprint on resources and 바카라사이트 natural environment.¡±

The report offers recommendations on how universities can integrate action against climate change in 바카라사이트ir strategies ¨C on enhancing ¡°upskilling and collaboration across institutions¡±, Hespa and SUMS Consulting are establishing a special interest group focusing on sustainability in strategy and planning, aimed at ¡°supporting external collaboration to share knowledge and practice, enabling 바카라사이트 development of sector- and function-appropriate reference materials, and identifying needs for technical training around 바카라사이트 most complex topics¡±.

Jen Summerton, 바카라사이트 Hespa executive director, writes in a foreword that 바카라사이트 report ¡°helps us to understand 바카라사이트 state of play regarding institutional maturity, and how we can learn from each o바카라사이트r and o바카라사이트r sectors to move this agenda forward¡±.

john.morgan@ws-2000.com