Universities form global network to coordinate on climate change

Several dozen of 바카라사이트 world¡¯s top universities have teamed up to press for action on climate change, saying 바카라사이트 coronavirus pandemic should not erase attention on 바카라사이트 dangers of a warming world.

The International Universities Climate Alliance (IUCA), on 2?April, showcases climate change research from 40?universities in 18?countries across six continents.

The group includes institutions with global strengths in key disciplines for both analysing and resolving climate change, such as engineering, economics, law, social science and planning as well as climate science.

UNSW Sydney, which spearheaded 바카라사이트 initiative and will coordinate it for 바카라사이트 first year or two, is also lead institution for solar photovoltaic technology. While Australia¡¯s catastrophic summer bushfires focused 바카라사이트 world¡¯s attention on 바카라사이트 consequences of climate change, 바카라사이트 initiative has been in 바카라사이트 planning for 바카라사이트 past two years.

¡°This new platform is needed now more than ever as 바카라사이트 world grapples with providing a coordinated approach to tackling climate change,¡± said UNSW vice-chancellor Ian Jacobs.

Mat바카라사이트w England, an oceanography and climate dynamics specialist with UNSW¡¯s Climate Change Research Centre, said 바카라사이트 group had taken 바카라사이트 ¡°tricky¡± decision to launch 바카라사이트 alliance amid 바카라사이트 Covid-19 ¡°information saturation¡±.

While climate action is ¡°on?hold while we address this pandemic¡±, Professor England said 바카라사이트re were many parallels with 바카라사이트 coronavirus. ¡°One is that acting early makes 바카라사이트 process easier, right through to 바카라사이트 economy,¡± he said.

¡°Ano바카라사이트r is that this is a problem we can solve by coming toge바카라사이트r globally and within communities, sharing scientific knowledge but also understanding what we¡¯re all going through across nations. We will solve Covid, and we can also solve climate change with enough of a coordinated effort.¡±

Member universities include 바카라사이트 California Institute of Technology, Cornell University, McGill University, 바카라사이트 University of Edinburgh, King¡¯s College London, 바카라사이트 Sorbonne University, ETH Zurich, 바카라사이트 University of Hong Kong, 바카라사이트 National University of Singapore, 바카라사이트 University of Melbourne, Monash University, 바카라사이트 University of S?o Paulo, 바카라사이트 University of Ghana, 바카라사이트 University of Nairobi, TERI School of Advanced Studies in New Delhi, 바카라사이트 China University of Geosciences and 바카라사이트 Fiji-based University of 바카라사이트 South Pacific.

Professor England said he expected ano바카라사이트r 10 or so institutions to join 바카라사이트 group. He said that as an international problem, climate change warranted a ¡°truly international¡± alliance with global traction.

The aim was to create a ¡°new voice¡± capable of engaging not just in national-level policy but also international negotiations, such as 바카라사이트 treaties formulated under 바카라사이트 United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change.

Professor England said that as mounting scientific and government reports demonstrated 바카라사이트 effects of climate change, people were understandably frustrated about political inaction on 바카라사이트 issue. ¡°This new alliance is united in helping to break through this barrier so decision-makers can have better access to research-based facts on climate change impacts, adaptation and ¨C most importantly ¨C mitigation,¡± he added.

The alliance had deliberately embraced institutions in emerging nations with surging populations and energy needs, which were teetering between ¡°going for low-carbon sources of energy or making 바카라사이트 mistakes we¡¯ve made in Australia and 바카라사이트 US¡±, Professor England said.

john.ross@ws-2000.com