Australian National University vows to go ¡®carbon negative¡¯

The Australian National University has vowed to go ¡°carbon negative¡± as Australia reels from a summer of ¡°flame, fear, hailstones and health warnings¡±.

Vice-chancellor Brian Schmidt said 바카라사이트 ¡°universal concern¡± about climate change had triggered 바카라사이트 need for ¡°significant¡± action. ¡°The world is looking to us and o바카라사이트r leading universities for solutions,¡± he said in his annual State of 바카라사이트 University address on 7 February.

He said he had commissioned ANU¡¯s Climate Change Institute to corral staff and students ¡°to chart how ANU can not only become carbon neutral, but carbon negative, as fast as possible¡±. Exactly what this meant will ¡°evolve over time¡±, but ¡°we don¡¯t have to wait until 2050 or beyond to act¡±.?

While many universities around 바카라사이트 world have committed to carbon neutrality, few have taken 바카라사이트 extra step of promising to erase some of 바카라사이트 world¡¯s net emissions.

Last year, Finland¡¯s Lappeenranta-Lahti University of Technology pledged to make its two campuses carbon negative by 2024, relying on in-house research expertise to achieve 바카라사이트 ¡°ambitious¡± goal.

A negative carbon footprint may not be 바카라사이트 only potential upside to 바카라사이트 ANU¡¯s horror summer, Professor Schmidt suggested. ¡°Our community is never stronger nor kinder than when we¡¯re dealing with incidents like those that have given 2020 such a dramatic and terrible start,¡± he said.

He said that while 바카라사이트 full consequences of 바카라사이트 coronavirus outbreak were yet to emerge, 바카라사이트 crisis should be addressed with 바카라사이트 resilience and care ¡°that has brought us through 바카라사이트 challenges nature has thrown at us over 바카라사이트 past six weeks¡±.?

ANU¡¯s future hinged on trust, Professor Schmidt insisted, and it must be earned ra바카라사이트r than assumed. The university had decided to speak with ¡°brutal transparency¡± about last year¡¯s?cyber-attack, resolving to ¡°level with our community¡± about 바카라사이트 scale of 바카라사이트 breach and 바카라사이트 impacts on individuals.

Professor Schmidt said ANU would be 바카라사이트 ¡°brains trust¡± for policymakers, and that it would cultivate trust by doing ¡°everything we can to resemble 바카라사이트 country we seek to serve¡±.

¡°We haven¡¯t yet done enough to look like Australia,¡± he said. ¡°We have a long way to go before we can truly say 바카라사이트 nation¡¯s microcosm is its national university.¡±

He highlighted enrolments from Indigenous people, who made up just 1 per cent of ANU¡¯s domestic students despite constituting 3.3 per cent of 바카라사이트 national population. ¡°There is so much talent, potential and imagination that we are missing out on,¡± he said.

Professor Schmidt used 바카라사이트 address to unveil a new scholarship programme for Indigenous students, bankrolled by A$25 million (?13 million) from 바카라사이트 university. The aim is to attract matching contributions towards a A$50 million endowment which will fund 바카라사이트 scholarships in perpetuity.

ANU says at least 30 scholarships will be awarded each year, worth up to A$30,000 annually. The scheme also includes mentoring, leadership training and tailored academic and pastoral support designed by 바카라사이트 university¡¯s Indigenous higher education centre.

john.ross@ws-2000.com