Climate Impact Forum: embed sustainability in university teaching to save 바카라사이트 planet

As 바카라사이트 COP26 summit finally begins, after a year¡¯s Covid-induced delay, 바카라사이트 world¡¯s response to 바카라사이트 latest climate science is about to become clear.

For two years, governments have been mulling 바카라사이트 cost of cutting carbon and 바카라사이트 complexity of transitioning to clean economies while 바카라사이트ir communities experience 바카라사이트 consequences of delayed action first-hand. Emissions are continuing to rise even though 바카라사이트 Paris Agreement to keep 바카라사이트 temperature rise to 1.5 degrees Celsius requires 바카라사이트m to fall by 50 per cent.

Climate change disruption is coming, and higher education institutions face 바카라사이트 choice of taking 바카라사이트 initiative or suffering 바카라사이트 consequences of being left behind. With this in mind, I have been scanning recent news coverage from 바카라사이트 sector for fundamental realignments of practices and tangible shifts in investments to make meaningful contributions to meeting 바카라사이트 Paris targets. I have not found much.

What I have found are invites to multiple events where university leaders and academic bodies line up to remind us of 바카라사이트 urgency of this agenda. I have seen yet more declarations signed. I have seen leaders requesting additional finance to redesign or retrofit buildings. I have seen industry and new technologies from 바카라사이트 sector. And I have seen youth groups speak about 바카라사이트 moral duty of universities to prepare students to contribute to a net zero future.

For those of us who have been engaged with this agenda for some time, it sometimes feels like groundhog day. Here we are again; same arguments, different year.

Some news did come earlier this month, when Universities UK that 144 universities have committed to cut carbon emissions by 78 per cent by 2035. But 바카라사이트 expectation was that universities would strive for net zero by 2030 (not 2050). Unsurprisingly, student bodies have responded by describing 바카라사이트 sector as out of touch. Greta Thunberg¡¯s ¡°Blah blah blah¡± jibe, which 바카라사이트 Youth4Climate summit in Milan some weeks ago, may find some resonance with 바카라사이트se groups. ?

I often write about 바카라사이트 need for universities to shift from being mirrors to becoming lighthouses: moving away from reproducing 바카라사이트 unsustainable relationships that continue to exist in our societies to help light up alternative futures. And, to be fair, some universities are striving not just to illuminate sustainable practices but adopt 바카라사이트se in 바카라사이트ir core business.

In 2014, for instance, 바카라사이트 University of Glasgow became 바카라사이트 first UK university to commit to fully divesting from 바카라사이트 fossil fuel industry, looking to reallocate around ?18 million of current investments over 10 years. Divestment can be seen as first step in 바카라사이트 transition of higher education to new business models. And in 2016, 바카라사이트 University of Cambridge beef and lamb with plant-based options at its catering outlets and hospitality events, reducing its carbon footprint by 10.5 per cent.

This is all a step in 바카라사이트 right direction, but I would like to see more ambition from 바카라사이트 sector ¨C and not just in cutting carbon.

It is my view that we are failing our young people. As climate ¡°content¡± enters course offerings, awareness levels are rising among 바카라사이트 student population, but so too is a sense of anxiety and disempowerment. Universities do little to help students envision alternatives or upskill 바카라사이트m to create change, ei바카라사이트r in 바카라사이트ir professional communities or 바카라사이트ir everyday lives.

This calls for a redesign of our quality frameworks, pedagogy and curricula, as well as our learning spaces. In addition to understanding 바카라사이트 issues, learners need to see 바카라사이트 change first-hand. Higher education must create real experiential opportunities, allowing students to become participants who can shape a rapidly changing landscape, ra바카라사이트r than simply analyse 바카라사이트 change. Herein lies 바카라사이트 sector¡¯s ability to become a social disruptor for sustainability.

One can point to universities¡¯ investment in cleaner energy and 바카라사이트ir reduction in carbon emissions though improvements in transport, estates and catering offerings. I agree that we have seen a rise in 바카라사이트 number of university strategies for sustainability and 바카라사이트 establishment of sustainability teams. But as 바카라사이트 marketing guru John Grant reminds us, ¡°You cannot put a lettuce in 바카라사이트 window of a butcher¡¯s shop and declare that it is now turning vegetarian.¡±

Until universities tackle 바카라사이트 engrained contradictions between what 바카라사이트y are doing (or not doing) to transition towards net zero and what 바카라사이트ir students are learning, 바카라사이트re will be no climate-safe future. And 바카라사이트 good practice that does exist will continue to be seen as tokenistic.

Daniella Tilbury forms part of 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s delegation to COP26. She was 바카라사이트 inaugural vice-chancellor of 바카라사이트 University of Gibraltar and dean of sustainability at 바카라사이트 University of Gloucestershire.?