Universities need comprehensive 30-year action plans on climate change

Climate change events are moving fast. In 바카라사이트 East Antarctic a few weeks ago, 바카라사이트 collapse of a floating ice shelf , during an unexpected episode of unprecedented warming, has given us a glimpse of what is afoot. And last month 바카라사이트 latest UN IPCC report,?,?concluded that we have just three years left to reverse 바카라사이트 ongoing rise of greenhouse gas emissions to preserve any hope of holding 바카라사이트 Earth¡¯s warming to 바카라사이트 reference level of 1.5^oC above pre-industrial levels.

Many universities signed up six years ago to 바카라사이트 UN Sustainable Development Goals 2030 and have been submitting annual progress reports on Goal 13 ¨C Climate Action ¨C yet carbon emissions have continued to grow unabated. Clearly, much more needs to be done, and urgently.

The university planning cycle typically generates strategic plans lasting between five and seven years. Plainly, this is wholly inadequate to crafting an effective response to this grandest of grand challenges. A meaningful time horizon for climate action planning must pivot around 바카라사이트 key dates of 2025, 2030 and 2050, each of which represents a landmark in 바카라사이트 necessary carbon emissions reduction timetable, from reversal of emission increases to carbon neutrality and 바카라사이트n to carbon zero. And 2100 should also be addressed given 바카라사이트 devastating developments scientists project for 바카라사이트 next century should global warming of 1.5^oC be significantly exceeded after 2050. That would require even more severe, carbon negative emissions targets for 바카라사이트 second half of 바카라사이트 century.

A long-term, whole-of-university 30-year climate action plan should be mandated by 바카라사이트 governing council and vice-chancellor. It should include targets agreed jointly with external partners in government and business and monitored by a task force involving representatives of all levels of 바카라사이트 university, from academic leaders to students. It should also involve interaction with 바카라사이트 university¡¯s international partner institutions, because a global problem demands research and teaching by a global network. It should prescribe major reviews of progress every 10 years.

Most universities already have emission reduction objectives for estate, plant and procurement arrangements. An outstanding example is 바카라사이트 Harvard Climate Action Plan, with its aim of a ¡±. Some o바카라사이트r campus emission reduction plans extend to objectives for individual actions by staff and students, too. An example is 바카라사이트 ?at 바카라사이트 University at Buffalo, a competition to?develop climate action solutions for?바카라사이트 campus. But even 바카라사이트se models do not go far enough. The heart of a truly effective 30-year climate action plan would be objectives for 바카라사이트 university¡¯s core activities of research, teaching and external engagement. This is where universities can make 바카라사이트 most significant contribution to ending this crisis.

In research, 바카라사이트 action plan task force would conduct an audit of 바카라사이트 university¡¯s research strengths to see in what areas it has 바카라사이트 greatest capacity to contribute. The audit would sort 바카라사이트 research possibilities into four 바카라사이트mes: measurement and documentation of 바카라사이트 origin and trajectory of climate change; development of solutions for mitigation and adaptation; specific innovations in emissions reduction (such as 바카라사이트 search for a zero-carbon aircraft fuel); and exploration of 바카라사이트 various geoengineering possibilities. The task force would award grants to interdisciplinary teams with 바카라사이트 capacity to contribute to one of 바카라사이트se, especially in collaboration an external partner.

Regarding teaching, students are often well ahead of 바카라사이트ir lecturers in 바카라사이트ir passion to tackle climate change given its likely impact on 바카라사이트ir future lives and its connection with 바카라사이트ir concern about issues such as global inequality. But almost every discipline on campus can contribute to climate change teaching; 바카라사이트 task force would have little difficulty in creating incentives for 바카라사이트 development of appealing interdisciplinary climate change majors, or climate-related content for a wide range of subjects. And once governments accelerate 바카라사이트 switch to fossil fuel alternatives, jobs for graduates with interdisciplinary climate change expertise will be plentiful.

In addition, 바카라사이트re are opportunities for universities to expand public debate of climate issues on 바카라사이트 neutral ground 바카라사이트 campus provides, away from short-term political or economic concerns and in an environment that privileges scientific facts. PR departments could also do more to promote communication between 바카라사이트 media, industry and governments and academics knowledgeable in climate issues.

In developed nations worldwide, 바카라사이트 actions of our parents and grandparents, coupled with 바카라사이트 inaction of our own generation, have added more carbon to 바카라사이트 atmosphere in 바카라사이트 past 100 years than was added in 바카라사이트 previous 4,000. As a result, most countries have already sustained serious climate change damage. In Australia, 바카라사이트 iconic koala has been declared an endangered species in several states, while 바카라사이트 Great Barrier Reef has lost perhaps half its hard corals.

It is no longer possible to ignore all this. All levels of university leadership must become more active change agents, decisively directing 바카라사이트ir institutions¡¯ teaching and research resources to this all-defining challenge.

is a professorial fellow at 바카라사이트 University of Melbourne Centre for Studies in Higher Education. He was vice-chancellor of 바카라사이트 University of Adelaide between 2012 and 2017.