Climate Commission Part Two Initial ideas for a Further and Higher Education Action Plan

As part of my contribution to the work of the Commission I have been developing a list of possible actions that might be taken by FE and HE to address the climate emergency. At present it is a bullet point list under various headings  and organised  loosely in terms of increasing order of cost and complexity.

This Action Plan covers mitigation and adaptation measures and is structured under 5 broad headings – Leadership and Governance, Campus Management, Teaching, Research and Community Engagement. Issues are presented in a prioritised list according to perceived ease of implementation and increasing cost. In doing so I recognise that institutions will start from very different places and have differing capacities and capabilities to implement these ideas. My intention is that this should turn into a resource for the sector and I welcome comments to add to, remove or expand these initial ideas.  

Leadership and Governance

·        Speak out and demonstrate through actions the commitment to change. Demonstrate solutions and tell the story. 

·        Set challenging targets.

·        Communicate  to staff, students, alumni, communities, supply chains etc., why and how to decarbonise.

·        Ensure resource is available for staff learning and understanding of the climate and ecological emergencies, and encourage innovation.

·        Encouraging sustainable behaviours in students, staff and visitors  through carbon literacy training, or other stand-alone or embedded training and skills development

·        Reward desirable behaviours.

·        Incorporate climate emergency actions into governance arrangements.

·        Review policy – what policies, strategies, processes or procedures are in conflict with climate action? 

·        How will the organisation measure, manage, coordinate and report on progress towards targets?

·        What data are already available and what new data needs to be captured in order to manage progress. Conduct a data gap analysis Set baselines. Specify and record conversion methodologies so consistent comparisons can be made through time.

Campus Management

Carbon

·        Lobby to improve reporting tools and methodologies for all aspects of carbon management.

·        Commit to net zero carbon as soon as is possible, ideally 2030 but certainly by 2050.

·        Follow the carbon management hierarchy - Avoid, Reduce, and Replace, Offset (by Gold Standard or equivalent).

·        Use the GHG Protocol to calculate scope 1 and 2 emissions and estimate Scope 3.

·        Set an annual carbon budget and plot a pathway to net zero.

·        Share information on offsetting and in-setting opportunities. 

Energy

·        Switch to a green electricity tariff via a REGO certified provider.

·        Consider direct power purchase from wind or solar farms. 

·        Switch to a green gas supply (biomethane) where supply exists and lobby providers for supply enhancement.  

·        Enhance on site renewable generation.

·        Build the business case for on-site battery storage to help balance peaks and troughs in supply and demand. 

·        Build the business case for converting to electric heat pumps (air/ground/water)

Food 

·        Provide more plant based food options.

·        Provide more local, organic and Fairtrade foods in the supply chain.

·        Use less and better meat in meals.

·        Devise strategies for reducing food waste and avoid food waste disposal to landfill.

·        Explore and exploit potential for on-site or near-site growing.

Transport 

·        Promote and actively incentivise active travel – cycling and walking.

·        Promote and actively incentivise public transport options - bus, coach, and rail.

·        Encourage use of technologies such as video conferencing and use of agile working technologies (webinar/webcast/skype etc.) in place of  flights.  

·        Assess the energy demand and associated carbon emissions of Cloud providers.

·        Consider switching to a provider certified as powered by renewables.

·        Build the business case for decarbonisation of vehicle fleet (hydrogen or synthetic/bio fuels) and ultimately electrification of the vehicle fleet.

·        Build the business case for last mile logistics / freight consolidation opportunities.

Procurement

·        Build into your procurement policy the expectation of ever-lower carbon footprints for your purchased goods. 

·        Build communication plans to encourage reduced consumption - buy less, use longer, repair more.

·         Work with sector purchasing consortia to help them understand the issues and to orientate their actions towards securing lower carbon purchases.

·        Incorporate the full supply chain into reporting mechanisms for carbon and deforestation avoidance (e.g. virgin sourced paper, furniture, construction materials etc.) 

Buildings

·        Improve energy efficiency measures, insulation upgrades, lighting improvements, building management systems for heat and light.

·        Ensuring very tight control of all refrigerant gases

·        Review space management – is all space used effectively? Are buildings being heated and lit when not used? Do you need all the stock?

·        Reduce the carbon impact of new or refurbished buildings through reduction in the use of concrete and steel.

·        Build the business case for new developments to be designed and operated to PassivHaus or similar standards.

·        Build the business case for the current building stock to be adapted for a changing climate.

Green infrastructure    

·        Enhance carbon dioxide absorption and improve ecosystem services through planting and good estate management of green spaces.

·        Explore opportunities for providing shade and natural ventilation through green infrastructure enhancement.

·        Use offsetting as part of the Carbon Management Hierarchy to contribute to new green infrastructure.

Water 

·        Manage the energy consumption in purifying and pumping potable water and cleaning waste water.

·        Reduce embedded carbon through water conservation measures.

Carbon capture

·        Explore options for capturing the carbon emitted from university or college heating systems. 

Investments

·        If you have direct investments in fossil fuels then set out and implement a divestment strategy.

·        Examine the investment strategies of your pension fund and engage with fund managers and trustees where investments are in high carbon emitting sectors.

·        Engage with your bank to understand how bank deposits are being used. Are these invested in support of a lower carbon future?

·        Build the business case for positive investments in low carbon sectors of the economy.

·        Promote and encourage a low carbon Local Industrial Strategy

Circular Economy

·        Devise strategies for reducing overall consumption through demand-side reductions. 

·        Consider material specific measures to reduce consumption and enhance circularity of resource use. 

Teaching

·        Embed carbon mitigation and climate adaptation in the curriculum for all students preparing them for a changing climate whilst highlighting opportunities for  prevention of carbon emissions.

·        Examine field trip provision in order to understand the carbon consequences of travel options.

·        Ensure all staff have training in carbon awareness, use the SDGs as a framework to assess the positive and negative impacts of carbon management and climate adaptation measures. 

·        Review and orientate the curriculum to the jobs of tomorrow and avoid the future risk of stranded curriculum assets.

 Research and KE

·        Review research processes to identify opportunities for minimising carbon emissions in research activities.

·        Review and orientate the research and KE agenda towards supporting initiatives that provide opportunities for carbon management, climate mitigation and adaptation

·        Work with local commerce and industry to support a transition to a low carbon economy 

Community engagement

·        Work with Local Authorities, Local Economic Partnerships, community groups and others to support understanding of, and opportunities for, decarbonisation and  adaptation measures in strategies, plans and projects.

Climate Commission for UK University and College Students & Leaders

https://www.eauc.org.uk/climate_commission

See also my first LinkedIn article on the work of the Climate Commission

https://www.dhirubhai.net/pulse/climate-commission-uk-higher-further-education-james-longhurst/

My thanks to my UWE Bristol Sustainability colleagues Chris Donnelly, Georgie Gough, Vicki Harris, Kirsti Norris and Paul Roberts for helpful advice and suggestions for new content.

Professor James Longhurst

UWE Bristol

26/4/20

[email protected]