From Publications to Public Actions: The Role of Universities in Facilitating Academic Advocacy and Activism in the Climate and Ecological Emergency

Abstract

Thousands of universities have made climate emergency declarations; however the higher education sector is not rising to the collective challenge with the urgency commensurate with scientific warnings. Universities are promoting an increased focus on sustainability through their research, teaching and their own institutional footprints. However, we suggest that such initiatives will be insufficient to catalyse the required transformations in our societies and economies because of (i) the time lags inherent in education and research pathways to impact, and (ii) their failure to address either real-world political processes or the forces invested in maintaining the status quo. We therefore suggest that academics should move from publications to public actions and engage in advocacy and activism to affect urgent and transformational change. We discuss the barriers to engagement in advocacy that academics face, and propose a number of actions that universities should adopt to help overcome them. These include explicitly recognising advocacy as part of the work mandate of academic staff by altering work allocation models, facilitating engaged research sabbaticals, altering hiring and promotion policies, and providing training to enhance the effectiveness of engagement. In addition, universities must defend the right of academics to engage in protest and push back against emerging threats to academic freedom. Such actions would strengthen a rich tradition of academic protest and enhance the contribution of universities to the public good in areas well beyond sustainability, for example race and social justice (Black Lives Matter, decolonising education) and public health.

An Analysis of Students’ Perception of University Sustainability Programs and Image

“…The above quotes indicate the need for the university do more aligns with a study by Gardner et al, (2021) that suggest the current initiatives promoted by universities still fall short in areas needed to catalyze transformations in our societies and economies. In fact, some authors like Maxwell, have argued that universities have betrayed reason and humanity (Maxwell, 2021) and now represents a part of the problem rather than the solution (Green, 2021).…”

“…Globally, many universities are championing sustainability through their research, teaching, and regulation of their institutional footprints (Gardner et al, 2021). However, there has been an increased call to universities to embrace transformative and radical change (Gardner et al, 2021, Green, 2021, Maxwell, 2021.…”

“…In fact, some authors like Maxwell, have argued that universities have betrayed reason and humanity (Maxwell, 2021) and now represents a part of the problem rather than the solution (Green, 2021). Hence, academia must move beyond publications to public actions through participation in advocacy and activism aimed at effecting urgent and transformational change both in sustainability in other areas such as social justice (Gardner et al, 2021).…”

In the Climate Emergency, Conservation Must Become Survival Ecology

“…Conservation science largely operates according to an unspoken "theory of change" (ToC) that if we generate scientific information about biodiversity loss and its implications, and develop solutions, society's leaders will use that information to make wise policy decisions, and fund the implementation of those solutions. However, this ToC is based on false assumptions, and conservation is failing (just as climate change is occurring) because scientists have not adequately considered how social and political change occurs in the real world (Gardner et al, 2021). Conservation science alone cannot determine governmental policy-making and funding decisions because these are additionally influenced by the lobbying, donations and public relations campaigns of billion-dollar industries including agrochemicals, industrial meat production, fisheries, logging, plastics, mining, construction, and so on.…”

“…However, the increase in public, media and political concern has been heavily weighted towards climate, and the parallel issue of biodiversity loss has been overshadowed (Gardner et al, 2020). Similar efforts are required for the living world, and these may be lent important credibility and authority should scientists participate publicly as scientists, rather than simply as citizens (Gardner et al, 2021).…”