Towards a greater engagement of universities in addressing climate change challenges

Abstract

Many higher education institutions around the world are engaged in efforts to tackle climate change. This takes place by not only reducing their own carbon footprint but also by educating future leaders and contributing valuable research and expertise to the global effort to combat climate change. However, there is a need for studies that identify the nature of their engagement on the topic, and the extent to which they are contributing towards addressing the many problems associated with climate change. Against this background, this paper describes a study that consisted of a review of the literature and the use of case studies, which outline the importance of university engagement in climate change and describe its main features. The study identified the fact that even though climate change is a matter of great relevance to universities, its coverage in university programmes is not as wide as one could expect. Based on the findings, the paper also lists the challenges associated with the inclusion of climate change in university programmes. Finally, it describes some of the measures which may be deployed in order to maximise the contribution of higher education towards handling the challenges associated with a changing climate.

Sustainable Development in Third Level Programs: Distilling a Pathway to a True Net-Zero Education

“…By expanding the scope of climate change education and research, universities can better address the multifaceted challenges associated with climate change. This can involve engaging in a broader range of disciplines and contexts, thereby leveraging the comprehensive body of information and experience within universities to contribute significantly to addressing climate change challenges [128]. Additionally, diversifying climate change-related subjects can contribute to the promotion of sustainable development and the training of professionals to meet the global need for addressing climate change.…”

Towards Greener Campuses: Assessing Pro-Environmental Behaviours in the University of Bahrain Campus

“…A multitude of higher education institutions (HEIs) globally have embraced initiatives such as striving to become "carbon-neutral universities" or transforming into organisations with low emissions and carbon-neutral footprints. In addition to carbon neutrality, universities aim to improve waste management, reduce materials and resource use, improve environmental quality, increase green areas and adopt green transportation [41]. In pursuit of sustainable development, universities also view climate change education and campus greening approaches as integral components of their strategies to contribute towards sustainability [42].…”

“…Aligned with SDG 13, specifically Target 13.3, universities strive to enhance education, raise awareness and develop human and institutional capacity in areas such as climate change mitigation, the reduction of impacts and early warning systems [41]. In his book titled The Nine Elements of a Sustainable Campus, Mitchell Thomashow [44] asserts that sustainability is a necessary response to the urgent environmental crisis that we face on a global scale.…”

“…Filho et al also outline six recommendations through which HEIs can address climate change, mostly in line with Thomashow's principles. These include curriculum reform, education and awareness, research, collaboration, renewable energy and green buildings [41]. The principles discussed thus far tackle a wide spectrum of recommendations towards more sustainable and greener universities; however, the scope of this research is focused on the awareness and collaboration aspects, related to enhancing pro-environmental behaviour.…”

“…This involved the careful selection and synthesis of specific keywords in order to extract valuable insights. Consequently, the literature mapping process not only provided a comprehensive understanding of the current knowledge on the subject but also conceptualised a diverse range of future research directions, policy implications and practical recommendations, tailored to different stakeholder groups [41]. The co-occurrence analysis demonstrated the plethora of topics related to pro-environmental behaviour and green campuses, under the larger branch of sustainability, as shown in Figure 5.…”