Walking the Sustainable Talk

Dave ReaySchool of Geosciences, University of

Edinburgh

David.Reay@ed.ac.uk

Sustainability Bitter-Sweet Spots

• Buildings

• Energy

• Food, Water and ‘stuff’

• Waste

• Transport

• Students

• Alumni

Sustainable Growth?

• More staff & students

• More estate

• More high-power computing

• More travel

• Rising emissions

China Syndrome – peak and then reduce

• UK grid intensity

• Low carbon generation

• Mainstreamed reductions

• Online expansion

Online ‘Carbon Management’

www.climate.ed.ac.uk

• Global access• World-class student experience• Great staff experience• Climate change capacity building• Low carbon learning about low

carbon

What didn’t work?

• Access e.g. Having a single meeting slot just after Tuesday coffee

• Global Capacity Building e.g. Lack of global representation

• Engagement & Experience e.g. 2h-long videos of lectures

What has worked for access?

• Google Hangouts• Youtube channel• Early and late ‘slots’• Navigation videos• ‘Back-up’ email contact• Pre-course training• Downloadable PDFs

What has worked for global capacity

building?

• Marketing and partners• Lower costs• Interaction with on-campus students and

alumni• Flexible delivery

• Scholarships

What has worked for engagement?

• Hangouts and ‘the weather’, ‘kids’, ‘jobs’• Animated slides and video clips• ‘Live’ roleplay exercises• Video assignments

• ‘Cook along with Carbon’• Virtual lecture and conference attendance• Careers and skills training support

Low Carbon Learning

• Online substitution of student travel

• On-campus efficiency

• Potential increase in IT energy demands

Greenest Masters Ever?

• Carbon footprint of online course estimated

• 35kg CO2 per student per year

• 40 students equivalent to return flight London-LA

• IT emissions then offset via Plan Vivo

Sustainability as a Graduate Attribute

• UoE-wide online course in ‘Sustainability’

• No lecture theatres, but more computing

• Greater accessibility

Vision

• Give every student the opportunity• Multidisciplinary approach to ‘wicked’

issues• World-class online learning experience• Integrate on campus, online and alum

community

Sustainability Goals

• Lawyers, Bankers, Medics, Engineers, Politicians and more familiar with sustainability and its relevance to them

• ‘Open-loop’ learners • Open Education Resources• Global Community – Positive Impacts

Paris Climate COP

Thomas Spencer (Carbon Management alum)Programme director IDDRIAdvisor to the French Presidency

Steffen Menzel (Carbon Management alum)German Ministry of the EnvironmentAdvisor in German delegation

Rebecca Devivo (Carbon Management student)Creative Carbon Scotland2050 Climate Group Delegate