Carbon Management Plan

I was slightly taken by surprise when in April/May I saw a full-page ad in the Guardian by the Carbon Trust highlighting universities taking part in a pilot program it was running to reduce carbon emissions from the higher education sector. For all outward appearances the university doesn't seem to be a very eco-, much less carbon-conscious university!

Progress with the plan is still ongoing and updates will be provided here; the basic gist is that an Implementation Plan for carbon management was developed with the Carbon Trust and Nigel Owen, who works in the UWA Estates Office.

This involved the following steps
-Setting a strategy and policy for carbon management. The vision coming out of this is "to reduce the university's contribution to greenhouse gas emissions and to increase awareness of issues surrounding climate change to staff, students and the wider community." Warm words, and very welcome too, but the action that flows from this is what really matters.

-Some baseline statistics and measurements to set a base with which to measure future improvements

-Suggestions for actual change include - staff energy awareness training; replacing tungsten lighting with flourescent lighting, motion-sensor lighting, insulating heating pipes, and a few more.

I think that from a slightly distanced position, it's fair to say that the main motivation is the financial savings from cutting carbon emissions. Relatively high fuel prices make that easy, but the challenge is to entrench a long-term commitment. I'm not complaining if the outcomes are desirable, but all I'm pointing out is that a moral commitment would offer far greater certainty and security.

And at the end of the carbon emissions and management is just one environmental impact of the university. It's not a minor one, and it can make quite a difference, but carbon management should be the beginning rather than the end.