Category Archives: Carbon

Travelling Sustainably

One of the largest industries on the planet is the travel industry. Every year, millions of people travel across the globe for business, to see friends and family or just for a holiday getaway. Unfortunately, this industry is accompanied by problematic environmental impacts. In fact, according to the International Council on Clean transport (2019), aviation contributes 2.4% of all global carbon emissions. As we realise it is not possible to completely stop travelling, we have put together a few tips to help make your travels as environmentally friendly as possible.

An airplane flying in the sky

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Fly Economy Class

Flying business/first-class has a larger carbon footprint than flying economy class. This is because the business and first class seats are using much more space and are therefore accountable for a greater share of the aircraft’s fuel. Economy seats, especially on an airline with a high number of seats, are a lower impact option on the plane.

Travel slowly

If you’re taking a short-haul or domestic trip, think about alternative methods of transport to flying. A train or coach can allow you to appreciate culture as you travel to your destination. If you’re looking for a sustainable way to reach a destination, check out this carbon saving emissions tool by Manchester University.

Try to avoid layovers

Did you know that the highest amount of greenhouse gases of a plane journey, are released during take-off and landing? This means that if you make multiple stops on your trip the extra emissions can quickly add up. Connecting flights also mean you usually have to travel a greater distance, adding even more emissions onto the journey.

Find local adventures

If it is not necessary for your trip to be abroad, why not explore your local area instead? There are often some great destinations within a few hours train or car ride away. Here are some great short trips you can travel to by train and by car from Newcastle.

Local Adventures! Some pictures from our team of North-East treasures.

What about carbon offsetting?

Carbon offsetting involves individuals or companies investing in environmental projects in order to balance out their own carbon emissions. This could include activities such as forestry conservation (to encourage plants that remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere) or the creation of renewable energy resources. Whilst these projects may appear very beneficial, carbon offsetting does not come problem free.

Carbon offsets do not work for the core issue of reducing greenhouse gas emissions. They often allow a ‘business as usual’ approach, encouraging an idea that you can just offset whatever carbon you produce. Furthermore, not all of these projects are realised, and sometimes those that are, aren’t completed to their full potential. For example, you may pay to create a forest, however if that forest burns down in its infancy, the project’s full efficacy is not reached.

For carbon offsetting to be an effective action, it must be coupled with reducing your overall emissions and not just as a substitute for reducing.

Have we missed one of your favourite eco-friendly travel tips? Let us know in the comments below!

COP27 – What Went Well and What Needs Work

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COP27, Sharm El-Sheikh

Over the last couple of weeks, the world has been watching leaders talk about the future of our climate at COP27. The event, which has been happening annually since 1992, brings politicians, diplomats and non-governmental organisations from around the world to discuss the effects of climate change and actions we can take to combat it. These measures aim to keep the world below 1.5°C warming [from pre-industrial levels], a point at which, according to the International Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), ‘climate impacts will become increasingly harmful for people and the entire planet.’

Whilst there have been some positive advancements made at Sharm El-Sheikh, it is clear that we are not taking enough action to limit warming. We have identified three things that went well at the conference and three items which require more work.

What went well

A Loss and Damage Fund was established

The highlight of COP27 was the creation of the ‘loss and damage fund’. This monetary support will go to poorer nations who have suffered damage and economic loss as a result of climate change and the climate crisis that has unfolded. The formation of this fund is hugely significant as it overcomes decades of resistance from richer nations who are the primary contributors of greenhouse gas emissions. It is also the most significant gesture made in acknowledging inequalities surrounding the climate crisis.

Although the historic deal still has a way to go in terms of discussing its operation and which nations will contribute, the deal is a big step in the right direction.

Children and Young people had a voice for the first time

For the first time this year, children and young people were given an official space at the conference. The Children and Youth Pavilion gave young people a chance to hold discussions and policy briefings like never before. The inclusion of this platform is highly significant, especially as climate change is said to disproportionately affect children and young people.

It got people talking

Large events like COP27 put the climate crisis at the forefront of diplomatic agenda and the global media. They bring both rich and poor nations together to discuss an issue which affects us all and requires a global response. The high-profile nature of these events means the climate crisis is given much more media time and encourages conversations which otherwise may not have been had.

What needs work

A lack of female representation

A BBC analysis of the event found that less than 34% of country negotiating staff were women and, in some teams, staff were over 90% men. This is very problematic, especially as research has found women to be disproportionately affected by the effects of climate change. Women are more likely to depend on the land for their income and food and these resources are being increasingly threatened. Moreover, they are usually responsible for securing water, and when resources run dry, they must walk greater distances to find them. This leaves them exposed to increased risks of gender-based violence.

Gender equality is crucial to future talks about climate change. It is only by acknowledging the struggles women face and listening to their inputs that effective change can be made. We therefore hope that future negotiations will have equal representation.

*The lack of women at the event can clearly be seen by the COP27 ‘family photo’. Out of the 110 leaders present, just 7 of them were women.*

There were too many fossil fuel lobbyists.

A new analysis found that there were over 600 fossil fuel lobbyists at COP27 this year. This was higher than the number in COP25 in Glasgow last year and more than the combined number of delegates from the 10 most climate-impacted countries. These people often push quick-fix solutions which allow companies to carry on as usual and make little to no change. Furthermore, they are known to delay policymaking processes and participate in greenwashing.

‘If you are going to discuss malaria, don’t invite the mosquitoes,’ – Philip Jakpor, Public Participation Africa

It is essential that we keep the interruption from these corporate lobbyists to the minimum and ensure the most vulnerable voices are instead elevated.

There was no direct action taken against reducing fossil fuels.

Despite the advances made with the creation of the Loss and Damage Fund, many other areas suffered losses at COP27. Very limited action was taken to directly reduce emissions, and the final deal produced involved a significant step back in terms of language used around fossil fuels. The text now refers to ‘low emission and renewable energy’, an ambiguous new phrase which could invite fossil fuels to be part of a green future. This loophole would allow the development of further gas resources, as gas produces less carbon dioxide emissions than coal.

“I said in Glasgow that the pulse of 1.5C was weak. Unfortunately, it remains on life support.” – Alok Sharma, UK COP26 President

In order to ensure the target of keeping warming to 1.5°C is met, more drastic actions to phase out fossil fuels must be implemented. The UAE’s COP28 must better address this concern if we are to limit warming and protect people and the planet.

What did you think of COP27? Let us know in the comments below what you thought went well and what you think needs work for COP28.

Event recap: Climate Action at Newcastle University

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On the 10th November, 2022, we invited colleagues and students to join us at a conference-style, collaborative event on climate action.

First, we would like to thank everyone who attended our event, Climate Action at Newcastle University. We had a wonderful day and are so grateful that we got to meet you all and discuss climate action and sustainability.

Our aim for the event was to discuss future climate action plans, and to incorporate the outcomes into Phase 2 of our Climate Action Plan.

Please have a read of this blog if you would like to learn more about the climate conversations which happened at our event.

A Net Zero Campus of the Future: what did we learn?

Our first session of the event was a panel discussion on ‘A Net Zero Campus of the Future’.

Campus of the Future is a project that has been running for a number of months, involving a variety of stakeholders and changemakers at the University. The project looked at connectivity, and that a campus of the future should be physically, digitally and culturally connected.

During the panel discussion, we learnt that people will be held at the heart of the campus of the future, and that increasing cultural connectivity, enables physical and digital connectivity to be all the more effective.

The panel members communicated that better connecting different people across our campus, making our physical spaces (buildings and the outdoors) into shared spaces between groups and communities, and increasing our digital connectivity, our net zero and other sustainability targets will be supported.

What is the appetite for radical or revolutionary solutions?
Audience member question on the Campus of the Future plans

The Campus of the Future conversations will now continue beyond the initial project, and work has already begun to put changes in place.

The panel members were:

Matt Dunlop: Head of Sustainability, Newcastle University
Lisette Nicholson: Director of People Engagement and Culture, Newcastle University
Iain Garfield: Director of Estates and Facilities, Newcastle University
Daniel Birkinshaw: Sustainability Manager, Bowmer + Kirkland
Alan Cecchini: Enterprise Architect, Newcastle University

The panel members. From left to right: Alan Cecchini, Daniel Birkinshaw, Iain Garfield, Lisette Nicholson, Katy Smith (Admin support), Matt Dunlop.

Travel Better: what did we learn?

This interactive session explored the contribution that business travel makes to the University’s carbon emissions. Business travel is the third highest emitter of scope 3 (indirect) carbon dioxide emissions at the University. Within our business travel emissions, airplane travel is our highest emitter.

As part of the cultural aspect of the campus, what can we do about reducing air travel of staff?
Audience member question on the Campus of the Future plans

Attendees were invited to assess the impact travel has on their personal and professional lives and look at innovative travel initiatives within their specific areas of work. It was very interesting to hear, from a wide range of perspectives, what travel enables at the University, and what we could on a personal level to decrease our air travel.

Post-discussion, the attendees were introduced to the Travel Better Package, which is an initiative created by the EAUC to support the reduction of air travel, mostly targeted at academics and researchers. The package allows individuals to assess whether attending a conference in-person, for example, will give them benefits that will outweigh other forms of engagement that don’t require travel, particularly air travel. Attendees were very interested to learn how they could revaluate their travel plans and use the framework within their own departments.

Net Zero Research: what did we learn?

We held a net zero research session to understand how the Sustainability Team and researchers can work in a collaborative way to achieve our net zero target. We learnt more about the processes and systems that researchers and their various internal and external teams struggle with when combining research expertise with professional services.

Discussions also included assessing the various environmental assets which are present at Newcastle University, which could provide foundations for future research projects. We established that assets such as Cockle Park Farm, the multiple solar PV arrays and an energy district heating system would be key assets when researching environmental problems and their solutions.

To conclude…

This event will help shape the next phase of the Climate Action Plan. Relationships between collaborators were strengthened as the day went on, and the Sustainability Team will be continuing the conversations that were started, and turning these into action.

Upcoming events

Managing your energy bills workshop by the Green Doctor on the 30th of November, 2022.

We are hosting an energy bills workshop which will focus on budgeting and managing bills with the Green Doctor (North East). If you are a student who is 25 or under and curious or worried about energy bills you can join us to learn some tips and tools to help you and your household.

What does net-zero carbon emissions mean to Newcastle University?

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Introduction

Newcastle University has set a goal to be net-zero on carbon dioxide emissions by 2030. Initially this goal was set for 2040, however upon recognising the international urgency of many environmental issues such as climate change and biodiversity loss, Newcastle University took the brave decision to move this goal forward by ten years.

The term ‘net zero’ can be a complex and multi-faceted term, this blog post aims to outline what the term means to Newcastle University and why it is important when discussing all things climate change and carbon related.

Definition of net zero

“Achieving an overall balance between greenhouse gases produced and those taken out of the atmosphere. This should be achieved through a rapid reduction in carbon emissions, but where zero carbon is not possible, offsetting through carbon credits or sequestration through technological or nature-based solutions needs to be utilised” ¹.

With this definition, emphasis is placed on attempts to reduce carbon emissions opposed to focusing on offsetting initiatives. Multiple institutions across Newcastle city centre are working towards net-zero carbon emissions including Newcastle University, so they became a member of Newcastle City’s Net Zero Task Force (NZTF) in 2019.

If you are wondering what Newcastle University is doing regarding climate change then we would recommend that you check out the Climate Action Plan. Within the Climate Action Plan there are phases outlined which explain how the university aims to address the goal of being net-zero for carbon emissions by 2030. The plan addresses the various ways that carbon emissions are produced across the university which are categorised into scopes, so it is easier to address the forms of direct and indirect emissions.

What is a scope?

The term scope in this context originates from the Greenhouse Gas Protocol that was released in 2001. Scopes can be described as categories that institutions, organisations, and corporations can use to examine the variety of their greenhouse gas emissions and set targets for reduction.

How many scopes are involved in achieving net zero at Newcastle University?

There are three scopes identified within the University’s Climate Action Plan. Our net zero target applies to Scopes 1 and 2, and we have ambitious targets for reducing Scope 3 emissions.

Scope 1 covers direct emissions from combustion or generation by university-owned or controlled sources. This includes the burning of fuels directly by activities such as using university-owned vehicles and the burning of fuels to heat and refrigerate across campus. Meanwhile, Scope 2 covers indirect sources of consumption and purchase of energy from outside the University which can includes electricity purchased from the grid but is used by the campus.

Scope 3 includes emissions that that the University is indirectly responsible for across their entire value chain, and is often the most difficult scope to monitor and account for. Whilst Scope 3 emissions are not currently covered within our net-zero carbon target, we are implementing a similar, phased carbon budget approach in order to better monitor our progress.

Climate Action Event

By now you may have heard that an event is taking place during enrichment week on the 10^th of November, the event is called Climate Action at Newcastle University.

During this event, staff and students will be coming together to discuss phase 2 of Newcastle University’s Climate Action Plan. The Climate Action event is being held to assess the progress Newcastle University has made in phase 1 of the plan and to help shape the next steps in phase 2.

Our travel better session and nature positivity sessions still have places if you would like to join. Below are links to the sign-up form and program for the event if you would like some more information.

Program: Programme Poster2.pdf (ncl.ac.uk)

Thanks for reading, keep an eye out for the next blog post next week!