Suzanne Savanick Hansen, Sustainability Manager 2016.
In December, 2015, I attended the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate (COP 21) in Paris along with the Macalester College Climate Talks class. As I am the Sustainability Manager at Macalester College, I specifically looked for examples of how cities and higher education are rising to the challenge of climate change.
While in Paris, I noticed that cities are at the forefront of combatting climate change. Cities produce significant greenhouse gas emissions through energy and transportation emissions. Cities are also feeling the effects of climate change through floods, potable water supplies diminishing and rising sea levels. As cities continue to grow worldwide, this issues will only increase in importance.
At the conference, I saw examples of cities around the globe rising to the climate change challenge. I was particularly impressed by Stockholm, Sweden’s goal of fossil fuel-free by 2040. They are the first city in the world to make this pledge. I also heard presentations about Oslo, Norway, and Bristol, UK. The same Cities and Regions pavilion in the Green Zone hosted exemplary cities from all over the globe. At the same time as COP21, the “Climate Summit for Local Leaders: Cities for Climate” met at the same time in a side event and it was the largest gathering of mayors discussing climate change in history. .
I also noticed that renewable energy is now considered viable in many parts of the world. Electric transportation including public transportation and electric cars were exhibited at side conferences and on the streets in Paris. At the conference site, attendees could also use bicycles to recharge their cell phone batteries. I saw the first hydrogen car refuelling station for taxis in the world when I turned a corner in Paris. Solar panels are no longer a “wouldn't it be nice” option, but a real option for energy generation. Some businesses are poised to make money on this transition away from fossil fuels and a whole side event in the center of Paris showed corporate initiatives.
Although cities were well represented in Paris, high education was nearly absent. I found only one talk by a European higher education association on an educational panel. In an answer to an audience question, the mayor of Stockholm mentioned connecting with higher education as a way for other cities to implement climate change initiatives. The only mention of the impressive American College and University Presidents’ Climate Commitment (ACUPCC) was an invitation-only side conference at a business school in Paris. According to a presentation by Second Nature at the side event, 44% of the students in the country are covered by a ACUPCC pledge. It’s phenomenal work, but not connected with the larger international discussions on climate change.
Higher education is needed for our cities to make a transition to a clean energy future. Current students will be the future business and government leaders. Therefore, higher education institutions should partner with cities to develop resiliency plans and mitigation plans. Students need real-world projects and all of our communities face an unprecedented global challenge in climate change. As Jeffrey Sachs said in Paris, “This is the greatest global challenge that humanity has ever faced.” Higher ed is needed to meet this challenge.
