scholarly journals An Assessment of Whether a Carbon Neutral  Initiative Can Successfully Be implemented at  Victoria University of Wellington

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Tushara Kodikara
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Scientific Evidence ◽  
Ghg Emissions ◽  
Anthropogenic Climate Change ◽  
Agents Of Change ◽  
Carbon Neutral ◽  
Conducting Research ◽  
Responsibility Model ◽  
Corporate Social ◽  
The University

<p>The scientific evidence is now in no doubt - anthropogenic climate change has created a severe global problem and demands an urgent global response. The origin of anthropogenic climate change lies in the emission of greenhouse gases (GHG). Avoiding serious climate change will require reductions in GHG emissions from all sources. Universities can demonstrate leadership in this area by not only conducting research and teaching about climate change, but also by going further and starting to manage and mitigate their own impact on the climate. This thesis assesses whether Victoria University of Wellington (VUW) can become carbon neutral and therefore have no net impact on climate change. Applying a  corporate social responsibility model, the interface between the universities as teaching and research institutes and agents of change is investigated. This way, the opportunities, benefits and barriers in place for the university to become carbon neutral are identified and a framework to implement this initiative is developed. The research found several potential short-term and enlightened self-interest benefits available to VUW in becoming carbon neutral. Despite this, many barriers will need to be overcome to achieve neutrality. The main obstacle is gaining a firm commitment from the University Council and senior management. If this commitment is achieved, then VUW is in a strong position to demonstrate leadership both at the level of the local Wellington community and nationally.</p>

scholarly journals An Assessment of Whether a Carbon Neutral  Initiative Can Successfully Be implemented at  Victoria University of Wellington

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Tushara Kodikara
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Scientific Evidence ◽  
Ghg Emissions ◽  
Anthropogenic Climate Change ◽  
Agents Of Change ◽  
Carbon Neutral ◽  
Conducting Research ◽  
Responsibility Model ◽  
Corporate Social ◽  
The University

<p>The scientific evidence is now in no doubt - anthropogenic climate change has created a severe global problem and demands an urgent global response. The origin of anthropogenic climate change lies in the emission of greenhouse gases (GHG). Avoiding serious climate change will require reductions in GHG emissions from all sources. Universities can demonstrate leadership in this area by not only conducting research and teaching about climate change, but also by going further and starting to manage and mitigate their own impact on the climate. This thesis assesses whether Victoria University of Wellington (VUW) can become carbon neutral and therefore have no net impact on climate change. Applying a  corporate social responsibility model, the interface between the universities as teaching and research institutes and agents of change is investigated. This way, the opportunities, benefits and barriers in place for the university to become carbon neutral are identified and a framework to implement this initiative is developed. The research found several potential short-term and enlightened self-interest benefits available to VUW in becoming carbon neutral. Despite this, many barriers will need to be overcome to achieve neutrality. The main obstacle is gaining a firm commitment from the University Council and senior management. If this commitment is achieved, then VUW is in a strong position to demonstrate leadership both at the level of the local Wellington community and nationally.</p>

Political Preferences, Personality Traits, and Environmentalism

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alistair Soutter ◽  
René Mõttus
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Global Warming ◽  
Personality Traits ◽  
Public Discourse ◽  
Environmental Attitudes ◽  
Scientific Evidence ◽  
Political Orientation ◽  
Anthropogenic Climate Change ◽  
Political Preferences ◽  
Party Voting

Although the scientific evidence of anthropogenic climate change continues to grow, public discourse still reflects a high level of scepticism and political polarisation towards anthropogenic climate change. In this study (N = 499) we attempted to replicate and expand upon an earlier finding that environmental terminology (“climate change” versus “global warming”) could partly explain political polarisation in environmental scepticism (Schuldt, Konrath, &amp; Schwarz, 2011). Participants completed a series of online questionnaires assessing personality traits, political preferences, belief in environmental phenomenon, and various pro-environmental attitudes and behaviours. Those with a Conservative political orientation and/or party voting believed less in both climate change and global warming compared to those with a Liberal orientation and/or party voting. Furthermore, there was an interaction between continuously measured political orientation, but not party voting, and question wording on beliefs in environmental phenomena. Personality traits did not confound these effects. Furthermore, continuously measured political orientation was associated with pro-environmental attitudes, after controlling for personality traits, age, gender, area lived in, income, and education. The personality domains of Openness, and Conscientiousness, were consistently associated with pro-environmental attitudes and behaviours, whereas Agreeableness was associated with pro-environmental attitudes but not with behaviours. This study highlights the importance of examining personality traits and political preferences together and suggests ways in which policy interventions can best be optimised to account for these individual differences.

Making the Climate a Part of the Human World

2011 ◽  
Vol 92 (10) ◽  
pp. 1297-1302 ◽  
Author(s):  
Simon D. Donner
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Scientific Evidence ◽  
Cultural Beliefs ◽  
Climate Science ◽  
Anthropogenic Climate Change ◽  
Outreach Programs ◽  
The Public ◽  
Weather And Climate ◽  
Human World ◽  
City States

Doubts about the scientific evidence for anthropogenic climate change persist among the general public, particularly in North America, despite overwhelming consensus in the scientific community about the human influence on the climate system. The public uncertainty may be rooted in the belief, held by many cultures across the planet, that the climate is not directly influenced by people. The belief in divine control of weather and climate can, in some cases, be traced back to the development of agriculture and the early city-states. Drawing upon evidence from anthropology, theology, and communication studies, this article suggests that in many regions this deeply ingrained belief may limit public acceptance of the evidence for anthropogenic climate change. Successful climate change education and outreach programs should be designed to help overcome perceived conflict between climate science and long-held cultural beliefs, drawing upon lessons from communication and education regarding other potentially divisive subjects, such as evolution.

Prevention of Air Pollution for Sustainable Environment

2019 ◽  
pp. 264-283
Author(s):  
Md. Mahfuzar Rahman Chowdhury
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Air Pollution ◽  
Urban Areas ◽  
Atmospheric Transport ◽  
Scientific Evidence ◽  
Ghg Emissions ◽  
Low Carbon ◽  
Sustainable Environment ◽  
The World ◽  
Health Organization

Air pollution is the natural processes caused by human activities through which certain substances enter the atmosphere at a sufficient concentration to cause environmental pollution. The World Health Organization reported that 80% of the world's cases of heart disease and stroke deaths were due to air pollution, and a total of 7 million people in the world died of air pollution in 2012. Unplanned urbanization, industrialization, and agricultural activities contribute to air pollution. Climate change affects air pollution in a number of factors including changes in temperature, solar radiation, humidity, precipitation, atmospheric transport, and biogenic emissions. Increasing scientific evidence shows that air pollution and climate change policies must be integrated to achieve sustainable development and a low carbon (LC) society. Combined efforts to deal with air pollution and climate issues at the urban level will be particularly important as most people are exposed to air pollution, and 75% of global GHG emissions are generated in urban areas.

Cities Demanding the Earth

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Peter Taylor ◽  
Geoff O'Brien ◽  
Phil O'Keefe
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Scientific Evidence ◽  
Climate Change Policy ◽  
Anthropogenic Climate Change ◽  
Sustainable City ◽  
Jane Jacobs ◽  
The Earth ◽  
Change Policy ◽  
Complex Process ◽  
The City

Current climate change policy is necessary but insufficient. This is because the basic modus operandi – presenting scientific evidence to states for them to take action - misrepresents the complex process of anthropogenic climate change. The ‘anthropo’ bit is neglected in a misconceived supply-side (carbon) interpretation. The key question is, why is there so much demand for this carbon in the first place? This book introduces a demand-side interpretation bringing cities to the fore as central players in both generating climate changes and for finding solutions. Jane Jacobs’ urban analysis is combined with William F. Ruddiman’s historical tracing of greenhouse gases to provide a new understanding and narrative of anthropogenic climate change. The conclusion is that we are locked into a path to terminal consumption, which is accelerating as a consequence of Chinese urban growth, historically unprecedented in its sheer scale. To counter this we need to harness the power of cities in new ways, to steer urban demand away from its current destructive path. This is nothing less than re-inventing the city: not mitigation (the resilient city, necessary but not sufficient), not adaptation (sustainable city, also necessary but not sufficient) but stewardship, a process of dynamic stability creating the posterity city in sync with nature.

scholarly journals Understanding the Impacts of Climate Change on Health to Better Manage Adaptation Action

Atmosphere ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 10 (3) ◽  
pp. 119
Author(s):  
Clare Heaviside
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Scientific Evidence ◽  
Anthropogenic Climate Change ◽  
Climate Research ◽  
Research Communities ◽  
Adaptation Action ◽  
Impacts Of Climate Change

The atmospheric and climate research communities have made significant advances in recent decades in gathering and understanding the scientific evidence supporting the concept of anthropogenic climate change [...]

3. Evidence for climate change

2021 ◽  
pp. 26-43
Author(s):  
Mark Maslin
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Sea Level ◽  
Tropical Cyclones ◽  
Scientific Evidence ◽  
Heavy Precipitation ◽  
Anthropogenic Climate Change ◽  
Extreme Weather Events ◽  
Weather Events ◽  
Ipcc Report ◽  
Human Climate

‘Evidence for climate change’ presents the scientific evidence that anthropogenic climate change is already happening and considers changes in global temperature, precipitation, sea level, and extreme weather events (heatwaves, droughts, floods, storms, and wildfires). The latest IPCC report states that it is virtually certain that anthropogenic climate change has caused increases in the frequency and severity of hot extremes and decreases in cold extremes on most continents. Climate change is also the main cause of the intensification of heavy precipitation observed over continental regions, often resulting in flooding. Moreover, human climate change has played a role in shaping the global distribution and intensity of tropical cyclones/typhoons and hurricanes. What do the climate change deniers say and why they are wrong?

Climate Change Conspiracy Theories

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joseph E. Uscinski ◽  
Karen Douglas ◽  
Stephan Lewandowsky
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Carbon Emission ◽  
Global Climate ◽  
Scientific Evidence ◽  
The United States ◽  
Anthropogenic Climate Change ◽  
Policy Makers ◽  
Conspiracy Theories ◽  
The Public ◽  
Climate Skepticism

An overwhelming percentage of climate scientists agree that human activity is causing the global climate to change in ways that will have deleterious consequences both for the environment and for humankind. While scientists have alerted both the public and policy makers to the dangers of continuing or increasing the current rate of carbon emission, policy proposals intended to curb carbon emission and thereby mitigate climate change have been resisted by a notable segment of the public. Some of this resistance comes from those not wanting to incur costs or change energy sources (i.e., the carbon-based energy industry). Others oppose policies intended to address climate change for ideological reasons (i.e., they are opposed to the collectivist nature of the solutions usually proposed). But perhaps the most alarming and visible are those who oppose solutions to climate change because they believe, or at least claim to believe, that anthropogenic climate change is not really happening and that climate scientists are lying and their data is fake. Resistance, in this latter case, sometimes referred to as climate “skepticism” or “denialism,” varies from region to region in strength but worldwide has been a prominent part of a political force strong enough to preclude both domestic and global policy makers from making binding efforts to avert the further effects of anthropogenic climate change. For example, a 2013 poll in the United States showed that almost 40% believed that climate change was a hoax. Climate skeptics suggest the well-publicized consensus is either manufactured or illusory and that some nefarious force—be it the United Nations, liberals, communists, or authoritarians—want to use climate change as a cover for exerting massive new controls over the populace. This conspiracy-laden rhetoric—if followed to its logical conclusion—expresses a rejection of scientific methods, scientists, and the role that science plays in society. Skeptic rhetoric, on one hand, may suggest that climate skepticism is psychological and the product of underlying conspiratorial thinking, rather than cognitive and the product of a careful weighing of scientific evidence. On the other hand, it may be that skeptics do not harbor underlying conspiratorial thinking, but rather express their opposition to policy solutions in conspiratorial terms because that is the only available strategy when arguing against an accepted scientific consensus. This tactic of calling into question the integrity of science has been used in other scientific debates (e.g., the link between cigarette smoking and cancer). Opinion surveys, however, support the view that climate change denialism is driven at least partially by underlying conspiratorial thinking. Belief in climate change conspiracy theories also appears to drive behaviors in ways consistent with the behaviors of people who think in conspiratorial terms: Climate change conspiracy theorists are less likely to participate politically or take actions that could alleviate their carbon footprint. Furthermore, some climate skeptics reject studies showing that their skepticism is partially a product of conspiratorial thinking: They believe such studies are themselves part of the conspiracy.

scholarly journals Climate Change Scepticism at Universities: A Global Study

2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (10) ◽  
pp. 2981 ◽  
Author(s):  
Walter Leal Filho ◽  
Mark Mifsud ◽  
Petra Molthan-Hill ◽  
Gustavo J. Nagy ◽  
Lucas Veiga Ávila ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Scientific Evidence ◽  
Geographical Location ◽  
Descriptive Statistics ◽  
Curricular Innovation ◽  
Attitudes And Perceptions ◽  
The World ◽  
Global Study ◽  
University Level ◽  
The University

Scepticism about climate change is still a popular trend, despite the existence of scientific evidence that this phenomenon is taking place, and that it is influencing the lives of millions of people around the world. The aim of this paper is to assess the extent to which existing scepticism at the university level is found. The methodology consists of a survey undertaken on a sample of universities around the world, in the context of which attitudes and perceptions about climate change are identified. A total of 237 questionnaires were received from 51 countries around the world. The analysis consists basically of descriptive statistics and an investigation regarding trends on scepticism and the geographical location of the universities. The study concludes by outlining some of the presently seen scepticisms and suggests some ways to address them via curricular innovation and initiatives engaging students.

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