How might we integrate Below Zero operational measures, research and teaching?

About this Event

This digital workshop (via zoom) provides an opportunity to share your ideas for how the Australian National University (ANU) might integrate below zero research, teaching and operations. The event will kick off with very short presentations to set the scene by:

• Dr Bec Colvin, ANU Crawford School of Public Policy
• Dr Chris Browne, Sub Dean in the College of Science
• Sophie Burgess, undergraduate student in Engineering

Participants will then be invited to share their ideas for how ANU can achieve this goal (40 mins). All contributors are requested to keep their statements very short and concise to allow a range of people to contribute.

This is a public workshop and will be recorded. The recording will be made available through the ANU Below Zero website and to those who register using the Registration link above. Please read the Consultation Information Sheet, User Guide and Moderation Guidelines which detail important information and the terms and conditions of engaging with this process.

ANU Below Zero Consultation

In February 2020, ANU called for urgent action to address climate change and committed to reduce our greenhouse gas emissions to below zero, as soon as possible.

ANU are now undertaking a consultation process around how we can address climate change. Consultation is open from 8 Sept -20 October 2020 and you can participate by:

• Registering for this workshop
• And / or contributing your ideas and build on other people’s ideas via our online idea capturing platform - Ideanote*

*In order to post/save your idea, you will be asked to join ANU Below Zero after hitting the submit button. You can use your ANU ID and password by clicking the Single Sign On (SAML) option.

The consultation has been divided into seven themes. You can also engage on the other themes:

• Energy and Buildings
• Travel
• Behavioural Change
• Reducing atmospheric greenhouse gases
• Finance, investment and purchasing
• Leadership and targets

Background on integrating below Zero operations with research and teaching

The ANU Below Zero initiative can provide a wealth of research and internship opportunities for students and researchers, using the campus as both a classroom and a laboratory. At the same time, the initiative will use learnings from climate and energy research and apply them to drive real time emissions reduction and carbon drawdown on ANU campuses.

Research opportunities can encompass a range of different themes including everything from energy efficiency to financing mechanisms, from renewables, battery storage and carbon sequestration to behavioural change and from carbon offsetting to how we can transition away from gas.

It will be important that we develop long-term mechanisms that can engage researchers and students on an ongoing basis. For example, research projects could be integrated into education programs including at undergraduate, Masters, Honours and PhD levels and via opportunities for internships.

We will also need to develop mechanisms to ensure that ANU research is applied into operational plans for on-campus emissions reductions.