Tag: low-carbon future

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Air Pollution, Health, Individual action on climate

Active travel: good for body, mind and the environment

Dr Madeleine Morris, Research Associate at the Grantham Institute, blogs on why walking and cycling is the way forward when it comes to local travel. As the UK begins to emerge from lockdown, there has been much discussion about how we travel within our towns and cities, particularly for those who are returning to work. The Government is urging everyone to avoid public transport wherever … Continue reading Active travel: good for body, mind and the environment

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The graphic shows that a single journey from London to Paris by plane will cost £64, take 4 hours 40 minutes, and emit 59kg equivalent of carbon dioxide. By train, the same journey will cost £49, take 2 hours 55 minutes, and emit 2kg equivalent of carbon dioxide. Assumptions: the start and end location are the main train terminal in the centre of each city; travel costs are for the cheapest advance tickets bought in advance and include all connecting journeys; carbon emissions are calculated using UK government greenhouse gas emissions factors for short-haul flights, ferry and international rail travel. To find out more, visit www.imperial.ac.uk/stories/climate-action
Individual action on climate, Mitigation, Policy, Student blogs

Reducing demand for air travel starts at work

Laura Warwick, Research Postgraduate on the Science and Solutions for a Changing Planet Doctoral Training Partnership, says flying shouldn’t be the default option when it comes to international travel. Aviation is becoming an increasingly contentious issue in the UK. The government’s decision to step in to assist regional airline Flybe seems to be at odds with the UK Committee on Climate Change’s warning that continued … Continue reading Reducing demand for air travel starts at work

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Road leading to the horizon in the desert or similar with the word future and an arrow
Communicating climate change, Mitigation, Research

Climate change: Teaching our unknowable future

Grantham Institute Lecturer Dr Joeri Rogelj says when it comes to climate change education, ‘stories about the future’ help people to come to terms with uncertain outcomes, and consistently receive great feedback from students. The impacts of climate change are happening now and our daily news is inundated with stories of record-breaking weather events and their destructive effects on people’s lives around the globe. Understanding … Continue reading Climate change: Teaching our unknowable future

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Extinction Rebellion protests at Oxford Circus. Lots of people with green XR flags.
Communicating climate change, Individual action on climate, Student blogs

Put your fate in your hands: Rebelling against extinction gave me hope for the future

Geraint Northwood, Research Postgraduate on the Science and Solutions for a Changing Planet DTP, blogs on his experience with Extinction Rebellion, and how it has turned his frustration to optimism for the future. The first I knew of Extinction Rebellion was when a sort of business card was handed to me at a climate strike in Westminster, which I pretty much ignored. It had the … Continue reading Put your fate in your hands: Rebelling against extinction gave me hope for the future

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Coal-fired Power station with steaming cooling tower and lonesome tree
CCS, IPCC, Mitigation, Student blogs

Reducing carbon emissions: don’t wait until tomorrow  

Neil Grant, Research Postgraduate on the Science and Solutions for a Changing Planet DTP, blogs on why avoiding a tonne of carbon dioxide today is not the same as removing a tonne of carbon dioxide tomorrow. In 2019, public concern about climate change increased dramatically, and pressure is growing on world leaders to take decisive action in reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Experts are warning that, with the world significantly off-track to … Continue reading Reducing carbon emissions: don’t wait until tomorrow  

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Crossroad signpost saying this way, that way, another way concept for lost, confusion or decisions
Communicating climate change, Individual action on climate

Pragmatic optimism, rather than complacency or despondency, is the best way to tackle the climate emergency

Dr Ajay Gambhir, Advanced Research Fellow at the Grantham Institute, considers the best mindset with which to approach the climate emergency. In the last month there have been two eye-catching opinion pieces on climate change by famous, influential, though notably non-expert, commentators. The first, by celebrity historian Niall Ferguson, weighs in on Greta Thunberg. He asserts that Greta is taking climate change far too seriously. … Continue reading Pragmatic optimism, rather than complacency or despondency, is the best way to tackle the climate emergency

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Emissions, Innovation, Mitigation, Policy, Research

Direct air capture: could this new technology save us from climate change?

FEATURE: A promising technology that sucks carbon dioxide from the air could help, but not replace, climate action, say experts. Simon Levey explores what is Direct Air Capture and what are the chances of it taking off in time to help avert the climate crisis. Continue reading Direct air capture: could this new technology save us from climate change?

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Communicating climate change, Individual action on climate, Mitigation

Online education as a catalyst for climate action

Can online education really drive change? For the last 15 months, the Grantham Institute has been testing this question.  Working alongside the Children’s Investment Fund Foundation (CIFF), online platform leaders EdX, and Imperial’s Digital Learning Hub, staff at the Grantham Institute have developed the Clean Power Programme, three online courses – Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) – that aim to drive a shift to clean … Continue reading Online education as a catalyst for climate action

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Extinction Rebellion protests in London, April 2019. A big crowd of people gathered around Oxford Circus
Media, Mitigation, Policy

Let’s embrace this fighting chance to reach net zero

Dr Ajay Gambhir, Senior Research Fellow at the Grantham Institute and contributor to the Committee on Climate Change’s Net Zero report, blogs on why we mustn’t lose this moment to accelerate the low-carbon transition. On Thursday 2 May 2019 I attended the launch of the Committee on Climate Change’s (CCC’s) latest report, which advises the government that the UK should reach net-zero greenhouse gas (GHG) … Continue reading Let’s embrace this fighting chance to reach net zero

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Canada shown on a cheap globe
business, Mitigation, Policy

Canada and climate change: the transition to a low-carbon economy is a golden opportunity

Alyssa Gilbert, Director of Policy and Translation at the Grantham Institute, heads to the “energy engine” of Canada to talk climate change, cleantech and collaboration. This week I am heading to Canada, where I grew up, for the first time in six years. I am very excited about returning to Canadian soil (er, or snow), and particularly interested to meet a range of people involved … Continue reading Canada and climate change: the transition to a low-carbon economy is a golden opportunity

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