Page 31 - IB January 2022

AUT to teach Climate Action

How to change society in order to combat climate change can The way that we understand and talk about these problems is
now be studied at AUT. also important, he says.
A new Climate Action course is being introduced together “Never underestimate the value of story and narrative.
with a reshaped Bachelor of Arts, organised around the United Changing our understanding of what is possible is one of the
Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). biggest levers for change of all.
“Climate change is a grand challenge for the next few “Up until now we have often talked about climate action in
decades,” says Senior Lecturer David Hall, who is leading the terms of its costs in the present. But the future costs of climate
course. change completely outweigh this. In fact, taking action on
“We know a lot about the science of climate change, but how climate change will itself generate a lot of economic activity.
do we motivate people? What are the political and economic You are not just making sacrifices on behalf of the future, you
barriers to driving action, even when people agree that we need are actually creating new opportunities and benefits.”
to do the right thing? Climate Action will address these issues.” Dr Hall says he is hopeful for our climate’s future.
The new course aligns with Goal 13 of the United Nations “We are starting to see much more change in technology,
SDGs, of the same name. policy and mindsets, all of which lays the foundations for
Students studying AUT’s Bachelor of Arts from next year further change. It’s really a matter of accelerating the trends
will gain a solid foundation of knowledge, skills and applied that are already underway and making sure that the inevitable
learning as they choose from a wide range of courses that align happens sooner rather than later.”
with the SDGs. The course can be taken as part of the Diploma in Arts and
Dr Hall says one key way to make progress with climate action the Bachelor of Arts, and as part of its conjoint degrees with
is to understand that our institutions are not well set up to the Bachelor of Business or the Bachelor of Computer and
manage big structural transitions. Information Sciences.
“So, it is really critical to take a systems approach and to In November, the University released its inaugural
recognise that there is no one particular solution in one Sustainability Report, which documents progress and highlights
particular place — but there is a myriad of solutions. We really key achievements and its commitment to build a greener and
must pull a multitude of levers in order to drive change.” more sustainable future.

You can read the report here:
https://www.aut.ac.nz/about/social-responsibility/sustainability-at-aut/sustainability-report

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