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H. Pundt et al.
risks on the one hand, and to prepare society, on the other hand, thus emphasizing
that adaptation is a fundamental challenge.
2.2 Climate Change Adaptation as an Organizational Goal
of Universities’ Policies
Universities have a mandate to adapt themselves to climate change. Lawrence Bacow,
president of the Harvard University, emphasizes this in a general matter that should
impact all universities as organizations: “At Harvard, we are acting on climate change
through research that occurs across disciplines and throughout the world; through
teaching and learning, by providing our students with the tools to confront this
issue for generations to come; and on our campus, by modeling an institutional
pathway to a healthier, more sustainable community (Bacow 2020). In such a sense,
universities have to turn themselves into climate friendly organizations, e.g. they
should search for sustainable ways to support the reduction of waste and emissions.
The consequence for employees and students is in the long or even short run a more
climate friendly behavior. Universities can, for instance, implement environmental
management systems (EMS). University EMS can help to avoid waste, to protect
water, to support the use of sustainable products and the provision of food resulting
from sustainable agriculture. Universities can do more in this field and try to reduce
carbon emissions and ensure that students, regardless of what they are studying,
understand sustainable development and the need for climate change adaptation.
Moving away from investments in fossil fuels, reinvesting in renewables, planting
trees on campuses are concrete measures that can be taken by universities (Mayo
2019).
2.3 Climate Change Adaptation as a Purely Scientific
Research Task
Another important field is the universities’ contributions to research in climate change
adaptation. Such research can occur in two formats. One opportunity is to set up
consortia that focus exclusively on science and scientific partners, e.g. universities
and research institutes outside universities. Such projects contribute to the enhancement of theories and expertise in climate change adaptation. Such projects can
be distinguished from activities that follow the goal of cooperating with concrete
stakeholders.
H. Pundt et al.
risks on the one hand, and to prepare society, on the other hand, thus emphasizing
that adaptation is a fundamental challenge.
2.2 Climate Change Adaptation as an Organizational Goal
of Universities’ Policies
Universities have a mandate to adapt themselves to climate change. Lawrence Bacow,
president of the Harvard University, emphasizes this in a general matter that should
impact all universities as organizations: “At Harvard, we are acting on climate change
through research that occurs across disciplines and throughout the world; through
teaching and learning, by providing our students with the tools to confront this
issue for generations to come; and on our campus, by modeling an institutional
pathway to a healthier, more sustainable community (Bacow 2020). In such a sense,
universities have to turn themselves into climate friendly organizations, e.g. they
should search for sustainable ways to support the reduction of waste and emissions.
The consequence for employees and students is in the long or even short run a more
climate friendly behavior. Universities can, for instance, implement environmental
management systems (EMS). University EMS can help to avoid waste, to protect
water, to support the use of sustainable products and the provision of food resulting
from sustainable agriculture. Universities can do more in this field and try to reduce
carbon emissions and ensure that students, regardless of what they are studying,
understand sustainable development and the need for climate change adaptation.
Moving away from investments in fossil fuels, reinvesting in renewables, planting
trees on campuses are concrete measures that can be taken by universities (Mayo
2019).
2.3 Climate Change Adaptation as a Purely Scientific
Research Task
Another important field is the universities’ contributions to research in climate change
adaptation. Such research can occur in two formats. One opportunity is to set up
consortia that focus exclusively on science and scientific partners, e.g. universities
and research institutes outside universities. Such projects contribute to the enhancement of theories and expertise in climate change adaptation. Such projects can
be distinguished from activities that follow the goal of cooperating with concrete
stakeholders.