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Academic institutions have an essential role to play in meeting the climate change challenges–are they ready?
One of the American University in Cairo’s downtown campus iconic buildings is the historic Ewart Memorial Hall––built in 1928 with its exquisite Arabesque panache and 950 seats in a two-level theater-style layout. Since its establishment, Ewart Hall has been the main university auditorium and the venue for commencements, concerts, festivals, plays, shows, public lectures, debates, conferences, and musical and dance performances, including hosting the renowned Egyptian singer Om Kolthoum for one of her first performances in 1937 and the legendary French singer Edith Piaf in 1949.
Over the years, Ewart Hall hosted many thought leaders, public figures, heads of state, dignitaries, and intellectuals from around the world, addressing global and regional issues that are timely and important for society. Since the 1950s, the impressive and diverse list of speakers included American author and humanitarian Helen Keller; prominent Egyptian intellectual Taha Hussein; American poet and novelist Robert Penn Warren; Professor Edward Said; Professor Noam Chomsky; Vice President of the United States Al Gore; First Lady of the United States Hillary Clinton; United Nations Secretary-General and Nobel Laureate Kofi Annan; British author Karen Armstrong; Prince Shãh Karim Al-Husayni––Aga Khan IV; President of the Republic of Ireland, Mary Robinson; and President of the United States and Nobel Laureate Jimmy Carter.
In February 2022, Ewart Hall was once again the center of attention as the venue for yet another speech, addressing what is arguably one if not the most critical subject of our time––climate change. The speaker was John Kerry, former U.S. Secretary of State and Special Presidential Envoy for Climate. In his speech, Kerry addressed the world’s multiple challenges to secure a healthier, cleaner, and safer planet. He highlighted what needs to be done expeditiously to help create a better and more sustainable environment for all, including––but not limited to––climate finance, research, investing in human capital, promoting innovations, amending policies, accelerating the development of green economies, and emphasizing the essential role to be played by different countries around the world––especially the 20 most advanced economies which account for 80 percent of global emissions––to ensure that all countries are on an expedited path to transition to net-zero.
It is no secret that climate change poses a series of profound risks to all aspects of society and the global economy, placing further pressure on both the developed and developing worlds as governments and businesses struggle to respond quickly and effectively. Climate change represents the biggest crisis facing the planet today, affecting lives, livelihoods, economies, communities, and species, and if not timely addressed in a practical, sustainable, and scalable way, it will only exacerbate the multidimensional divides already existing globally.
Climate change is causing extreme weather everywhere. Climate patterns continue to change, temperatures constantly climb and fluctuate, and floods, fires, droughts, and storms are becoming more frequent. Therefore, it is imperative that the world operates in an emergency mode to help achieve substantial reductions in greenhouse emissions to achieve the 1.5˚C goal above pre-industrial levels. However, as it stands, the world is on course for a temperature rise above 2˚C, and emissions remain a real threat. Accordingly, net-zero pledges require rapid and sustained emission cuts during this decade. Globally, the fact is that the countries that need the most support to adapt to climate change and who will be hit the hardest are ironically among the most vulnerable countries––mainly developing economies. Besides, they are the ones who have done the least to cause it.
Therefore, climate change and its implications on humanity and the planet should be a priority for governments, the private sector, civil society, and the community, including academic institutions. Climate change is no fiction. Cli-fi is simply a reality and requires collective efforts on how to handle it and mitigate its consequences. For starters, it should be clear that climate change is not and should not be about politics. Everyone must understand how critical the issue is. The ultimate objective is to take the necessary actions to create a livable global ecosystem for today, tomorrow, and the future where no society, large or small, rich or poor, privileged or unprivileged, advanced or emerging, is left behind. This is all about protecting humanity and creating a better and more resilient environment to live in.
During the United Nations Conference of Parties on Climate Change (COP26) in Glasgow in November 2021, many cities around the world have committed to reaching net-zero emissions by 2050––as set by the Paris Agreement. However, the critical factor is translating these pledges and commitments into actions on the ground through mitigation, adaptation, and climate finance in an effective and balanced way.
In the heart of the developing world is Africa with its 54 countries––which contribute around three percent of global greenhouse gas emissions, and many of the worst implications of climate change occur. For the record, 17 of the world’s 20 most climate-vulnerable countries are in Africa, so in a way, COP27 could be Africa’s COP. The continent is suffering severely from water scarcity, droughts, land desertification, and the threat to food security. Therefore, there is an urgent need for a transformative boost in funding for adaptation projects in energy efficiency, agriculture, wastewater management, water desalination, and mitigation projects in renewable energy, sustainable cities, and transportation. In Egypt––one of Africa’s largest economies––climate change is a growing challenge. For example, water scarcity is a primary concern, especially with the construction of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) coupled with the annual rainfall, which has dropped 22 percent over the past 30 years. Besides, Alexandria and other cities on the Mediterranean are vulnerable to rising sea levels.
Therefore, COP27, the world’s marquee climate event held in Egypt during the period 7-18 November 2022 in Sharm El-Sheikh, could not have come at a better time, offering a unique opportunity for Egypt, Africa, and the world. Around 30,000 delegates from 170 countries will gather to discuss strategies and actions to reduce greenhouse emissions––with Dr Mahmoud Mohieldin, Executive Director of the International Monetary Fund, announced as the UN Climate Change High-Level Champion for Egypt. Among the main objectives of the conference is to build on what has been achieved during COP26, work to exploit the growing international momentum in directing the collective efforts to confront climate change, move from the pledges phase to implementation, agree on more effective game-changing emissions-cutting measures that climate risks so desperately demand and finally but more importantly put more pressure on high-income and developed countries to support the funding needed for various adaptation efforts in developing economies and low-income countries which amounts to $100 billion annually and consequently shoulder their responsibility for reducing CO2 emissions by realizing their international commitments within the framework of the 2015 Paris Agreement and the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).
There is an urgent need to help the most vulnerable countries hit the hardest by climate change. Immediate actions are needed to support more inclusive forms of adaptation––referred to by Secretary Kerry in his speech as the “implementation-plus approach” ––if the commitment to leave no one behind under the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) is to be met. According to the Global Commission on Adaptation, every $1 invested today will save at least $5 worth of loss and damage in the future. Therefore, effective adaptation for different countries around the world should not be perceived as a cost but rather as a worthwhile and rewarding long-term investment. For Egypt, that means a diligent transition to a greener economy, including a clean energy future, continuing the current journey towards renewables, and seizing the advantage of the country’s solar and wind prospects for energy harvesting, as well as investing in wastewater treatment, water desalination, low-carbon transportation, green hydrogen production, and electricity projects as well as creating a climate conducive to investments in a greener economy, amending the required laws and legislation and providing innovative financing mechanisms for green projects such as the green bonds introduced recently. In this context, COP27 could prove to be a real game-changer for Egypt’s economy by accelerating the implementation of the country’s Vision 2030, which is well-aligned with the 2030 UN SDGs, the 2015 Paris Agreement on Climate Change, and the 2063 African Agenda.
However, it is essential to note that it is not COP27 that will solve the various climate change issues; hosting the event is just one step in the journey. It is a continuous effort that includes articulating and implementing specific adaptation goals, mitigation projects, and climate finance. Adaptation requires collective actions from the government, the private sector, and civil society, including academic institutions. However, not all have the right tools, understanding, and capacity to act. Besides, tracking adaptation pledges against implementation is invaluable to assessing climate change. It is worth noting that the effectiveness rate of the Paris Agreement––adopted in 2015 during COP21––in delivering its objectives on climate resilience indicates that 60 percent of countries with adaptation plans are not tracking their implementation. Therefore, it is essential to emphasize that pledges need to be met, commitments should be realized, and actions must be verified. It is all about quality implementation, measuring, analyzing, reporting progress, and transparency and accountability.
Climate change is a societal issue and accordingly requires the collective efforts of all stakeholders to address it, including the institutions that create and disseminate knowledge and invest in society’s most precious asset––its human capital. In this context, academic institutions and especially business schools have a massive role to play as a responsible stakeholder in society that develops future leaders, policymakers, entrepreneurs, and change agents as well as generates innovative ideas, creates knowledge through interactions with business and industry, conducts research to shape policy and engages in community development activities and projects to impact society. The critical factor is to provide the enabling learning environment to prepare the next generation of leaders and policymakers who are better informed about climate change.
Academic institutions across different disciplines and through their degree offerings, research centers, community development activities, executive education programs, accelerators, incubators, centers of entrepreneurship and innovation, and the proliferation of tech-enabled startups focusing on innovation, renewables, and climate change solutions and their continuous interaction with various stakeholders in the society should work together and contribute to making the most of the students’ and learners’ academic experience. This could be realized by addressing pressing socioeconomic issues manifested in the SDGs, such as climate change, and driving actions with a vision, passion, and energy.
However, first, there is a need to understand what is meant by climate change because the reality is that not so many people know what that means. Therefore, academic institutions should thoroughly address it so that their community, including faculty, staff, and students, understand climate change and its importance in their lives. It is worth noting that climate change is an easy topic to talk about broadly but not necessarily engage in. Therefore, most academic institutions––including business schools––are still a step behind in integrating the topic into the curriculum and other activities and services offered and consequently understanding their impact on climate change.
Therefore, not preparing today’s students and learners with the understanding and knowledge needed of the relevant associated issues to climate change is doing them a disservice and arguably, increasing their negative contribution through inaction. This includes the importance of integrating within the curriculum, course offerings, and extracurricular activities reflecting the competencies related to the SDGs and the Environmental, Societal, and Governance (ESGs) principles to create awareness and build the much-needed momentum and understanding.
Suppose business schools believe that SDGs––including climate change––are among the planet’s most significant issues; how should they address it within their academic and community development offerings? How can business schools integrate SDGs into their culture and mindset? How should they encourage scholars to conduct research focusing on climate change? How could the school impact climate change through funding, business and industry collaboration, and strategic partnerships? Should climate change and its associated subjects such as renewables, food supply, value chains, water resources, and green economy be included in the curriculum or elective courses? Is the material available? Are the faculty ready? Are business schools ready? These are just samples of the many questions and issues that need to be addressed, including should academic institutions have a dedicated chief officer for climate change, like the chief officers focusing on strategy, information technology, entrepreneurship, innovation, risk, and sustainability.
The impact of business schools should be both on and off-campus to be scalable and sustainable. Business schools could be the convener of different societal stakeholders, including policymakers, business and community leaders, educators, industry experts, and practitioners in various economic sectors, among other interest groups, to engage in discussions and possible actions around climate change. On-campus, there is a dire need for business schools to focus more on pressing issues directly impacting society versus addressing theoretical subjects that often have limited followers to become more relevant to society’s well-being, development, and prosperity.
There is a need to rethink the future of business and management education with multiple disruptions, including climate change. Business schools should help students and learners understand how climate change is essential to their lives and livelihoods and what needs to be done to address it. They should embed interdisciplinarity, promote knowledge exchange and integrate the topic of climate change into the curriculum––from finance to strategy, operations to human resources, and marketing to information technology as well as other associated disciplines from across campus––by incorporating the topic into the coursework, readings, assignments, projects, simulations, research endeavors, scholarships and fellowships and integrating the required balanced blend of technical expertise and competencies such as critical thinking, dealing with complexity, working effectively across different disciplines, interpersonal and analytical skills while focusing on investments in renewable energy, improving sustainable infrastructure, encouraging human capital development, and promoting more job opportunities in various segments in the society.
From a pedagogical perspective, the students’ and learners’ experience should be on how to think and not what to think about climate change within the context of business. However, this is not just about business; there is a need to accommodate a multidisciplinary approach to provide students with a broader perspective. This would help them create time-sensitive outcomes, remain relevant, and become more committed to sustainability, inclusion, and equity, among other values. Climate change may seem to be an issue happening away from academic institutions, but it is today’s students and learners who will influence the way the world tackles climate change in the future.
Integrating climate change into the business schools’ offerings is an opportunity to rethink how to incorporate society-wide, macro-level, and long-term issues into how students and learners are taught and encouraged to think about business for a better world. Therefore, it is invaluable to emphasize––as governments, the private sector, and the civil society continue their efforts to combat climate change––the importance of forging partnerships with academic institutions, given the essential role they can play in preparing the students and learners of tomorrow to lead ethically and responsibly to meet the growing social and environmental challenges and impact society.
On this note, The American University in Cairo (AUC)––among several other initiatives and projects addressing climate change and sustainability––has led the way as one of the first universities in the Middle East North Africa (MENA) region to establish an Office of Sustainability in 2011 to highlight the university’s commitment to tackle the climate crisis and help shape a sustainable environment starting from campus by addressing aspects related to the university’s operations such as resources utilization, pollution, and waste management. One of its first products was the Carbon Footprint Report––starting in 2012––to track the university’s carbon footprint. The most recent report published in 2021 indicates that compared to 2012, the university has achieved reductions in heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC); electricity non-HVAC; paper use; water usage; solid waste disposal; fertilizer and refrigerants and an increase in transportation. Accordingly, the university’s overall carbon footprint was reduced by 8,145 MT CO2e (19 percent) despite increasing the campus size, student and learner numbers, and activities.
In addition, the Office of Sustainability released the university’s inaugural Sustainability Report in 2020 to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Earth Day. The report reflects the university’s collective forms of engagement and commitment to the environmental, social, and economic aspects illustrating how sustainability has been integrated into the key areas across the university, including academic degrees and courses, research endeavors, funding, community development activities, strategic partnerships, and students’ clubs and associations. Furthermore, the sustainability efforts included the trees planted, the installed filtered drinking water stations, and the savings in plastic bottles. As a result of the collective efforts of the university community during the last decade, in December 2021, the university was ranked 1st in Egypt and Africa and the 159th as the world’s most sustainable university according to UI GreenMetric University Rankings, demonstrating that AUC’s commitment to sustainability continues to be stronger than ever. It is worth noting that critical to the university’s progress in addressing sustainability issues was a collective effort where all stakeholders played a part, including faculty, staff, students, alumni, and corporate partners. It is a journey that the university is determined to continue pursuing and was further encouraged by Egypt hosting COP27, aiming to create a sustainable AUC and ensuring the university effectively contributes to shaping a greener economy.
As the global society faces the climate change challenges, no one is immune. Academic institutions have a unique opportunity to work together, whether at the national or international level, learn from each other, and build on their respective expertise and knowledge. As the makers of tomorrow’s leaders, movers, and shakers, business schools have an invaluable role to play in creating a culture of learning, understanding, and advocacy for climate change, helping reimagine higher education for an inclusive world and promoting the role of responsible business in realizing a societal impact. Business schools have the potential to play an essential role in the climate solution––the possibilities are limitless, and the benefits are endless. For now, the reality is that the planet is increasingly suffering. We cannot afford to wait. The time to act is now if we––as a global society––are serious about delivering a low-carbon, equitable and resilient environment for us and future generations to live in and enjoy. However, if we change nothing, nothing will change.
About the author: Sherif Kamel is a Professor of Management and Dean of the School of Business at The American University in Cairo.
4 May 2022
Issue #22
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