Guest blog by Sarah Brylinsky. This item appears in Dickinson College's COP15-HE RSS Feed

Negotiations on development of carbon market mechanisms mirror the development of carbon and footprint-reduction planning in higher education. Development of a Climate Action Plan (CAP), an obligation for signatories of the ACUPCC President's Climate Commitment, requires institutions to reduce their carbon footprint in an effort to reach climate neutrality. Creating such a plan requires planning for and creating: a) an accurate calculation of baseline emissions, b) mechanisms for reducing and/or offsetting those emissions, and c) a feasibility plan including a time-line, project-priorities, and culture-change which ensure the longevity and success of the CAP. A major proposal for reducing global carbon emission is the creation of a market which would create financial and developmental incentives for both nations and private sectors to complete step "b" on an international level - what lessons can be exchanged between higher education and the negotiations forum?

Link to original post