Global Alliance of Universities on Climate

On the Road to #COP29Azerbaijan 🇦🇿: Relive GAUC Pavilion Events at COP28!🌍 As we approach #COP29, let’s take a moment to reflect on our #climate journey at COP28! Throughout COP28, the GAUC Pavilion became a vibrant hub for discussions on climate action, sustainability, and collaboration, particularly among our member universities. From seminars and roundtables featuring professionals and youth to interactive workshops, our space fostered meaningful dialogues around key topics such as Clean Power, Disaster, Health, Sustainable Fashion, and more. These discussions underscored the crucial connections between climate change and various #SDGs, emphasizing the need for integrated approaches to tackle the pressing challenges we face. 🌍✨ As we gear up for COP29 Azerbaijan, we continue to build on these achievements, driving the global climate agenda toward a sustainable future. Stay tuned for our pavilion events this year! 🌍💚 #GAUC #YouthClimateAction #COP28 #COP29 #ClimateChange #ClimateAction #Youth

Ever walked through a #museum 🏛️ and felt a sense of wonder about the world? Today, museums are not just places for art and history; they are stepping up becoming crucial spaces for educating the public about #climatechange. By harnessing research insights from the Yale Program on Climate Change Communication (YPCCC), some museums have already developed engaging climate exhibits that spark curiosity and drive action. For example, YPCCC research highlights the importance of emotions in effective climate messaging. The Birch Aquarium at Scripps exemplifies this approach with its Little Blue Penguins 🐧 exhibit, guiding visitors on an emotional journey that fosters a connection with the penguins while educating them about climate change impacts. 🌍📚 As we navigate the uncertainties of our changing planet, supporting initiatives that promote climate literacy is essential for cultivating a well-informed society that understands the urgency of climate action. Read more at Yale University: https://cutt.ly/veP28JGg Reporter: Yu Han Soo #GAUC #Yale #ClimateCommunications #Museums #ClimateEducation

Although International Snow Leopard Day has passed, it’s never too late to honour the elusive #snowleopard, a majestic symbol of the high mountain ecosystems they inhabit. This incredible species highlights the need for global conservation and climate action efforts, a reminder that will resonate strongly as #COP16 is ongoing in Colombia. ❄️🐆 🌍 Did you know? Snow leopards are vital indicators of ecosystem health, helping to maintain the balance of their mountainous homes. As apex predators, they regulate prey populations, which in turn supports the entire ecosystem. However, these beautiful creatures face numerous threats, including habitat loss due to #ClimateChange, poaching, and human-wildlife conflict. ♨️As temperatures rise and glaciers retreat, snow leopards are losing their habitat, making it increasingly difficult for them to thrive. Their survival is linked not only to the health of their environment but also to the livelihoods of the communities that share their range. Together, we can make a difference for these magnificent creatures and the fragile habitats they call home. 🏔️💚 Reporter: Angelina Sim #GAUC #ClimateActionNow #ActNow #Biodiversity #WildlifeProtection

COP16 is ongoing! With the theme #PeacewithNature, #COP16 of the Convention on Biological Diversity focuses on reviewing and advancing the Global Biodiversity Framework and aligning National Biodiversity Strategies and Action Plans #NBSAPs. Through collaboration with governments, indigenous communities, businesses, and civil society, the world is committed to combat #biodiversityloss and protect our ecosystems. Why combat #biodiversityloss? 🌍According to the 2020 WWF Report, Latin America & the Caribbean have lost 94% of their biodiversity since 1975. 🔥 Human activities such as urban development, overexploitation, and climate change cause far more damage than natural disasters like wildfires or floods. 🍃 Ecosystem services, including soil maintenance, water purification, and resource provision, are weakened as biodiversity declines, reducing overall productivity. Reporter: How Li Jia #GAUC #COP16Colombia #Biodiversityloss #Biodiversity

A #solar panel typically consists of photovoltaic #PV cells made from silicon, a semiconductor material. When sunlight hits these cells, it excites electrons, creating a flow of electric current, which is then used to generate electricity. Solar panels contribute significantly to clean energy by harnessing sunlight, a renewable resource, to produce electricity without emitting greenhouse gases or pollutants. The rapid expansion of large-scale solar farms helps reduce dependency on fossil fuels, mitigating #climatechange and promoting a sustainable energy future. However, it also requires vast amounts of land, potentially disrupting ecosystems and biodiversity in sensitive areas. Recently, University of Oxford researchers have developed ultra-thin perovskite solar cells, achieving over 27% efficiency compared to the 22% efficiency of traditional silicon panels. These flexible, one-micron-thick cells are 150 times thinner than silicon wafers and can be applied to nearly any surface. This breakthrough reduces the need for large solar farms, allowing solar energy to be generated in more urban or built environments, minimizing land use and its impact on ecosystems. This innovation makes solar energy cheaper, more accessible, and eco-friendlier, with great potential in the fight against climate change. This breakthrough is part of a decade-long research effort by 40 researchers led by Professor Henry Snaith at Oxford. Read more at https://cutt.ly/FeUxlhVY Reporter: Bernard Lee #GAUC #Oxford #SolarEnergy #GreenEnergy #innovation #climateaction

🏦As the world grapples with the urgent need to combat #climatechange, the role of financial institutions has never been more critical. A recent report from the Transition Pathway Initiative (TPI) Centre at The London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE), which assessed 26 major international banks, ten US super-regional banks, and two custodian banks, paints a concerning picture of the banking sector's commitment to addressing climate issues: The overall performance of these banks is considered “weak”: ·  0% are committed to phasing out all financing for coal activities in line with 1.5°C warming  ·  0% are committed to ending all activities that finance deforestation by 2025 ·  0% have explicitly committed to decarbonizing in line with Just Transition principles ·  8% are committed to ending project financing of new oil and gas fields 💴The report underscores a significant gap between these banks’ climate promises and the actual policies being implemented. Without substantial and immediate changes, the banking industry risks falling short of its potential to drive the necessary transition to a sustainable, low-carbon economy. Read more: https://cutt.ly/9ePJFCn8 Reporter: yihang HE #GAUC #LSE #ClimateChange #GreenInvestments #SustainableFinance

🦥 Every October 20th, we honour the world’s slowest mammal and raise awareness of the challenges they face. This year, let’s extend our celebration throughout October—what we call #SlothTober —to amplify our efforts in protecting these incredible creatures and their habitats. 🌍#Sloths play a vital role in tropical forest ecosystems as indicators of environmental health. As an ‘umbrella’ species, meaning that by protecting them and their habitats, we benefit a multitude of other species, from vibrant poison dart frogs to majestic Great Green Macaws. Their presence helps maintain biodiversity, which is increasingly threatened by #ClimateChange. Unfortunately, climate change are fragmenting and degrading sloth habitats. Rising temperatures and changing rainfall patterns disrupt their homes, impacting not only sloths but the entire ecosystem they support. Let’s raise our voices for these gentle creatures and advocate for a healthier planet that nurtures all life forms. Join us in celebrating sloths and spreading the word about their importance to our environment! 🌿💚 Source: The Sloth Conservation Foundation Reporter: Angelina Sim #GAUC #ClimateActionNow #SlothConservation #ProtectTheRainforest #NatureLovers #SaveTheSloths #Biodiversity

At first glance, food 🍽️ and fashion 👗 might seem worlds apart. However, both play significant roles in our culture while contributing to #ClimateChange, waste, and labour issues. This late September, at #ClimateWeekNYC, Columbia Climate School and Barnard College joined the Forward Food & Fashion event, organized by Clim-Eat, which brought together leaders and innovators to explore the intersections of these fields. 🌿 🌱 As we rethink our narratives around #food and #fashion, the challenge is clear: how do we slow down the "fast" trends that harm our planet? From thought-provoking discussions to hands-on activities, the event tackled how we can transform our consumption habits and production practices. Notably, experts emphasized the need for accountability from businesses and actionable steps for consumers—like choosing sustainable options and demanding transparency. 🌍 Together, we can innovate solutions that reduce emissions, improve livelihoods, and foster a circular economy. Join the conversation around you, and let’s build a more sustainable future—one meal and outfit at a time! Read more: https://cutt.ly/lePZyCv9 Reporter: Angelina Sim   #GAUC #Columbia #ClimateAction #Sustainable #FoodAndFashion #SustainableFashion #CircularEconomy

This International Day for the Eradication of Poverty 2024 focuses on the hidden dimension of poverty: the social and institutional maltreatment of those living in poverty. #SDG1  Global economic growth has lifted millions out of extreme poverty, but unmanaged #climatechange threatens to reverse this progress. The World Bank report estimates that climate change could push an additional 68 to 135 million people into poverty by 2030. 🌪️ Extreme weather events, economic disruptions, and social crises are becoming more frequent, hitting the poorest regions hardest and widening inequality. 🚨 The pandemic highlighted the fragility of progress, leading to a rise in global poverty for the first time in 20 years and exacerbating social inequalities. Addressing these challenges requires an urgent, collective shift towards more sustainable and equitable solutions for vulnerable communities. Reporter: Bernard Lee Source: United Nations, United Nations ESCAP, UNDP, Asian Development Bank (ADB) #GAUC #InternationalDayfortheEradicationofPoverty #EndPoverty #GlobalJustice #EradicatePoverty #ClimateAction

🌾🍽️ Happy 2024 World Food Day! 🍽️🌾 This year’s theme, "Right to Foods for a Better Life and a Better Future", highlights the fundamental human right to access nutritious, affordable food.   As we celebrate the vital role of food in our lives, we must also reflect on how #climatechange is reshaping global food systems. Rising temperatures, unpredictable weather, and droughts are threatening crops and reducing food security, especially for vulnerable communities. Now more than ever, addressing climate change is key to ensuring that everyone has access to healthy, nutritious food.   Our choices as consumers and advocates can make a difference. By supporting #sustainable agriculture, reducing food waste, and advocating for policies that protect our environment, we can help build a more resilient and climate-conscious food system. Farmers worldwide are at the frontline of the climate crisis, and their #innovations in climate-smart farming hold the key to feeding the world sustainably.   Take action on World Food Day by committing to climate action as a core part of the solution to ending hunger and protecting the earth. We all have a role to play in ensuring Right to Foods for a Better Life and a Better Future. 🌱🌍 Learn more with FAO at https://lnkd.in/d2_3ePjg   Reporter: Fanghong Yao Designer: ZHANG Zhibo   #GAUC #WorldFoodDay2024 #ClimateAction #SustainableFarming #ZeroHunger #FoodForTheFuture #SDG2