Researchers' Role in Combating Climate Change through 2022

Government laws will compel businesses to inform the public about climate risks.

FREMONT, CA: Business education is no longer conducted as usual. In the previous two years, the external influences influencing it have multiplied substantially, leading to its complete metamorphosis. Societal developments, such as climate action, will question the purpose of business education, industry trends that will alter how it is taught, and technological trends that will open new doors and enable the transformation of business education possible.

Climate action must take precedence

As a result of human activity, global warming is altering the climate in complex ways, rendering it unfit for life. Burning fossil fuels, such as carbon dioxide, is the primary cause of human activity (CO2).

Depending on the extent of global warming, the dire consequences of climate change include more frequent and intense weather events (heatwaves, drought, storms) affecting people's livelihoods as well as water and food sources; melting glaciers leading to rising sea levels and putting coastal settlements at risk of submersion; warming oceans and perturbed ecosystems, leading to the loss of plant and animal species; overall increased poverty and displacement, etc.

According to renowned experts, the global temperature increase must be limited to 1.5°C by 2030 to prevent the worst effects of climate change. How can this be achieved? By leading carbon-neutral human activity and educating individuals on how to do so.

With these repercussions hanging on the horizon, society expects governments, businesses, and organizations to contribute to the solution.

Therefore, the necessity to combat climate change will question the entire purpose of business education. The concept underlying how firms should operate will place equal emphasis on profit, people, and the environment.

Environmental responsibility should be the driving force behind business education. Corporate education should include programs that teach individuals how to conduct carbon-neutral business operations, whether provided by corporations or academic institutions.

How can online and hybrid education reduce the carbon footprint?

Travel drops significantly: Airplanes are among the modes of public transportation that contribute the most to global warming due to their high carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from fuel combustion. Virtual and hybrid learning will reduce travel for students and teachers to a minimum.

Classroom space and utilities need to decline: Not only travel is an energy-intensive activity. The upkeep and utilities of a building, such as water, electricity, and heat, contribute to a larger carbon footprint. Virtual and hybrid learning would substantially minimize all of these requirements.

Paper use diminishes: In virtual and hybrid learning, the stacks of papers and books necessary are dramatically reduced. By conserving trees, more CO2 will be taken from the atmosphere through photosynthesis. This will result in fewer papers and less deforestation.