MIT’s Plan for Action on Climate Change

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akratic
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MIT’s Plan for Action on Climate Change

Post by akratic »

Released today. They cared enough about this announcement for the President of MIT to email all alumni about it, something that only happens about twice a year.

http://climateaction.mit.edu/

From the executive summary:
This statement outlines a plan for the MIT community to address climate change. This plan is the result
of intensive discussions in our community led over the last year by the Climate Change Conversation
Committee. It embodies the broad, fundamental agreement across our community that climate change
demands society’s urgent attention; that MIT has a responsibility to lead; and that MIT’s moment to act
is now
[emphasis mine]. The plan describes risks presented by climate change and MIT’s record as a leader on climate
science and energy innovation. It then describes our plan for action over the next five years. Finally, the
plan responds to a campus petition that we divest from fossil fuel companies. We choose not to divest. We
believe that divestment is incompatible with the strategy of engagement with industry to solve problems
that is at the heart of this plan.
I haven't read the whole plan yet. I just know many of you on this forum care about this topic.

Entire Plan: http://web.mit.edu/climateaction/Climat ... 5Oct21.pdf
Executive Summary of Plan: http://web.mit.edu/climateaction/Climat ... 5Oct21.pdf
News Article: http://news.mit.edu/2015/new-climate-ch ... ategy-1021

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Slevin
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Re: MIT’s Plan for Action on Climate Change

Post by Slevin »

I have only read the Executive summary so far, but they seem to have taken the "technologist" approach to solving climate change. I understand that they are a college focused on technology, and so it makes sense that they have gone this way, but in essence I think their approach tries to solve the problem of too much technology with more high tech technology.

I personally don't believe this is an adequate way to solve the problem, as it requires enormous infrastructure to create most of these devices that are inherently unsustainable (solar arrays require hard to find/ destructive to obtain in large quantity minerals, etc). They also only claim to want to cut carbon emissions, not necessarily decrease total energy use, which seems somewhat backwards to me. So while I generally hope that they will progress others and grow the ecological/ sustainable movement, I do not have a huge hope that they will miraculously figure out the solution to climate change. The growth of the movement, however, could have tremendously beneficial effects if enough other people adopt it.

black_son_of_gray
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Re: MIT’s Plan for Action on Climate Change

Post by black_son_of_gray »

I find the discussion of divestment fascinating.
Some argue that it would be possible to take a symbolic stance against greenhouse gas emissions by
publicly divesting from fossil fuel holdings, while also continuing to work with fossil fuel companies in
these many contexts. We disagree.

In our judgment, the deliberate public act of divestment would entangle MIT in a movement whose core
tactic is large-scale public shaming. This would retard rather than encourage the open collaboration
and ability to hear new ideas that are central to our research relationships, central to our ability to help
government and business think creatively together, and central to our ability to convene and inform the
thinking of those with opposing views.
I can certainly understand their strategy of honey vs. vinegar, but on the other hand... being a part owner of the industries whose business model fundamentally underlies the problem you are trying to combat seems patently absurd. I say this as a part owner of said industries myself - I'm honestly not sure what to do about divestment, given that I also care about minimizing climate change.

I'm not above shaming the fossil fuel industry though :D . 1) I don't think their public reputation is exactly pristine; 2) I get the sense that they have a thick skin.

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Re: MIT’s Plan for Action on Climate Change

Post by jacob »

http://web.mit.edu/facts/industry.html
Currently, approximately 800 companies are working with faculty and students both in Institute-wide programs such as the Industrial Liaison Program and the MIT Energy Initiative, and in smaller collaborations. Among these corporate sponsors are such global leaders as Accenture, Boeing, BMW, BP, Chevron, eni, ExxonMobil, Novartis, Pfizer, Quanta Computer, Raytheon, Samsung, Sanofi, Saudi Arabian Oil Co., Schlumberger, Shell, Siemens, Tata Motors, and TOTAL.

Research sponsored directly by industry totaled $128 million in fiscal year 2014, or 19 percent of all MIT research funding. According to the National Science Foundation, MIT ranks first in industry-financed research and development and development expenditures among all universities and colleges without a medical school.
Don't bite the hand... ?

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