A novel tool which can help organisations identify viable pathways to net zero emissions has been launched by Imperial College London.
The Imperial Transition Pathways Explorer offers a new way for users to explore the climate outcomes of decarbonisation measures, helping them to plan the most impactful carbon mitigation roadmap for their organisation.
The web-based tool, modelling Imperial's potential emissions reduction pathways on the basis of operational data and expert input, can be explored by organisations in the UK and internationally.
Access the Transition Pathways Explorer.
Supporting the transition to zero carbon
As a world-leader in research on de-carbonisation, Imperial is uniquely placed to deliver the scientific, technological and policy solutions needed to support the transition to zero carbon. Professor Nigel Brandon Chair of Imperial's Sustainability Strategy Committee
It builds on over a decade of work at Imperial helping to create and support the development of interactive energy, land and food system emissions models – such as the 2050 Calculator family of models – which have been used extensively by policymakers and governments across the world.
The Explorer works by taking an organisation's current carbon footprint and allowing users to investigate the impacts of different technological and behavioural options for decarbonisation.
It does this by exploring varied levels of ambition and implementation timing.
The levels are:
- Level 1 - 'business as usual' activity which continues historical trends.
- Level 2 – implementing action that most stakeholders view as achievable.
- Level 3 – implementing action that requires significant change - hard but deliverable.
- Level 4 – the most ambitious possible action that can be taken, while acknowledging physical, engineering and behavioural constraints.
Different levers and levels of ambition can be combined, allowing users to model a wide range of emission reduction pathways. The results show both annual levels of emissions (a key metric for understanding the real impacts of actions taken) and the cumulative emissions between 2018 and 2050 (a key metric for impact on the environment).
Professor Nigel Brandon, Chair of Imperial's Sustainability Strategy Committee and Dean of the Faculty of Engineering, said: "As a world-leader in research on decarbonisation, Imperial is uniquely placed to deliver the scientific, technological and policy solutions needed to support the transition to zero carbon.
"The Imperial Transition Pathways Explorer uses our expertise to model Imperial's potential pathways towards net zero emissions, and we will be using the tool to aim for the most ambitious carbon reduction possible on our campuses. Whether through our research, our own policies, or our work with industry, business and governments, the Imperial community is committed to leading the way on making a zero pollution future a reality."
Tackling sustainability problems
Imperial's Transition Pathways Explorer is helping us focus our sustainability efforts where we can make the biggest reductions to our carbon footprint. Harriet Wallace Director of Sustainability
The Imperial Transition Pathways Explorer has been built using learnings from multiple national calculators, such as the UK Mackay calculator, national calculators developed in low and middle income countries, and the multi-national European and Global Calculators used by governments in the UK and around the world.
It has been developed through collaboration between the Imperial Sustainability Hub and the Centre for Environmental Policy, with the support of colleagues across faculties, professional services and a team of PhD students. The tool is thought to be the first such model at an organisation or institution-wide scale.
Harriet Wallace, Director of Sustainability at Imperial, said: "Imperial's Transition Pathways Explorer is helping us focus our sustainability efforts where we can make the biggest reductions to our carbon footprint. For example, getting off gas for heating and taking more sustainable approaches to travel and procurement offer much greater potential than more visible areas like recycling or commuting where Imperial's footprint is small."
Professor Jem Woods, Professor of Sustainable Development, from Imperial's Centre for Environmental Policy, added: "The Calculators allow experts and implementers to dynamically interact on complex, so-called 'wicked' sustainability problems, co-producing viable, consensus-based solutions at scales and times that are achievable and meaningful to the problem. This approach has been tested at national and international scales but this is the first time it has been applied to an organisation."
How the tool is being used at Imperial
To demonstrate how the tool works, Imperial is using the Explorer to analyse data on its own carbon footprint and the university's ambitious sustainability policies. Imperial's data can be seen on a live dashboard. Through Imperial's Sustainability Strategy, the university is committed to leading by example through its activities and on its campuses with a long-term goal of having net zero carbon campuses by 2040.
The Sustainability Strategy forms a key part of Imperial's institution-wide strategy, Science for Humanity, which will maximise the university's potential as a global force for good through a series of bold new initiatives.
These initiatives build on Imperial's strength as a global top ten university for research and education excellence; its science, technology, engineering, medicine and business (STEMB) focus; its culture of innovation and entrepreneurship, and its London location.
The Explorer is being used to inform the implementation of Imperial's operational sustainability programme and decision-making through the Sustainability Strategy Committee and University Management Board. The tool is already being used in teaching programmes across the university.
As well as identifying different pathways for reducing emissions, the Explorer also acts as an accountability tool that shows what is working and what is not for sustainability policies. It can also help to focus discussions within an organisation, by helping to generate consensus and prioritisation for what actions need to be taken, and by when.
The web-based Explorer is now available for use and has been peer reviewed by sustainability professionals in a range of external institutions. The Explorer's creators are inviting sustainability experts and champions to engage with the tool, explore the Imperial data set, and offer feedback.
