A programme which sees De Montfort University Leicester (DMU) experts teaching people across the East Midlands how to cut carbon output and act more sustainably has won a global award.
The project 'Carbon Literacy Collective' won the award for Outstanding Flagship Project at the annual Global Regional Centre of Expertise (RCE) Network Awards - a network coordinated by the United Nations University (UNU) to promote sustainability in education
Carbon Literacy Training taking place in Leicester Schools
Taking a wide-ranging approach, the project aims to increase knowledge on climate change through local schools and businesses, using webinars and tools in the classroom to educate a wider scale of people, personally and collectively for the greater good.
The accolade recognises the distinctive sustainable action DMU has taken carrying out this work locally and collectively alongside the University of Leicester and the Leicester City Council, through the East Midlands RCE in Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) to educate the people of Leicester on climate change.
Dr Andrew Reeves, senior lecturer in Energy and Sustainable Development at DMU, said: “This award and recognition is a great validation of the approach we’ve taken, which is something distinctive to the RCE Network – working locally and collaboratively for the greater good.
“We have put a real focus on what local people and organisations need to learn and do to address climate change, and brought the expertise and resources available in our community together to help make that happen.”
Andrew added: “We see this as a first step in the journey, and through things like the upcoming Civic University Agreement partnership with the University of Leicester and the City Council-led climate change partnership, we plan to go further to set up easily accessible training and resources to help Leicester on its pathway to being a carbon neutral city.”
DMU and other members of RCE East Midlands were delivering accredited Carbon Literacy Training, using resources originally developed for the higher education sector by the Carbon Literacy Project and Manchester Metropolitan University.
Organisations in Leicester and across the East Midlands are encouraged to get involved in the East Midlands RCE to work together on sustainability and climate change. Get involved here.
Posted on Tuesday 30 November 2021