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Definitions

Carbon: The term "carbon" is often used as a shorthand expression to refer to either CO2 (carbon dioxide) or to other planet-warming greenhouse gases in general. Not all greenhouse gases contain carbon. (Adapted from Ecometrica)

Sustainable Travel Policy (2021)

Divestment: The act of selling off a business or businesses, or of no longer investing money in something. (From Cambridge English Dictionary). In addition to fossil fuels, the University does not invest in:

• tobacco stocks
• Ultra Electronics, a British company serving the defence market
• controversial armament investments, such as anti-personnel mines or chemical, biological or nuclear weapons.

Responsible investment at the University

Offsetting: A way for organisations to compensate for the greenhouse gas emissions they release by participating in or funding efforts for remove CO2 out of the atmosphere. A common method of offsetting is large-scale planting of native trees in deforested areas. (Adapted from BBC Science and Environment)

University commits to sequester over one million tonnes of unavoidable CO2 emissions

Circular economy: A circular economy decouples economic activity from the consumption of finite resources. It is a resilient system that is good for business, people and the environment. The circular economy is a systems solution framework that tackles global challenges like climate change, biodiversity loss, waste, and pollution. (From the Ellen MacArthur Foundation)

Circular Economy (Edinburgh Innovations)

COP 26: A global conference that tackles the climate crisis, hosted in Glasgow in 2021.

COP 26 and the University of Edinburgh

Credits

Video and narration: Dave Gorman, Director of Social Responsibility and Sustainability
Editing: Alexandra Kuklinski, Communications Coordinator
Stock footage: Pexels free to use video
University drone footage: Tim Askew
Circular economy footage: Ellen MacArthur Foundation