Enablers and inhibitors of efforts to reduce Scope 3 emissions – The case of an ODeL university
Background: The reconfiguration of the South African higher education landscape in 2003 and 2004 had a significant impact on the University of South Africa (UNISA) and Technikon SA (both distance education institutions) which merged to form the ‘new’ UNISA. Aim: The aim of this conceptual study is...
| Main Author: | |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
AOSIS
2022-01-01
|
| Series: | The Journal for Transdisciplinary Research in Southern Africa |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://td-sa.net/index.php/td/article/view/1104 |
| _version_ | 1818331521561395200 |
|---|---|
| author | Thelma Louw |
| author_facet | Thelma Louw |
| author_sort | Thelma Louw |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Background: The reconfiguration of the South African higher education landscape in 2003 and 2004 had a significant impact on the University of South Africa (UNISA) and Technikon SA (both distance education institutions) which merged to form the ‘new’ UNISA.
Aim: The aim of this conceptual study is to explore the extent to which the policies of the post-merger UNISA are enablers or inhibitors of efforts to reduce its Scope 3 carbon emissions.
Setting: Staff commuter patterns between the main campuses of UNISA and the policy environment that has an impact on such travel.
Methods: The aim is achieved by means of a case study methodology that considers the relevant policies of the university and applicable results of a 2018 UNISA staff travel demand survey to determine whether the policies are incongruous with the institution’s attempts to reduce its carbon footprint in general, and its Scope 3 carbon emissions in particular. The impact of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic on defining a ‘new normal’ for the university’s operations, and the impact thereof on staff commuting, have been discussed.
Results: The study revealed that despite being an Open Distance E-Learning (ODeL) institution, the university has not put a coherent policy framework in place that undeniably supports its efforts to limit or reduce its Scope 3 carbon emissions. This was brought into stark focus by the measures the university was forced to put in place as a result of the COVID-19 lockdown regulations in South Africa, to ensure the continuation of its business.
Conclusion: The conclusions will assist UNISA - and other universities which have had to revisit their operations as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic - to define a true ‘new normal’. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-13T13:21:10Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-eddce03394294679a6dde572bde2e701 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1817-4434 2415-2005 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-13T13:21:10Z |
| publishDate | 2022-01-01 |
| publisher | AOSIS |
| record_format | Article |
| series | The Journal for Transdisciplinary Research in Southern Africa |
| spelling | doaj.art-eddce03394294679a6dde572bde2e7012022-12-21T23:44:24ZengAOSISThe Journal for Transdisciplinary Research in Southern Africa1817-44342415-20052022-01-01181e1e810.4102/td.v18i1.1104514Enablers and inhibitors of efforts to reduce Scope 3 emissions – The case of an ODeL universityThelma Louw0Department of Quality Assurance and Enhancement, University of South Africa, PretoriaBackground: The reconfiguration of the South African higher education landscape in 2003 and 2004 had a significant impact on the University of South Africa (UNISA) and Technikon SA (both distance education institutions) which merged to form the ‘new’ UNISA. Aim: The aim of this conceptual study is to explore the extent to which the policies of the post-merger UNISA are enablers or inhibitors of efforts to reduce its Scope 3 carbon emissions. Setting: Staff commuter patterns between the main campuses of UNISA and the policy environment that has an impact on such travel. Methods: The aim is achieved by means of a case study methodology that considers the relevant policies of the university and applicable results of a 2018 UNISA staff travel demand survey to determine whether the policies are incongruous with the institution’s attempts to reduce its carbon footprint in general, and its Scope 3 carbon emissions in particular. The impact of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic on defining a ‘new normal’ for the university’s operations, and the impact thereof on staff commuting, have been discussed. Results: The study revealed that despite being an Open Distance E-Learning (ODeL) institution, the university has not put a coherent policy framework in place that undeniably supports its efforts to limit or reduce its Scope 3 carbon emissions. This was brought into stark focus by the measures the university was forced to put in place as a result of the COVID-19 lockdown regulations in South Africa, to ensure the continuation of its business. Conclusion: The conclusions will assist UNISA - and other universities which have had to revisit their operations as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic - to define a true ‘new normal’.https://td-sa.net/index.php/td/article/view/1104travel demand managementscope 3 emissionstelecommutingdistance educationsustainability |
| spellingShingle | Thelma Louw Enablers and inhibitors of efforts to reduce Scope 3 emissions – The case of an ODeL university The Journal for Transdisciplinary Research in Southern Africa travel demand management scope 3 emissions telecommuting distance education sustainability |
| title | Enablers and inhibitors of efforts to reduce Scope 3 emissions – The case of an ODeL university |
| title_full | Enablers and inhibitors of efforts to reduce Scope 3 emissions – The case of an ODeL university |
| title_fullStr | Enablers and inhibitors of efforts to reduce Scope 3 emissions – The case of an ODeL university |
| title_full_unstemmed | Enablers and inhibitors of efforts to reduce Scope 3 emissions – The case of an ODeL university |
| title_short | Enablers and inhibitors of efforts to reduce Scope 3 emissions – The case of an ODeL university |
| title_sort | enablers and inhibitors of efforts to reduce scope 3 emissions the case of an odel university |
| topic | travel demand management scope 3 emissions telecommuting distance education sustainability |
| url | https://td-sa.net/index.php/td/article/view/1104 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT thelmalouw enablersandinhibitorsofeffortstoreducescope3emissionsthecaseofanodeluniversity |