Environmental and Social Benefits

• Enhanced Climate Adaptation: The climate scenarios developed through this initiative enable institutions to anticipate and plan for various climate futures, thereby enhancing their resilience. By providing a sector-wide framework, the project supports institutions in prioritising environmental and social risks, ultimately reducing the sector’s vulnerability to climate change.
• Sector-Wide Engagement: Over 100 stakeholders from diverse backgrounds participated in the workshops, including representatives from all tertiary institutions, government agencies, and industry experts. This broad engagement ensured that the scenarios were robust, inclusive, and reflective of the sector’s varied perspectives and needs.
• Social Awareness and Leadership: The initiative has raised awareness of climate change impacts within the tertiary sector and has driven a commitment to proactive planning and adaptation. This collective approach encourages leadership and accountability across the sector, setting a precedent for other industries.

Leadership and Engagement

• Collaborative Approach: The project is notable for being the first large-scale collaboration between all 12 publicly funded tertiary education institutions in New Zealand, including universities, Wānanga, and Te Pūkenga. This collaboration ensured that resources, expertise, and insights were shared across the sector, leading to a more unified and strategic approach to climate adaptation.
• In-House Expertise: The project utilised in-house expertise for leadership and facilitation, avoiding the need for external consultants and ensuring that the process was deeply rooted in the sector’s specific context and challenges. This approach not only reduced costs but also fostered a sense of ownership among the participating institutions.
• Nationwide Workshops: The initiative included two workshops conducted across five locations in New Zealand, using a regionally hybrid model that combined in-person gatherings with virtual connections. This format maximised participation while minimising carbon emissions from travel, reflecting the project’s commitment to sustainability.

Significance to the Sector

• Global Leadership: The TESCFG’s initiative is a global first in terms of its scale and scope, providing a model for other sectors and countries to follow. By focusing on the entire tertiary education sector, the project ensures that all institutions are working from a common understanding of climate risks, which is crucial for coordinated and effective action.
• Replicable Model: The project’s approach, which includes scenario development, stakeholder engagement, and the use of in-house expertise, is highly replicable. Other sectors can adopt this model to develop their own climate adaptation strategies, benefiting from the lessons learned in New Zealand’s tertiary education sector.
• Influence Beyond the Sector: The scenarios and the process used to develop them have already begun influencing other sectors, with the project team presenting their findings to an All-of-Government Sustainability Group. This demonstrates the broader relevance and applicability of the project’s outcomes.

Wider Societal Impact

• Resilient Education Sector: A resilient tertiary education sector is critical for New Zealand’s future, as it educates the country’s leaders, houses vast knowledge resources, and plays a statutory role in critiquing and guiding society. The scenarios developed through this initiative help to safeguard these functions against the impacts of climate change.
• Addressing Eco-Anxiety: By providing a clear framework for climate adaptation, the project helps to mitigate feelings of eco-anxiety and climate grief among students, staff, and the broader community. The proactive approach demonstrated by the tertiary sector can inspire confidence and reduce the psychological impacts of climate change.
• Sector-Wide Leadership: The initiative underscores the potential for closer partnerships between tertiary institutions and their communities, particularly in areas such as emergency response and civil defense. The scenarios highlight opportunities for tertiary institutions to play a more active role in supporting community resilience in the face of climate change.

The “From Sweet As to Oh Bugger – Sector-wide Climate Scenarios” initiative by the Tertiary Education Sector Climate Futures Group is a landmark project that exemplifies the power of collaboration and forward-thinking in addressing climate change. By bringing together all of New Zealand’s tertiary institutions to develop a unified climate adaptation strategy, the initiative not only enhances the sector’s resilience but also sets a global standard for climate planning in education. Its success demonstrates the importance of sector-wide leadership, the value of in-house expertise, and the impact of engaging diverse stakeholders in creating a sustainable future.