（from China Education News, May 16, 2022, edition 5）
Shoulder the mission of serving the Double-carbon strategy
Fang Jie
The Double-carbon strategy is a major strategic decision made by the CPC Central Committee with Xi Jinping at its core in coordinating both domestic and international situations. It is also a major new theoretical and practical problem that China faces after entering a new stage of development. In July 2021, the Ministry of Education issued the Action Plan for Carbon neutral and Technology Innovation in Institutions of Higher Learning. Recently, the strengthening the carbon talent training system construction work plan was issued. The plan aims to require universities to play the main force of basic research and the source of scientific and technological innovation and accelerate the construction of a carbon-neutral scientific and technological innovation system and talent training system. Colleges and universities should give full play to the respective advantages of their disciplines and the characteristics of running schools, and better combine the development of the first productive force of science and technology, the first resource of talent training, and the first driving force of innovation, to provide scientific and technological support and talent guarantee for carbon peak reaching and carbon neutrality.
Facing the need for a Double-carbon strategy, we should optimize the layout of disciplines and majors. Promoting the realization of the Double-carbon strategic goal not only brings opportunities for the scientific and technological revolution, industrial transformation, and the construction of a green and low-carbon economic system, but also brings multiple challenges such as the transformation of the development model, industrial structure upgrading, energy structure transformation, and technological innovation and competition. Therefore, it is urgent and necessary to develop the Double-carbon related disciplines. Colleges and universities should combine their advantages and discipline characteristics, identify the right point of force, let the double carbon theme lead the construction of disciplines, actively cultivate related emerging disciplines, and form a first-class discipline and major system that meets the double carbon strategic needs and integrates traditional competitive disciplines and emerging interdisciplinary disciplines. For example, schools of finance and economics can accelerate the integrated development of economics, management, statistics, law, and other disciplines, and accelerate the training of professionals in carbon verification, carbon brokerage, carbon accounting, carbon investment consulting, the carbon credit assessment, carbon asset assessment, and international cooperation on climate change.
It is to build a Double-carbon talent training system, diversified training of talents in short supply. We should accelerate the improvement of the diversified talent training system, systematically promote the development of first-class undergraduate education and high-quality graduate education, and forge a large number of all-around developing future scientists, leading engineering talents, and various innovative compound application-oriented talents for the Double-carbon cause. First, according to the situation of universities themselves, it is to integrate superior teaching resources, and establish the school of Low carbon economy based on resources, environment, and energy-related majors, which is not only a timely move to serve the major national development strategy but also a powerful measure to seize the dual heights of talent training and scientific research. Second, it is to do a good job in talent training programs, strengthen the construction of carbon-neutral and related teaching materials, and publish some leading and influential high-level teaching materials. Third, it is to explore and improve the new education model of integrating industry and education, science and education, and school and enterprise, promote the integration of high-quality education resources inside and outside class, inside and outside school, and promote the organic connection of training chain, talent chain, industrial chain, and innovation chain. Fourth, it is to make full use of the advantages of disciplines and teachers in universities to carry out carbon ability education and training, and provide services for low-carbon professionals of various market entities.
We will strengthen organized scientific research and build a Double-carbon system for scientific and technological innovation. The realization path and institutional arrangement of the Double-carbon strategic goal involves a large number of basic theories, engineering technology, and economy and management in the field of natural science. Universities should rely on key laboratories, collaborative innovation centers, engineering, and technology centers, and other scientific research institutions, focus on common real problems in carbon neutrality and key technical problems, and strengthen organized scientific research. For example, schools of finance and economics can make efforts in carbon ancillary industries and intermediary services, and carry out interdisciplinary research on the economic and social impact of Double-carbon policies, carbon emission trading system design, climate change risk management, innovation of climate investment and financing models, and the construction of climate-resilient cities. In addition, on the one hand, a flexible talent mechanism should be established to gather leading talents and high-level talents at home and abroad in the Double-carbon direction and form a cross-innovation team. On the other hand, it is necessary to build a coordination mechanism connecting with the needs of economic and social development and connecting industries, and carry out in-depth cooperation between government, industry, research and research institutes governments, industries, enterprises, and research institutes to promote real coordination and achieve breakthroughs.
We will open schools on all fronts and enhance our Double-carbon international voice and our ability to serve society. Addressing climate change and achieving carbon neutrality is the common mission of the international community to achieve carbon neutrality. Opening up should also stand on the strategic height of building a community with a shared future for mankind and sustainable development, and push international exchanges and cooperation in the field of double carbon to a deeper level, a higher level, and a wider field. First, we should give full play to the role of Chinese and foreign universities as a bridge, strengthen international dialogue on global issues such as green and low-carbon development and climate change, take the initiative to cooperate and exchange with world-class universities and academic institutions, and carry out joint training and scientific research of high-level talents in the Double-carbon field. Second, we will build some carbon-neutral field innovation and wisdom introduction bases in colleges and universities, and vigorously attract high-level overseas talents to participate in China's carbon-neutral discipline construction and scientific research. Third, by holding carbon-neutral international academic conferences or forums, we will actively strengthen international cooperation on climate change, participate in the formulation of international rules and standards, contribute Chinese wisdom to global climate change governance, and enhance China's influence and voice in global climate change governance. Internal opening is also the due meaning of open schools. Colleges and universities should actively build an innovation practice system of service Double-carbon strategy for the society, and accelerate the deep integration of the innovation chain and industrial chain. On the one hand, we should deepen cooperation between universities, enterprises, and local governments, and build an industry-university-research innovation network in the whole chain of carbon-neutral technology development. Colleges and technology enterprises can establish science and technology research and development centers, industry research institutes, fusion innovation platforms, actively participate in innovation consortium construction, promote cross-industry, cross-field, cross-regional carbon and key technology integration coupling and comprehensive optimization, promote energy depth decarbonization, industrial green manufacturing, transportation and other key areas of low carbon development. On the other hand, it is necessary to accelerate the transformation of scientific and technological achievements, accelerate the application and implementation of the achievements, actively integrate into various carbon neutral demonstration projects at all levels, and constantly improve the level of technological innovation in this process.
We will give full play to the function of think tanks in universities, and improve the scientific decision-making level of Double-carbon. Different types of universities should give full play to the advantages of intellectual resources and theoretical research, enhance the viscosity of think tank products and decision-making practice, and build a new think tank with distinct industry characteristics and reflecting the characteristics of universities. First, the positioning should be accurate. Policy study, topic research, strategic consultation, evaluation, and monitoring activities will be carried out around the basic connotation of carbon neutrality, the realization path, and main route, and the carbon market system and mechanism design. Second, the cooperation needs to be more extensive. It is to strengthen the cooperation between inter-institutions, expand the breadth of research, expand the depth of research, form more valuable research results, and improve the timeliness and influence of think tank results. Third, the quality should be high. It is to have decision-making influence and social credibility of landmark intelligence achievements as the core standard of university think-tank construction, strengthen the combination of theory and practice, academic research and policy consultation, combining domestic and foreign experience, service development and brand building, efforts to produce theoretical innovation and practical application value of double carbon results. Fourth, the method should be new. Driven by digital mining + strategic application, we should explore new ideas for the construction of a think tank platform, and improve the service efficiency of think tanks in the Double-carbon strategy through data empowerment and intelligent empowerment.
It is to take the lead in demonstration and application, and speed up the construction of a zero-carbon campus. Universities are carbon emission-intensive organizations and the main positions of low-carbon education, publicity, and scientific research. They should assume environmental responsibilities and become a benchmark for leading the comprehensive green and low-carbon transformation and development of the economy and society. We can formulate and implement campus carbon-neutral action plans, promote the construction of a carbon-neutral campus in an orderly manner, and promote the integration of low-carbon concepts, low-carbon education, and low-carbon life. It is to vigorously promote green and low-carbon culture, carry out popular science publicity, practical activities, volunteer services, etc., and transform the Double-carbon strategic goal into the ideological consensus of all teachers and students, and guide teachers and students to consciously be innovators of green and low-carbon technology and practitioners of green and low-carbon life. Campus construction and management implement the concept of green and low-carbon, effectively use renewable energy such as ground source heat and solar energy, reduce gas consumption, and adopt energy-saving and emission reduction technologies such as lake water watering, rainwater collection, and intelligent energy control, to achieve scientific energy use while reducing total carbon emissions. We could make full use of big data, cloud services, Internet, and other advanced technologies, to build an intelligent campus energy operation and management platform, carry out energy consumption monitoring, diagnosis and management, and optimize energy supply solutions.
(The author is the president of Hubei University of Economics)
China Education News, May 16, 2022, edition 5