Abstract

In the context of climate change, engineering curriculum has, to-date, generally focused on technology and mechanics: from the technical bits of greenhouse gas (GHG) quantification to the specifics of developing new emission reducing solutions. In contrast, little attention has been directed to how this engineering training and education might be applied practically within the existing and emerging GHG measurement and management (GHGMM) frameworks and institutions. This gap stands as a substantial barrier to climate change mitigation. To bridge this gap educational institutions have yet to undertake the necessary innovations and transformations needed to prepare a future workforce on the scale necessary to address the challenge of climate change mitigation in a way that instills public and policy-maker confidence. Irrespective of the form or timing of climate change policies, the foundation of policy design and implementation measures to address the root cause of climate change is reliable metrics on GHG emissions (and removals). Currently, the need to appropriately prepare GHGMM professionals has not been systematically addressed. In the absence of a coordinated approach, supplementary training courses and institutions primarily outside of academia in the informal education sector have filled this important role. However, to adequately (i.e., with scale and rigor) meet this need, the formal education sector (i.e., colleges and universities) must be engaged. With the near-decade-long lag time involved in establishing new education programs and curricula and then producing new graduates, this shift in the focus of education must begin immediately. The importance of harmonizing technical engineering curriculum with the practical requirements of institutions and standards cannot be understated. Bridging this gap ensures a more rapid scaling of GHGMM professionals into in-demand roles. Further, integrating practical requirements into engineering education facilitates important cross discipline linkages and important divisions of labor by skill set (e.g., integration of engineering quantification with GHG data in formats appropriate for financial reporting). Recalibrating engineering curriculum to address practical GHGMM is a critical step toward the professionalization of the practice.

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