University relaunches world-first carbon capture and storage free online course
The course has been developed by leading academics Dr Mathieu Lucquiaud from the School of Engineering and Dr Mark Wilkinson from the School of Geosciences, alongside researcher Mennat Labib who is based in the School’s Carbon Capture and Storage Group.
‘Climate Change: Carbon Capture and Storage’ is a massive open online course (MOOC), which means that it is completely free and accessible to anyone worldwide.
Understanding carbon capture and storage
Carbon capture and storage is a technology designed to capture carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions generated by fossil fuels used in electricity generation and industrial processes.
During the course, learners explore what CCS is, and how it can help protect the atmosphere from an excess of CO2 and remove excess CO2 already accumulated in the atmosphere. They also understand the role of CCS alongside other low-carbon technologies and how it might be practically implemented against a background of shifting global political and economic conditions.
A world-first in open access learning
When the course launched back in March 2018, it was the world’s first open online course to address carbon capture technology and ran for a second time from November 2018.
So far, the course has enabled 5,000 learners in 140 countries with an interest in climate change to understand the exciting potential of CCS, as well as the science and technology behind it.
Policy-making backdrop
The present course session began on Monday 25 November 2019, and coincides with the opening of the 2019 United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP25) on Monday 2 December 2019. COP25 brings together world leaders to set the course for future international climate change strategy, and is a focal point for environmentalists and scientists seeking to effect positive change.
The course aims to engage with this international effort by raising awareness of the current mismatch between investment in CCS and its potential role in climate change mitigation among the public, environmentalists and policymakers.