Carbon Literacy Training

The Climate Change Transformation Team are launching an accredited Carbon Literacy® programme, developed for the Isle of Man Government and Public Bodies in partnership with The Carbon Literacy Project and the UK Government.

87% of Isle of Man Government employees consider climate change to be important and 72% are personally worried about climate change* and yet climate action is not yet at the heart of government decision making.

WHAT IS CARBON LITERACY?

Carbon Literacy provides staff with ‘an awareness of the carbon costs and impacts of everyday activities and the ability and motivation to reduce emissions, on an individual, community and organisational basis.’

Staff who successfully complete a day’s worth of approved Carbon Literacy learning are certified as Carbon Literate. As part of certification, learners are required to complete an action plan where they must commit to both a significant individual and group action to reduce their carbon footprint. Upon successful assessment, a learner is awarded a uniquely numbered certificate to evidence their Carbon Literacy, and confirm that they have met the requirements of The Carbon Literacy Standard.

WHY IS IT BEING ROLLED OUT?

‘We must do everything in our power to limit the effects of climate change and future-proof our economy, so future generations can thrive. Carbon Literacy is a programme to help underpin climate action so that it becomes embedded in our business as usual across Isle of Man Government and puts us in a position of leadership on delivering tangible change’
Chief Minister Alfred Cannan

Education, raising awareness, sharing knowledge and showcasing best practice are key to making informed decisions. Carbon Literacy training provides Public Servants and Politicians with the tools to lead by example in how they procure, run and govern operations and clearly communicate the rationale for behaviour change in a way that resonates with the public

Isle of Man Government have a formidable sphere of influence to enact change. In order to deliver our public duties in the Climate Act 2021, the politically-backed Climate Change Plan 2022-27, and achieve the urgency of the speed and scale of the change needed, government decision making must be aligned with our statutory emission reduction targets and embedded into all roles and activities such as policy proposals, procurement contracts and delivery plans. This is at the very core of the Climate Change Act 2021 where all public bodies are obliged to act in a way which best contributes to net zero.

Becoming Carbon Literate means taking steps towards tackling the climate emergency and mitigating the effects of climate change within the Isle of Man. For us, taking action to mitigate climate change is vital because it will improve our quality of life, protect our living home and demonstrate to the world what a small independent nation can achieve.

The UN recognised The Carbon Literacy Project as one of 100 projects worldwide that could materially change the way we deal with climate change under the ‘Transformative Actions Program’ at COP21.

The course has been successfully rolled out in the UK Civil Service and Local Authorities and we have joined forces to bring the course to the Isle of Man.

I'M INTERESTED! WHAT DOES THE TRAINING INVOLVE?

The training usually takes place over 2 half days (or 1 full day), online or in-person and helps staff to:

• Gain an understanding of the basic science of climate change and how climate change will affect us both globally and in the Isle of Man.
• Explore how Public Servants can provide leadership in the climate emergency.
• Consider how climate change can be integrated into their day-to-day decision making, role and policy.
• Explore how climate action can be co-ordinated across the Public Service.
• Be equipped with the knowledge and skills to articulate the scale and significance of climate change.
• Create an action pledge to help reduce the carbon footprint of your department or agency.

The training supports delivery of the Island Plan and Economic Strategy. Reducing emissions and operating in ways that are low emission, environmentally and socially sustainable is foundational to delivering the five priorities of the Island Plan. Both the Island Plan and Economic Strategy have sustainability as core themes and this training will improve understanding of how that can be delivered effectively at all levels.

Training Content  

Module 1 : 
An overview of climate science for non-scientists 
Impacts of Climate Change 

Module 2:  
Equity and vulnerability 
The co-benefits of climate action 

Module 3: 
Understanding carbon footprints 
Co-ordinating climate action 

Module 4: 
Talking about climate change 
Understanding how to take action in our own life and at work 
Action planning and pledges 

By embedding awareness of the climate impacts of everyday actions, Carbon Literacy training enables staff to make informed decisions to cut carbon, energy and waste in your department,  but what other benefits does Carbon Literacy provide?

We want everybody in the organisation to better understand the implications of climate change and be galvanised to undertake climate action in their home life and at work, as part of their business as usual. Carbon Literacy training will help them do that. You might not be working in sustainability on a day to day basis – but you can do something to improve the Island for future generations.’
Aly Lewin, Head of Climate Change, DEFA

The Energy Saving Trust also reports that the key advantages of implementing an employee behavioural change programme are:

1. Reduced energy bills and transport costs.
2. Improved employee morale, satisfaction and productivity.
3. Enhanced image and credibility.
4. Up-to-date knowledge and information for your staff.

TRAINING COST

The first 500 places (or submission for accreditation) will be paid for by the Climate Change Team, after this there is a charge of £10 per attendee.

Once Carbon Literate, staff can then roll out training to other staff. This creates a cascade effect, whereby as you roll out the training, there are more Carbon Literate staff who can take their turn in delivering training. You don’t need to be a certified trainer to deliver Carbon Literacy training as the materials come with a comprehensive trainer manual that guides you through every step of the training.

All training materials are provided as well as trainers for our first year. Our local training partners are:

SIGN ME UP!

To book, either

1. Join our open, cross-department sessions on Tuesdays

Part 1: https://ticketpass.org/event/EYUBHO/carbon-literacy-for-iom-civil-service-part-1

Part 2: https://ticketpass.org/event/EHXMQT/carbon-literacy-for-iom-civil-service-part-2

One person is able to book multiple tickets, but you will need to assign those tickets to the relevant attendees so that each attendee fills out the pre-course survey. There is a way of doing this through the booking site itself.

(Please note, attendance at both Part 1 and Part 2 sessions are required for Carbon Literacy Accreditation)

Or

2. Arrange a Department or Team specific cohort

Book a call with Sarah from Earthscope at the below link to arrange logistics for a department or team specific Carbon Literacy training. The minimum number for a specific cohort is 25 people.

Book here: https://calendly.com/earthscope-edu/30min

WHAT DO ATTENDEES SAY ABOUT CARBON LITERACY TRAINING?

To say [Carbon Literacy] has been something of a life changing experience for me, is probably not an overstatement…. In hard economic terms, so far we have already reduced our organisation’s energy consumption significantly, and this has saved us over £10,000 this year alone. All the more impressive perhaps when you consider that we’ve been doing this now for less than six months.
Building Operations and Logistics Manager from The Atkinson, Southport

One of our biggest priorities is to boost Carbon Literacy within the government property profession and deliver a learning and development programme for the thousands of property professionals working on property in government.
Dr Janet Young, Government Head of Property Profession at Cabinet Office, England

We need to face up to this major challenge, partly because of the heath and quality of our own residents. We need to clean up the air that they breathe, we want to reduce the plastic litter that’s cluttering up our rivers and green spaces. We want to put Greater Manchester in a position of leadership on this crucial issue that will shape the 21st century, but if we to succeed it requires radical action now.
Andy Burnham, Mayor of Greater Manchester