Spring Conference ECR blog series #5 – highlights from Plenary session 1: Presentation on ‘A Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) on Carbon Capture and Storage’

As part of our Spring Conference ECR blog series, Shervan Babamohammadi, Brunel University London, discusses  Prof Mathieu Lucquiaud’s presentation during Plenary session 1.

A window to better understand Carbon Capture and Storage

It has often occurred to me to discuss with the public about global warming and the role of humans in increasing carbon dioxide emissions, as well as the methods we use in academic and industrial research to reduce emissions. Sometimes I would like to offer a course for those who have little specialised knowledge but are eager to learn, so that I can both play a role in informing people and getting them to answer their many questions.

Prof Mathieu Lucquiaud

These thoughts were on my mind until I attended the UKCCSRC’s Sheffield Conference and saw Prof Mathieu Lucquiaud’s presentation in the very first session: A Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) on Carbon Capture and Storage! How great! They designed an online course on carbon capture that many people could take even without a specialised background. I think it was admirable that they designed such a course. The course explores how Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) technologies can provide a long term solution to one of the defining issues of the twenty-first century.

“Preventing dangerous levels of climate change”. In this online course, participants will learn the basics of carbon capture and storage. Why should we worry about carbon at all? Because all of us will be affected in some way by the planet’s warming. If you’re young enough to be around in 2050, then during your lifetime, your environment may be affected by more frequent extreme weather events, such as more powerful hurricanes, or food prices may go up. Floods may lead to the movement of millions of climate refugees. The course also explains why we should care about Carbon Capture and Storage. Because it’s absolutely fundamental that we use this key technology to control the amount of carbon dioxide accumulated in the atmosphere in the most cost-effective way. The course will introduce people to the challenges and the technological solutions to reconcile global energy, the way we use fossil fuels and a desirable outcome for climate change.

I think this was one of the most different and useful parts of the UKCCSRC conference. I was encouraged that people like Prof Mathieu Lucquiaud, who are at the highest academic level in the country, did not limit themselves to specialised audiences and made their knowledge available to non-specialists globally. Having such universal courses to raise awareness and overcome the global warming crisis can be very fruitful.

Although I face CCS challenges daily due to my work and research, I also enrolled in this online course. I also suggest you find this course on the EDX website and register!