getinvolvedatwww. ntualumni. org. uk21 Coastalerosion, risingsealevels, floods, windstorms, coralbleaching... theeffectsof climatechangeareslowlybutsurelymaking theirmarkonsomeoftheworld'smost idyllictraveldestinations. Islandswheretheeconomyisheavily dependentupontourismarebattlingto safeguardthescenicsplendourwhichhas provedsuchadrawforvisitors. Nowtheseverechallengesfacedby countriesbearingtheinitialbruntofglobal warmingarebeingexploredinastudyby NTUresearcherandalumnaRachelWelton ( MarketingManagement1996andSocial ScienceResearchMethods2005). Herworkhasraisedcomplexissues surroundingtheideaofsustainabletourism, especiallyatatimewhenlong- haultravelis beingtargetedbycampaignersfor increasinggreenhousegasemissions. " Whileit'stheWesternworldwhichhas tendedtoproducemoreofthegreenhouse gasesthathaveledtoglobalwarming, it'sthedevelopingcountrieswhichare oftenonthesharpendoftheimpactsof climatechange," saidRachel. " Fromtheperspectiveofcountrieswhere tourismcreatesjobsandalleviatespoverty, itisalltoosimplistictosaythatlong- haul traveliswrong. Theyarearguingfora muchbroaderoutlook, takingintoaccount thesocialandeconomicimpactaswellas theenvironmentalimpactoftourism." ThespringboardforRachel'sstudywasa UNWorldTourismOrganisationconference. Shewasinspiredtolookatsmallisland developingstateswhicharetryingtoease theeffectsofglobalwarmingbutfeel powerlessinthefaceofdecisionstaken outsidetheirownlands. ShehasvisitedSriLanka, theSeychelles andtheMaldivestoundertakein- depth interviewswithadiverserangeofpublic andprivatesectorstakeholders, from governmentministersandtouristboard headstohoteliers, touroperatorsand managersofvisitorattractions. Shehas alsojoinedtouristexcursionsandtravelled independentlytogatherherownevidence. SaidRachel:" Itmaysoundliketheperfect AnNTUacademicisheadingforTokyoto gainaninsightintotheJapaneseapproach toeducationforlearnerswithspecialneeds anddisabilities. DrGillRichards, DirectorofProfessional DevelopmentintheSchoolofEducation, hasbeenawardedagranttofurtherher researchintoinclusiveeducation. ThefundingwasprovidedbytheDaiwa Anglo- JapaneseFoundationaspartofa schemedesignedtopromotegreater interactionbetweentheUKandJapan throughinitiativessuchaseducational exchangesandresearchtravel. ItwillenableGilltospendtimeatthe NationalInstituteofSpecialNeeds EducationinTokyo, acentreofexcellence dedicatedtoimprovingthequalityof educationforchildrenwithdisabilities. SaidGill:" TheInstituteundertakesan impressivelywiderangeofresearchwhich influencesnationalpolicyrelatingto inclusiveeducationaswellasofferinghigh-calibreteachertrainingwhichhasshaped classroompracticeinJapan. " AsweknowverylittleabouttheJapanese perspectiveonthisvitallyimportantareaof education, thevisitshouldprovidemewith freshinsightsandpromotethesharingof expertiseandthinking. Inthelongterm, I hopeitwillpavethewayforfurther partnershipprojects." WhenshetravelstoTokyoinMay, Gillwill beaccompaniedbyFionaHallettfromEdge HillUniversity, whocollaboratesregularly withNTU'sSchoolofEducation. Sharingideas Paradiselost? Anewstudyisexploringhowtraveldestinations canweatherthestormofclimatechange. project, visiting' paradise'islands, butit's hardworkwhenI'mthere. Notonlyare thereextremetimepressuresbuttheissues I'mexploringareverycomplexpolitically, environmentallyandeconomically." Examplesofproblemscausedbyglobal warmingincludecoastalerosionwhich meanssandhashadtobepumpedinto preservepristinebeaches; sealevelrises whichcausedamagetoexclusivewater bungalows; anddisruptiontomarinelife. Thecoralsurroundingallthreeislandshas sufferedbleachingasthetemperatureof theseahasincreased. Overall, dramatic changesinweatherpatternsalsomeanthat visitorscanbeleftdisappointedbythelack ofsunshineatcertaintimes. Concertedeffortsarenowbeingmadeon allthreeislandstoadapttochanging climateconditionsviapracticalmeasures andenvironmentallaws. SriLankahaslaunched' EarthLung', a drivetomaketheislandacarbonneutral destinationthroughre- forestationand alternativeenergysources. Educationis alsoakeytool, withimprovedinformation fortouristssothattheycanoptfor environment- friendlyactivitiestoreduce theircarbonfootprintduringtheirstay. Rachel'sresearchwillformthebasisofa PhDbutwillalsobesharedwithtourism industryleaderstohelpinfutureplanning. ... somecountries feelit'salltoo simplistictoblame long- haultravel...

networkenvironment 22getinvolvedatwww. ntualumni. org. uk Treeresearchtakesabough! NTUresearchershavebranchedoutto supportanexcitinginitiativewhichis bringingmoregreenerytoinnercityareas. ExpertsfromtheSchoolofSocialSciences havejoinedforceswithindependentcharity TreesforCities, whichisstimulatingagreen renaissancethroughtreeplantingandthe re- landscapingofpublicspaces. TheNTUteamisundertakingresearch intotheeffectsofurbanvegetationon communities. Itsfindingswillhelpunderpin thecharity'sworktoenrichtheurban landscape, improvequalityoflifeand promotegreatersocialcohesionincities. Issuesbeingstudiedincludehowshared greenspacescanhaveapositiveeffecton thehealthandwellbeingofindividuals, strengthensocialtiesandhelpreduce problemssuchascrimeandvandalism. TheresearchisledbyDrBelindaWinder whowasaco- founderofTreesforCities backin1993. OriginallylaunchedasTrees forLondon, theorganisationissosuccessful thatithasextendeditsreachworldwide anditsactivitiesencompasseducational work, vocationaltrainingandcampaigning. Belindasaid:" Ourstudieswillfeedinto thedesignofactualplantingprojectsfor thecharityaswellasinfluencingitsforward planning. Ultimatelywealsohopetoseea ' TreesforNottingham'initiativelaunched." Theresearchhasalreadywonsupport throughtheStimulatingInnovationfor Success( SIS) programmeandfurther fundingsourcesarebeingexplored. GrahamSimmonds, ChiefExecutiveof TreesforCities, added:" Thankstoacan- do attitudeandacreativeapproach, our organisationhascomealongway- butin recentyearswe'verecognisedtheneedfor moreacademicresearchtounderpinour developmentandbolsterourcampaigning. ThecollaborationwithNTUistherefore bringinganewdimensiontoourthinking." * Moredetailat: www. treesforcities. org upouract Aseriesofenvironment- friendlyprojectsatNTUis keepingthesustainabilityagendatothefore. NottinghamTrentUniversityhasreinforced its' green'credentials- byreachingthe finalsofaprestigiousindustrycompetition. Itwasshortlistedforthe' outstanding contributiontosustainabledevelopment' prizeatthisyear'sTimesHigherAwards TheaccoladereflectsNTU'ssuccessin leadingtheEcoCampusinitiative, which encouragesuniversitiestoaddress environmentalissues. TheUniversityhas alsoshownseriouscommitmenttoreducing itsowncarbonemissions- cuttingwasteby 100tonnesinthelastsixmonthsand increasingrecyclingbyalmostahalf. AllelectricityusedontheCitycampus overthelastyearhasbeenfromrenewable sources; asustainablepurchasingpolicyhas beenadopted; andasustainabilitywebsite hasbeenlaunched. Meanwhile, theStudents'Unionhasalso wonnationalrecognitionfor' green'action. Itscoopedabronzeprizeinthelatest SoundImpactAwardswhichcelebratebest environmentalpracticeinStudents'Unions. * ForinformationonNTU'senvironmental action, visit: www. ntu. ac. uk/ ecoweb Transportofdelight NTU'sinter- campusbusservicehasproved tobejusttheticket- amilliontimesover! Earlierthisyear, theNo. 4Unilinkservice betweentheCityandCliftoncampuses celebrateditsonemillionthcustomer. Thelandmarkjourneywasmadeby studentJenniferHall, whosaid:" Iusethe Unilinkallthetime. It'sgreatthatitrunsso regularly, andthebusesarecleanandsafe. It'stheidealwayformetogettolectures." Developedthroughjointinvestmentwith NottinghamCityCouncilandapartnership withNottinghamCityTransport( NCT), the serviceusesafleetoffive" bendy" buses. Theyrunevery15minutesintermtime, reducingthenumberofcarjourneysmade bystudents, cuttingcongestionandtackling climatechange. Asthemillionthcustomer, Jenniferwonaterm'sfreeNCTtravel. Greening Top: OurmillionthUnilinkcustomerJenniferHall Middle: Campaigningformoregreenery Bottom: NTUresearchcouldeasefloodchaos