UQ Carbon Literacy Program - Frequently asked questions

Education is an essential element of the global response to climate change, one of the biggest challenges of our time. By enrolling in this program, you are equipping yourself with the necessary knowledge and skills to respond to this challenge, as an individual and as a collective group.

The UQ Carbon Literacy program takes 8 hours. It will teach you the basics of climate change science, what’s already happening globally and locally, how your actions may be affecting climate change and what you, as an individual, can do to help. During the program, you will also make at least two significant low-carbon pledges. You will:

• Create at least one significant action, as an individual, to reduce your own personal carbon footprint.
• Create at least one significant action involving other people to reduce the collective footprint of your workplace, community or place of education.

You’ll also learn about some of the excellent things that those around us are already doing and find out how to motivate and inspire those around you, including gaining the confidence to express your Carbon Literacy to others.

Learning about climate change isn’t easy, but it’s one of the most important things you’ll ever learn. In order to achieve your Carbon Literacy certificate, you will be required to put in some effort. The Carbon Literacy Project only certifies individuals that have shown engagement, enthusiasm and have contributed to the workshop activities and discussions. You must create significant personal and group actions to reduce your carbon footprint. Your Facilitator will also give you advice on where to find out more following the completion of your course

You don’t need to have any prior knowledge of climate change to take part in this program. You do need to be keen and willing to learn.

You will need to commit to undertake the whole 8-hour course comprising a blend of 6 hours of sessions either online or in person and 2 hours of online self-study.

Face-to-face sessions are limited to 40 participants per facilitator. Larger sessions can be held with additional facilitators to support the delivery.

Before enrolling, we ask that you make sure you are available to complete the full program (i.e. 8 hours). Only if you attend the full program, will you be able to submit your assessment. In case of unforeseen circumstances, you have to miss a session or two, we will allow you to make them up when new dates are offered.

For program integrity purposes, learning materials are available up to the assessment submission.  

Taking approximately 2 hours to complete, the assessment is compulsory to become eligible for certification in addition to completing the full program. The assessment is due one week after the last face-to-face session of the program. If you have any trouble completing your assessment, please reach out to your Facilitator directly. A rubric is also available.

After successful completion and review, your certificate is issued by the Carbon Literacy Project and distributed by the University of Queensland in a PDF format. From submission of your assessment to receiving your certificate, estimate approximately two to three weeks.

Certificates awarded to individuals carry unique codes and will not expire, but it is likely that the core elements of the content will evolve over time, and standards and expectations will rise. When subsequent ‘upgraded’ versions of the certificate become available, individuals may choose to refresh their skills to ensure they retain the latest version.

The program is delivered by UQ academics or certified Carbon Literate Facilitators. They deliver the UQ Carbon Literacy Program in full being four face-to-face sessions. One or two sessions may occasionally be delivered by a Facilitator Trainee.

The program is free of charge for all UQ Students and staff.