Discussion

1/5

Everything we do that is founded in modern tech is to do with the decarbonisation challenge.

Except when in some people’s minds who should know better it’s conveniently ‘not’.

It’s ‘not’ when the kneejerk reaction of journalists is to pour scorn on any valiant attempt to make it an everything problem.

Which is exactly what Emma Barnett did this morning on #r4Today.

She was interviewing two people about the drive towards students taking exams online rather than on paper in an exam room…

Andreas K

@yacc143@mastodon.social replied · 2 weeks ago

@urlyman Sigh.

There are two issues here.

Yes, commuting is an issue, if you don't happen to live in a city that has moved to mostly public transit and other CO² free transport.

And second online exams aren't anything trivial. No matter how draconian your proctoring system is, a HDMI splitter, and a hole through the wall with a wireless keyboard/mouse (let's say one of these cool unsafe old-generation Logitech HID receivers, these are well researched), and my replacement is taking the exam.

Jonathan Schofield

@urlyman@mastodon.social replied · 2 weeks ago

@yacc143 I’m not advocating for online exams.

I’m highlighting a journalistic disposition, which as it happens, Radio 4 Today frequently display

Jonathan Schofield

@urlyman@mastodon.social replied · 2 weeks ago

2/5

…One of Emma’s interviewees was Laura McInerney, founder of Teacher Tapp (https://lauramcinerney.com/), who got to make her contribution at around 07:25 this morning.

Emma:
“Laura, what have you been hearing from teachers around the potential for moving exams onto screens?”

Laura:
“…What we find is that teachers do feel there is an inevitable shift towards digital exams, both because of digital skills needs … but also because of environmental concerns…

Jonathan Schofield

@urlyman@mastodon.social replied · 2 weeks ago

3/5

Laura: “…It’s not *minor* to drive around millions of exam papers across the country each year and then drive them to warehouses and so on. So that’s *part* of it…”

Emma Barnett butts in, with an incredulous tone:
“That can’t be… Is that really a concern? Environmental issues, driving papers around, that’s not really going to change our, sort of, climate issue is it?”

At which point Laura does her best to counter Emma’s derogatory interjection and emphasise that it’s just one aspect…

Jonathan Schofield

@urlyman@mastodon.social replied · 2 weeks ago

4/5

…And here’s my point. It’s not about whether paper exams have a higher carbon footprint or not.

It’s that Emma couldn’t wait to butt in with scorn in her voice. It’s that UK transport emissions have barely diminished since we started telling ourselves that we care about them over 35 years ago. It’s that when teachers tell a survey app that they do care about these issues, their concerns are to be dismissed.

Because as we all know, thermodynamics is famously negotiable :/

#climateDiary

Jonathan Schofield

@urlyman@mastodon.social replied · 2 weeks ago

5/5

…I said “It’s not about whether paper exams have a higher carbon footprint or not” above for reasons of wanting to fit what followed into a single post.

When it comes to decarbonisation it *is* of course about which mode of examination has lower impact.

But at *this juncture*, it’s kind of not because what we have is a culture that is making essentially no effort at all, that doesn’t take it seriously, that doesn’t want to *examine* any of it.

And we need to fkn *start*

#climateDiary

Oliver Schönrock

@oschonrock@mastodon.social replied · 2 weeks ago

@urlyman tbh... It really is a ridiculous suggestion

Didn't hear the interview but i suspect my reaction would have been similar to Emma's.

Why not just decarbonise the transport of the exam papers.

I would almost make the counter argument.

While I am on your side on the overall objective, This kind of breathless rant from people like you gives climate measures a bad name and actually slows progress.

Please rethink.

Jonathan Schofield

@urlyman@mastodon.social replied · 2 weeks ago

…I have submitted a complaint to the BBC.

It ends with:

“Unfortunately for us, the thermodynamics of pumping billions of tonnes of climate warming gases into the air is not negotiable. Perhaps Today might be more sober on the issues, and become capable of passing an exam in how to sustain the best of what we have in the rest of the 21st Century.”

#climateDiary

- There probably is a debate to be had about whether paper exams have a significantly higher carbon footprint than the contribution which digital exams might make to the burgeoning impact of data-centre-driven modernity.
- But the net effect of Emma’s incredulity was overwhelmingly to signal that when teachers tells a survey app that thay are concerned about these issues, those concerns are to be dismissed.
- And this is in the context of a culture that is making too little effort to decarbonise, that doesn’t take it seriously, that doesn’t want to *examine* any of it.

Unfortunately for us, the thermodynamics of pumping billions of tonnes of climate warming gases into the air is not negotiable. Perhaps Today might be more sober on the issues, and become capable of passing an exam in how to sustain the best of what we have in the rest of the 21st Century. — - There probably is a debate to be had about whether paper exams have a significantly higher carbon footprint than the contribution which digital exams might make to the burgeoning impact of data-centre-driven modernity. - But the net effect of Emma’s incredulity was overwhelmingly to signal that when teachers tells a survey app that thay are concerned about these issues, those concerns are to be dismissed. - And this is in the context of a culture that is making too little effort to decarbonise, that doesn’t take it seriously, that doesn’t want to *examine* any of it. Unfortunately for us, the thermodynamics of pumping billions of tonnes of climate warming gases into the air is not negotiable. Perhaps Today might be more sober on the issues, and become capable of passing an exam in how to sustain the best of what we have in the rest of the 21st Century.

Your complaint

What is the programme title?
Today

When was it broadcast?
11/12/2025

How did you watch or listen to the programme?
Actual (live)

Roughly how far into the programme did the issue happen?
07:25am

Select the best category to describe your complaint:
Bias

What is the subject of your complaint?
Being dismissive of decarbonisation concerns

Please enter your complaint:
Emma Barnett interviewed Laura McInerney about the shift to digital exams. Laura’s first contribution began:

“What we find is that teachers do feel there is an inevitable shift towards digital exams, both because of digital skills needs … but also because of environmental concerns. It’s not *minor* to drive around millions of exam papers across the country each year and then drive them to warehouses and so on. So that’s *part* of it…”

Emaa could not wait to butt in with an incredulous tone:

“That can’t be… Is that really a concern? Environmental issues, driving papers around, that’s not really going to change our, sort of, climate issue is it?”

Here’s the problem:

- Decarbonisation is an everything issue. And in the UK a major component of our emissions is from transport, and that has barely diminished since we started telling ourselves we cared about them over 35 years ago.

[description continues in next image] — Your complaint What is the programme title? Today When was it broadcast? 11/12/2025 How did you watch or listen to the programme? Actual (live) Roughly how far into the programme did the issue happen? 07:25am Select the best category to describe your complaint: Bias What is the subject of your complaint? Being dismissive of decarbonisation concerns Please enter your complaint: Emma Barnett interviewed Laura McInerney about the shift to digital exams. Laura’s first contribution began: “What we find is that teachers do feel there is an inevitable shift towards digital exams, both because of digital skills needs … but also because of environmental concerns. It’s not *minor* to drive around millions of exam papers across the country each year and then drive them to warehouses and so on. So that’s *part* of it…” Emaa could not wait to butt in with an incredulous tone: “That can’t be… Is that really a concern? Environmental issues, driving papers around, that’s not really going to change our, sort of, climate issue is it?” Here’s the problem: - Decarbonisation is an everything issue. And in the UK a major component of our emissions is from transport, and that has barely diminished since we started telling ourselves we cared about them over 35 years ago. [description continues in next image]

Russell Garner

@rgarner@mastodon.social replied · 2 weeks ago

@urlyman Labour is busy trying to be Reform and the BBC is busy trying to be GB News and the rest of us are busy trying not to burn

Reg

@ReggieHere@mastodon.social replied · 2 weeks ago

@urlyman

I stopped listening to #R4Today years ago because the bias and innuendo routinely pissed me off before the sun came up.

Totally agree that changing habits to reduce environmental impacts is entirely sensible, although in this and every other case I suspect that it's all about the data and the environmental aspects are a convenient justification....not least when driving 'millions of exam papers across the country' is unnecessary because of the same technology that digital exams use.

Reg

@ReggieHere@mastodon.social replied · 2 weeks ago

@urlyman

...imagine a world in which all children have a digital ID from birth and their fingerprints and other biometrics are recorded when they start (State) school where they're signed up for Google and Microsoft accounts before finally having their exams graded and stored before they leave.

The only bit that's *currently* missing is digital examinations, and if I cynically assume that modern work and debt are components of an elaborate form of indentured labour then the benefit is clear.