Sustainability
At the heart of every decision we take
Sustainability
At the heart of every decision we take
Climate change presents a significant challenge to each and every one of us, one we must not and cannot ignore. So let's make sure that we build on the progress we have made, as a University community and as individuals, as we press forward with our ambitious commitments for 2030.”
Professor Sir Steve West CBE, DL, Vice-Chancellor, President and CEO, UWE Bristol
Addressing the defining issue of our time.
As a university with a diverse community of global citizens, we have a shared responsibility to work together to address the urgency of the climate and ecological emergency.
We continue to work with partners, communities and stakeholders to drive the transition to a decarbonised and regenerative economy in the west of England and beyond. We are investing heavily in the student experience, campus improvements and new smart, low carbon technology to support the journey to a net zero and biodiversity rich future.
Our actions around sustainability are evidence-based and underpinned by a commitment to a just transition. The university works collaboratively with its Students’ Union in order to ensure that the student voice is at the heart of our approach.
In this 2021/2022 Sustainability Report we're sharing our progress, and showing what we've done and will continue to do against our Strategy 2030 commitments.
Sustainability upskilling
We’ve been offering CPD short courses and bootcamps around Achieving Zero Carbon Buildings and Air Quality to organisations across the region, helping them to upskill their employees by building practical awareness of best sustainable practices.
From how to measure carbon footprints, to effective energy reduction measures, we’re helping organisations of all shapes and sizes to tackle future sustainability challenges today.
Sustainability upskilling
We’ve been offering CPD short courses and bootcamps around Achieving Zero Carbon Buildings and Air Quality to organisations across the region. Helping them to upskill their employees by building practical awareness of best sustainable practices.
From how to measure carbon footprints, to effective energy reduction measures, we’re helping organisations of all shapes and size to tackle future sustainability challenges today.
Sustainability upskilling
We’ve been offering CPD short courses and bootcamps around Achieving Zero Carbon Buildings and Air Quality to organisations across the region. Helping them to upskill their employees by building practical awareness of best sustainable practices.
From how to measure carbon footprints, to effective energy reduction measures, we’re helping organisations of all shapes and size to tackle future sustainability challenges today.
A healthier, happier, socially-just future for all.
Everything we do, every action we take, every measure we adopt, is set within the context of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
We’ll continue to be guided by science and objective evidence. And we’ll only ever implement sustainability policies and solutions within a social justice framework with inclusivity at its heart.
We promise to:
- Show ambition and leadership in addressing the sustainability challenge.
- Work collaboratively with a range of partners and agencies to address the urgency of the global challenges we face.
- Ensure that all UWE Bristol departments understand their sustainability obligations, impacts and opportunities and that appropriate actions are incorporated into annual service and financial planning cycles.
- Devise new ways of delivering sustainable teaching, research and estates operations.
- Use our procurement processes and purchasing power to influence our supply chain, through local and ethical procurement. We’ll work with our suppliers to maximise social value and encourage the highest standards of sustainability performance.
- Learn from our failures and our successes, sharing our accumulated knowledge and experience on the journey to sustainability.
This is Strategy 2030 in action
Having declared a Climate and Ecological Emergency in February 2020, and having launched our Strategy 2030, we’re committed to:
- Being carbon neutral as an organisation, with net zero emissions of greenhouse gases by 2030.
- Working through the ISO 14001 standard to set clear targets and plans to reduce water and energy use, cut waste generation including food waste, and support biodiversity.
- Eliminating all but essential single-use plastic and meeting the 2025 targets for recycling and reuse (as signatories to the UK Plastics Pact).
- Establishing each of our campuses as a clean air and smoke-free zone.
- Investing in and securing year-on-year improvement in travel sustainability for staff, students and visitors.
- Working with our students to explicitly address climate change and environmental challenges through our teaching, learning and curricula.
- Supporting research that addresses issues relating to climate change, environmental challenges and biodiversity.
Through our Strategy 2030 and the action plans that sit beneath it, we continue to work to address the urgency of the Climate and Ecological Emergency, and fulfil our role in achieving the UN SDGs.
Read more from Dr Verity Jones and Dr Sarah Whitehouse, and their paper on the importance of climate education that celebrates the work of diverse groups.
We must prioritise climate education in schools. But it must include signposting to large scale policy and action, and within that action, represent the diversity of our societies.
Time for planning social diversity into climate education and identifying positive community actions would ensure learners feel part of a larger, inclusive movement towards change.”
Dr Verity Jones, Associate Professor, UWE Bristol
We must prioritise climate education in schools. But it must include signposting to large scale policy and action, and within that action, represent the diversity of our societies.
Time for planning social diversity into climate education and identifying positive community actions would ensure learners feel part of a larger, inclusive movement towards change.”
Dr Verity Jones, Associate Professor, UWE Bristol
We must prioritise climate education in schools. But it must include signposting to large scale policy and action, and within that action, represent the diversity of our societies.
Time for planning social diversity into climate education and identifying positive community actions would ensure learners feel part of a larger, inclusive movement towards change.”
Dr Verity Jones, Associate Professor, UWE Bristol
Read more from Dr Verity Jones and Dr Sarah Whitehouse, and their paper on the importance of climate education that celebrates the work of diverse groups.