Sydney Univ. committed to sustainability, climate action

27 / 08 / 2020

By Marwa Nassar - -

Sydney University has launched a new sustainability and climate action strategy under which the university will realize zero single-use plastics on campus by 2030.

Under the new strategy, the university is committed to 100 percent renewable energy by 2025 and 20 percent drop of air travel by 20 percent by 2025 in addition to rollout of sustainable and ethical procurement practices by 2025 and development of educational opportunities, including in new areas such as a sustainability postgraduate micro-credential.

The university will also compost 80 percent of food waste by 2025, reducing the use of potable water 30 percent by 2030, achieving a gold rating in the United States-based open-access Sustainability Tracking, Assessment & Rating System (STARS) by 2025, and installing University spin-off Gelion solar smart benches on the Camperdown/Darlington campus this year.

Sydney University is the first Australian university to join a growing body of institutions to move ahead towards sustainability and climate action.

University of Sydney Vice-Chancellor Dr Michael Spence said it was important not to forget the other challenges we face globally during this current pandemic. “The COVID-19 pandemic is one of the greatest challenges of our time but so is the growing threat of climate change,” Dr Spence said.

“We know that urgent action is needed and as Australia’s oldest university we believe we have an obligation and ability to align our world-leading sustainability research and teaching with everyday life at the University – to test and showcase what can be done – in so doing, our ideas will help change the world.”

The Sustainability Strategy 2020 is the result of 18 months of discussions between over 1,100 academics, operational staff and students, and has a range of aspirational targets, and initiatives including a ‘living laboratory’ approach, where sustainability research and teaching can be put into practice and tested on the campus community.

Dr Spence said one of the strongest calls for action had been for the University to look at divesting from fossil fuels.

“We have committed to reviewing the University’s approach to investments as part of the strategy and a group of academic and industry experts, professional staff and students are considering potential options and a recommendation will be presented to Senate later this year,” the Vice-Chancellor said.