News
Leaders call on Prime Minister to create socially just and green recovery from Covid-19
Richard Curtis CBE, Paul Polman, Michael Izza and leaders of more than 100 renowned companies, charities, universities, and trade associations call on the UK Government to ensure the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are at the heart of UK Covid-19 recovery plans The Sustainabl...
Posted on 9 June 2020
Race to Zero launch
Today is World Environment Day which sees the official launch of Race to Zero, the global COP26 campaign, which EAUC through the work of the Global Climate Letter is endorsing. The campaign aims to mobilize leadership and support from businesses, cities, regions, investors for a Healthy, Resilient, ...
Posted on 5 June 2020
New dates agreed for COP26 United Nations Climate Change Conference
The Bureau of the Conference of the Parties to the UNFCCC (United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change), with the UK and its Italian partners, announced on Thursday 28th May the new dates for the COP26 UN climate conference, which will now take place between 1 and 12 November 2021 in Glasg...
Posted on 29 May 2020
Latest EMR data released
The Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA) has released the latest Estates Management Record (EMR) today (Thursday, 14th May). These environment statistics are some of the most useful and telling when it comes to assessing where the Higher Education sector is with sustainable development and e...
Posted on 14 May 2020
A net-zero emissions economic recovery from COVID-19
As the world emerges from the crisis of COVID-19, governments will introduce recovery packages to boost economic growth, including in the UK. These will have a highly significant impact on the UK’s future prosperity, including its potential to meet its legally mandated net-zero emissions oblig...
Posted on 5 May 2020
Oxford University announces fossil fuel divestment
University of Oxford has announced landmark plans to divest formally from the fossil fuel industry. As well as divesting its endowment from fossil fuel companies, the University has also asked its endowment office, Oxford University Endowment Management (OUem) to engage with fun...
Posted on 4 May 2020
Times Higher release SDG rankings
SDG rankings – who, what, when, where, why? Times Higher Education (THE) released their Global Impact rankings on Wednesday, 22nd April, timed well with Earth Day. This is the second year of reporting for these relatively new rankings, and the findings are always interesting for the sector....
Posted on 23 April 2020
University of Nottingham crowned ENACTUS UK 2020 National Champion
On the 6th and 7th April, the top 27 Enactus teams of Next Generation Leaders from Universities across the UK competed virtually in the 2020 Enactus UK National Expo. The dynamic, energy-filled online event brought together virtually over 1,000 university students, academics, and senior UK ...
Posted on 17 April 2020
Plastics ban in England delayed
The Department for Environment, Farming and Rural Agriculture (DEFRA) have announced the plastics ban on straws, stirrers, and ear buds will not take place this month. The ban was due to come in at the end of April, but has now been pushed back until October due to the coronavirus pandemic. A ...
Posted on 17 April 2020
Net zero and nature-based intervention - new advice released
The Natural Capital Committee (NCC) has released advice on using nature-based interventions to reach net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. The NCC advises the government on natural capital, such as forests, rivers, minerals and oceans. Set up in 2012, with a brief hiatus in 2015, the Co...
Posted on 16 April 2020
Seeking New Trustees - Join our Board
We have TWO available trustee positions for election ahead of our 2020 Annual General Meeting (AGM). Only Educational Members can apply. This year we’re looking for motivated and dynamic Trustees and are seeking applications that are: Sustainability Professional / Practiti...
Posted on 14 April 2020
Ministers urged to remember Climate Crisis commitments
With COP26 postponed until 2021, the extra time gives the UK an opportunity to deliver greater success in the talks, says the Environmental Audit Committee (EAC) Chair Philip Dunne. However, they warn that it is vital the delay does not lead to the climate crisis slipping down the list of priorities...
Posted on 8 April 2020
Government announces COP26 postponed due to COVID-19
The COP26 UN climate change conference set to take place in Glasgow in November has been postponed due to COVID-19. This decision has been taken by representatives of the COP Bureau of the UNFCCC (United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change), with the UK and its Italian partners. Dates ...
Posted on 2 April 2020
100% Green Lab accreditation at the University of Bristol
The University of Bristol has a strong track record of sustainability action and became the first university to declare a 'Climate Emergency' in April. With sustainability high on the agenda, there is increasing pressure to demonstrate our commitment to reducing the university&rs...
Posted on 1 April 2020
EAUC-Scotland Funding Renewed by SFC!
Funding confirmed to accelerate response to climate emergency We are pleased to announce that EAUC’s bid for funding for the next phase of its work has been approved by the Scottish Funding Council (SFC). We will deliver our new outcome agreement ‘Accelerating action and leadership in...
Posted on 31 March 2020
2020 Green Gown Awards Applications Deadline Extended
We appreciate these are unprecedented times and we have carefully considered the options for this year’s Green Gown Awards ahead of launching our call for applications. Upon reflection, we believe that institutions should still have the chance to be recognised for their excellent efforts an...
Posted on 31 March 2020
EAUC Update and response to COVID-19
Across the world, the situation surrounding COVID-19 is moving rapidly and the pandemic is also at the top of the Further and Higher Education sector’s agenda where it is likely to stay for some time. Despite the social and economic disturbance caused, we often see reports on how the planet ha...
Posted on 18 March 2020
New EAUC-Scotland Resources to Support the Sector in Addressing Business Air Travel
On March 12th, 2020, EAUC-Scotland is releasing the Travel Better Package to support universities and colleges in addressing business air travel to reduce carbon emissions and the environmental impact from flying. The package has been developed with funding and support from the University of Edinbur...
Posted on 12 March 2020
New EU Circular Economy Action Plan launched
Yesterday, the European Commission adopted a new Circular Economy Action Plan - one of the main building blocks of the European Green Deal, Europe's new agenda for sustainable growth. With measures along the entire life cycle of products, the new Action Plan aims to make the E...
Posted on 12 March 2020
Circular Economy essential to fight against plastic
In response to public pressure, the government is tackling plastic pollution by addressing individual uses of plastic, like some plastic bags and microbeads. While bans on items likely to damage the environment are necessary, this approach completely fails to deal with the root of the problem and, w...
Posted on 10 March 2020
Chancellor announces tampon tax scrapped
The Chancellor has today announced in the first Budget of 2020, among other measures, that the tampon tax has been scrapped. This is overdue, and we would like for institutions to take this opportunity to renew efforts in the fight against Period Poverty and ensure they are providing free sanitar...
Posted on 10 March 2020
COP26 President discusses priorities
COP26 president Alok Sharma gave his first speech in post to the UN last week. He outlined his priority actions areas for COP26 and 2020. Adaptation and resilience. ‘Helping people, economies and the environment adapt and prepare for the impacts of climate change.’ Nature. ‘S...
Posted on 9 March 2020
Nottingham Trent University records 63,000 positive sustainability and wellbeing actions
Nottingham Trent University (NTU) has completed over 63,000 positive actions as the University celebrates a successful first year of Green Rewards. Since the launch of the Green Rewards programme in January 2019, NTU has avoided over 80 tonnes of CO2 emissions, completed 90,000 miles of active tr...
Posted on 5 March 2020
New OfS paper shows move towards sustainability
Since HEFCE was disbanded in 2018 and replaced by the Office for Students (OfS), there has been a gap in formal policy oversight and regulation for the Higher Education sector on sustainability and emissions reduction. In particular, EAUC has been a vocal opponent of the decision to remove the manda...
Posted on 25 February 2020
English Climate Emergency Education Bill launched
On Wednesday 26 February 2020, fifty students will be entering parliament on a mission to engage MPs and Peers in the need to repurpose the education system around the climate emergency and ecological crisis. The group, who are mostly under 18, ranging from 13-26, created the Teach the Futu...
Posted on 24 February 2020
Cabinet reshuffle and COP26 president (re)announced
There were big changes in Westminster last week – and you would be forgiven for finding it hard to keep up. Many of the ministers replaced had only been in post for 6 months, after Boris’ reshuffle in July last year. While the biggest news of the day was Sajid Javid’s resignatio...
Posted on 17 February 2020
EAUC backs Teach the Future campaign
EAUC has announced its support for the SOS-UK and UKSCN campaign ‘Teach the Future’ which calls for the whole education system to be repurposed around the climate emergency and ecological crisis. Already active in this field, EAUC has added its voice to the call for an education revol...
Posted on 6 February 2020
Apply to pilot the Charter Award Scheme at your university
The UK Healthy Universities Network has been working closely with Student Minds as they lead the development of the University Mental Health Charter. Student Minds has opened a call for three universities to pilot and test out the first stage of the Charter Award Scheme, a voluntary scheme ...
Posted on 4 February 2020
Sustainable Strathclyde release new Guidelines for Climate Change Communication
Through collaborating with a series of academic experts, environmental organisations and communications specialists, Sustainable Strathclyde have released a set of six guidelines which aim to inspire more effective communication of climate change in the Scottish environmental sector. ...
Posted on 3 February 2020
Deadline to submit your Sustainability Leadership Scorecard data
Sustainability Leadership Scorecard Report 2020 – Submit your data by Friday 28th February Undoubtedly, the multi-dimensioned thing we call sustainability can be confusing, not to mention the ever-increasing performance improvement tools, quality standards and reporting accreditatio...
Posted on 30 January 2020
Environment Bill and food waste funding updates from Government
DEFRA announced the speedy return of the Environment Bill to Parliament today (30th January) following the General Election. This, they say, underlines the government’s commitment to tackling climate change and to protecting and restoring our natural environment for future generations. They...
Posted on 30 January 2020
The University of Worcester named recycling champions
Students collect more than 900 tonnes of recycling as part of campus clean-up RecycleLeague competition engages over 39,000 students across 10 UK universities The University of Worcester named recycling champions winning £15,000 to invest in sustainability initiatives Students across 1...
Posted on 30 January 2020
Organisations demand action from PM on SDGs
Organisations have demanded commitment from the UK Prime Minister to accelerate progress on the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). A group of organisations spearheaded by UK Stakeholders for Sustainable Development (UKSSD), delivered a resolute brief to PM Boris Johnson this week. It ...
Posted on 30 January 2020
2020 International Green Gown Awards Open
The International Green Gown Awards, supported by UN Environment, recognise exceptional sustainability initiatives being undertaken by universities and colleges around the globe and are now open for the 2020 Awards cycle. The Awards are the most prestigious recognition of sustainability best prac...
Posted on 28 January 2020
C2025 Milestone Progress Report - WRAP
The UK is making significant steps in reducing its food waste, with total food waste levels falling by 480,000 tonnes between 2015 and 2018 – a 7% reduction per person and equivalent of filling London’s Royal Albert Hall ten times. The new data comes from sustainability not-fo...
Posted on 24 January 2020
EAUC-S Office Bearers Group seek University Rep
Do you know someone with the interest and capacity to help the EAUC-Scotland team develop their support for sustainability in Scotland’s Universities? EAUC-Scotland are seeking a dedicated EAUC Member from the Higher Education Sector to join our Office Bearers Group (OBG), following the ste...
Posted on 16 January 2020
CCC urges UK to prioritise Climate Change action in 2020
The Committee on Climate Change (CCC) wrote to the Prime Minister, Boris Johnson, after his General Election win at the end of 2019, urging him to prioritise action on Climate Change for 2020. Reminding the Prime Minister that the world will be looking to the UK as an example of best practice in ...
Posted on 6 January 2020
General Election: now or never for the environment and climate change
Following the success of the Conservative Party at the General Election, the Aldersgate Group urges the new Government to press ahead with a meaningful and ambitious climate and environmental agenda. Nick Molho, Executive Director of the Aldersgate Group, said: "The Government’s policy...
Posted on 17 December 2019
Academic papers launched
We have partnered with Emerald Publishing and are now delighted to announce that the academic sessions which have been selected for the EAUC Annual Conference 2018 have been included in a special edition of the International Journal of Sustainability in Higher Educati...
Posted on 13 December 2019
EAUC listens to members
EAUC listens to its members and is a powerful voice within the wider sustainability sector Now at a time when EAUC has embarked on its most ambitious and significant initiative – the Climate Commission for UK Higher and Further Education Students and Leaders, it is our core objective to con...
Posted on 12 December 2019
We welcome Russell Group's support on the sustainability agenda
The Russell Group, which represents 24 leading UK universities published a joint statement on Monday 9th December on environmental sustainability, setting out its commitment to tackling climate change through research, teaching and more sustainable practices. As home to world leading climate rese...
Posted on 10 December 2019
University of Suffolk joins fight to fix unsustainable food system
A pioneering roadmap to transform the UK’s food sector is being developed by UKSSD (of which EAUC are a member). Their new Food Systems programme brings together cross-sector organisations to work on fixing problems throughout the system. Building on the recommendation in their landmar...
Posted on 10 December 2019
University Mental Health Charter launched
The University Mental Health Charter was launched this week (Monday, 9th December 2019), co-created with staff and students from over 200 higher education organisations across the UK. It provides a set of principles of good practice that challenge universities to go beyond baseline requirements and ...
Posted on 10 December 2019
Learning for Sustainability Champions Training Opportunity
Learning for Sustainability Scotland and EAUC-Scotland have developed the College Learning for Sustainability Champions programme to help college teaching staff address sustainability in their learning and teaching. As part of the programme, one ‘Learning for Sustainability (LfS) Champion&rsqu...
Posted on 6 December 2019
Submit your workshop proposal for CLIMATE 2020
Submit a workshop proposal for the EAUC Annual Conference - CLIMATE2020 taking place on 23 - 24 June 2020 at University of Bath! We have a responsibility as educators, as community pillars and hubs for research to proactively adapt, limit risks and seek solution to this c...
Posted on 6 December 2019
Green Gown Awards 2019
Green Gown Awards celebrate initiatives that ensure a better tomorrow for young people As the Climate Crisis is increasingly recognised as the most pressing issue our world faces, the Green Gown Awards put a spotlight on the innovative and inspiring sustainability work taking place in universities ...
Posted on 26 November 2019
Next government must deliver on climate and the environment
Today the Aldersgate Group publishes its manifesto report, Time for action: building a competitive and inclusive green economy, setting out key priorities for the new government following the General Election. The report – which received significant input from business and civil society organi...
Posted on 21 November 2019
EAUC announces launch of new Climate Commission
UPDATE: READ MORE ABOUT THE LAUNCH EVENT HERE. Together with Association of Colleges, GuildHE and Universities UK, we have partnered to establish a Climate Commission for UK Higher and Further Education Leaders. EAUC is the initiator and secretariat of the Climate Commission and as a mem...
Posted on 21 October 2019
The Environment Bill - progress and loopholes
The Environment Bill landed for its first reading in the House of Commons on Tuesday, 15th October. The first reading is a formal stage that takes place without any debate. The next step is a second reading in which MPs debate the overall principles of the Bill. The date for this has not yet been se...
Posted on 17 October 2019
Boosting sustainability and wellbeing
It has been a record-breaking year for the higher education sector with 238,000 positive actions recorded across Jump’s university programmes. Jump is the leading supplier of sustainability and wellbeing engagement programmes in the UK, providing universities with the means to turn intent i...
Posted on 16 October 2019
