Sustainable Development Goals
The Sustainable Development Goals are the blueprint to achieve a better and more sustainable future for all. They address the global challenges we face, including those related to poverty, inequality, climate, environmental degradation, prosperity, and peace and justice. The Goals interconnect and in order to leave no one behind, a target has been set to achieve each goal and target by 2030.
Addressing the goals will require transformations in how societies and economies function and how we interact with our planet. Education, research, innovation and leadership will be essential in helping society address these challenges. We, as individuals and a University, have an important role to play in the achievement of the SDGs and will also benefit from engaging with them.
The SDGs covers a wide range of issues meaning they impact everyone and almost everyone is already contributing to achieving the goals. Find out how by looking at our case studies.
We’re asking everyone to submit their contributions so we’re able to report on and demonstrate the impact the university is having to help achieve the goals. Whether you contribute through research, education, operations or external leadership we want to hear from you.
To submit your contribution please email the sustainability team a title for the activity, 100-200 word summary of the activity and which SDGs it relates to.
If possible please include an image with the relevant SDG included, example below.
Contact the Sustainability Team if you have any other questions or queries.
How Do You Contribute?
Using our research capabilities and activities we can contribute by providing the necessary knowledge, evidence-base, solutions and innovations to underpin and support the goals.
Example: Prof. Jane Lewis and Dr. Susi Arnott are working on a collaborative science & art project on algae from the Thames mudflat.
The art project is a series of time lapse films of the tidal mudflat in the Thames that captures the daily appearance and disappearance of the algae and the different color patches of algae that is formed.
Education leads to significant sustainable development benefits for individuals, communities and countries. It is also a means of supporting and accelerating global capacity to implement the SGDs.
Example: The Final Project for the Public Relations and Advertising BA Hons degree is an opportunity for students to make an extended, original contribution by outlining, developing, and pitching all aspects of a specific campaign, together with a critical analysis of the work they propose.
Our students understand the effects of communication on society, and create ethical messaging, that in many cases support the UN’s Global Goals.
We can help lead, guide and support local, national and international response to the SDGs.
Example: Our Student Volunteering focuses on four main pillars of engagement – student experience, employability, community engagement and wellbeing. Each one feeds into the other and all are inevitably connected with volunteering. This academic year, 400 students volunteered, giving over 20,000 hours of service to some 56 charities in London.
We can significantly impact on the social, cultural and environmental wellbeing within our campuses and communities.
Example: The University has signed up to the UK governments Emissions Reduction Pledge 2020 – this means we have committed to reducing our carbon emissions by 30% by 2020/21 against a 2009/2010 baseline.
Across the University, work is already underway to reduce these carbon emissions – from installing energy efficient LED lighting to encouraging staff and students to cycle to campus. We have already made huge strides over the past 10 years with reducing our emissions, and signing up to this pledge shows our commitment to further reducing our impacts on the environment.
Our Action Plan
