Sustainability Action Week is back!

This year, the University will be having a dedicated week of activities and events for staff and students highlighting some of the environmental and social issues we face across our campuses and how we are taking action to resolve these issues. From wellbeing walks to nature talks, there is something for everyone, including the public to get involved in across our UK campuses!

What is Sustainability Action Week?

Every year, the University launches a week-long campaign across all its campuses to promote effective environmental and sustainability practices through different activities targeted at students, staff and the public.

The University is committed to promoting sustainability through its teaching, campus activities and work with partners, and over the years, it has been taking different actions to support sustainable practices across all its campuses. The University has also been delivering research that spotlight some of the climate issues we now face, as well as ways to tackle them and promote more sustainable environmental practices.

The University of Nottingham has worked hard to create sustainable campuses and it aims to achieve net zero carbon status by 2040. Over the last ten years, it has reduced emissions by more than 36%, invested in renewable energy installations and divested from all fossil fuel investments. Its University Park and Jubilee campuses have also consistently achieved Green Flag status.

What to expect from the University

For this year’s Sustainability Action Week, a selected number of events are open to the public, including a new music-themed Listen by the Lake installation near Lakeside Arts and an on-campus public lecture on Humans and Whales on Tuesday 19th March.

A key highlight of this week is the University joining forces with the Department for Music and the BBC Concert Orchestra with performances of 'Wild Isles' and student compositions on 20 March at the Nottingham Royal Concert Hall. You can explore the programme and book the tickets (including staff and student discounts) via the Sustainability Week main webpage.

The University is also proud to have one of the greenest campuses in the UK with a rich variety of habitats and wildlife. It is committed to becoming a more nature positive University and is setting targets to understand how its activities impact the environment. 

What to expect from the Institute for Policy and Engagement

As part of the Sustainability Action Week at the University of Nottingham, we will be sharing some amazing and exciting articles, explainer videos and other interactive multimedia resources that promote sustainable practices with the wider public. We have pulled these resources from some of the projects led by academics at the University and funded by the Institute. They will spotlight how some of our day-to-day actions impact the environment, and how we can begin to make simple changes to our daily activities, thereby improving our environment, and ultimately, our wellbeing. These resources are available on our SHAping Sustainable Futures hub and you can read them anytime.

Our Listen by the Lake listening posts are also up from now till summer, and they provide a great opportunity for families to learn and connect with the amazing research happening at the University. If you would like to learn more about how the nature around us can inspire and even create pieces of music or how to raise awareness on environmental and ecological issues through creative writing, then this is something to explore.