News

• 

  University pledge to be single-use plastic-free by 2023 – 7th November 2018

  The University of Leeds and Leeds University Union have together pledged to become single-use plastic-free by 2023. Single-use plastic items are designed to be used only once before they are thrown away or recycled. The campaign, Single Out: 2023PlasticFree, crucially commits the University an...

  Read more →
• 

  WWF released a groundbreaking report on the current state of planetary natural capital – 5th November 2018

  WWF launched an alarming report- Living Planet- looking at how exploding human consumption is the driving force behind the unprecedented planetary change we are witnessing, through the increased demand for energy, land and water.  The products we consume, the supply chains behind them, the materi...

  Read more →
• 

  £2 million donation boosts agriculture and food security research at RAU – 1st November 2018

  PhD research into topics such as growing soybean as a profitable, low-carbon crop will continue to thrive at the Royal Agricultural University (RAU) following a donation of £2 million.   The RAU has received this research investment thanks to the John Oldacre Foundation, which supports the agricul...

  Read more →
• 

  Government announces new plastic tax, but scraps latte levy – 30th October 2018

  The Government announced yesterday in the Budget plans for a new tax on plastic packaging which contains less than 30% recycled plastic, subject to consultation.    What was announced? To reduce the problem of excessive and environmentally harmful plastic packaging, and incentivise manufacture...

  Read more →
• 

  Keele University launched The Institute for Sustainable Futures – 30th October 2018

  On the 3rd October, Keele University launched its new major sustainability initiative, a cross-university research institute- the Institute for Sustainability Futures, structured around the SDGs and aiming to catalyse interdisciplinary research focused on contributing to a more sustainable future. ...

  Read more →
• 

  Universities today face unprecedented levels of risk and uncertainty – but there is a solution – 24th October 2018

  The EAUC is today launching a new Guide that highlights the business benefits of sustainability and explains why it is key to the success of higher education institutions. The Guide - ‘Sustainability: Key to Long-term Institutional Success’ - was developed by EAUC and the University o...

  Read more →
• 

  Update to SFC Outcome Agreement Guidance on Leadership in Environmental and Social Sustainability – 23rd October 2018

  New Scottish Funding Council Outcome Agreement Guidance requires all universities and colleges to develop individual 'creative and innovative' approaches to demonstrate leadership in embedding environmental and social sustainability across the whole institution In October 2017 the Scottish Fundin...

  Read more →
• 

  New plans to ban sale and distribution of single-use plastics announced – 22nd October 2018

  The EAUC welcomes the Government plans, announced today (22 October), to ban the distribution and sale of plastic straws, drinks stirrers and cotton buds. Subject to a consultation, also launched today, the Government is looking to ban the distribution and sale of these single-use plastic items b...

  Read more →
• 

  University Vice-Chancellors join forces with Government to tackle Carbon Emissions – 18th October 2018

  Vice-Chancellors from five UK universities and Students’ Union representatives met with the Department for Business, Energy, and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) Director General Julian Critchlow, and Office for Students CEO Nicola Dandridge to officially sign the Government’s Emissions Reduct...

  Read more →
• 

  Grants for Good – 17th October 2018

  The Change Agents UK Charity is launching Grants for Good; funding of £100 to £500 is available to support University Societies and Departments delivering sustainability projects. Beginning this month they hope to capture the creativity of students and staff alike, so find out if your project qua...

  Read more →
• 

  ​2018-2019 International Green Gown Awards Launched – 16th October 2018

  The first stage of the 2018-2019 International Green Gown Awards are now open for applications. Do you want to inspire and motivate your team, management and students to do more? The International Green Gown Awards, supported by UN Environment, recognise exceptional sustainability initiatives bei...

  Read more →
• 

  Jobs for Good – 12th October 2018

  More and more candidates want to use their career to make a positive difference in the world. They want to work with organisations who think differently, operate responsibly and are forward-looking; employers with strong values that match their own. Jobs for Good enables you to access these candidat...

  Read more →
• 

  Diversity in Sustainability – 3rd October 2018

  Do you know that the environmental profession is the second least diverse profession in the UK, after farming?  This was revealed in a Policy Exchange report.  EAUC are contributing to research being undertake by NUS, IEMA and the Equality Trust to investigate the racial diversity of the environm...

  Read more →
• 

  Name Change Update – 3rd October 2018

  Here is an update following the AGM. As you may be aware we went to the AGM asking for members to vote on a name change. In order for this to be successful we required, by Company Law, to achieve 75% of those voting. The result was 72% so this was not passed.   The Board needed time to reflect on ...

  Read more →
• 

  Building Opportunity and Resilience to Tackle an Uncertain Future for Universities and Colleges – 2nd October 2018

  Uncertainty and civic responsibility are mega trends UK universities and colleges need to better recognise - so say judges of the 2018 Green Gown Awards. A panel of over 100 national and international judges – a who’s who of leading names from the education, business and sustainabilit...

  Read more →
• 

  Scottish Government: Climate Change Plan Update and Progress Report – 1st October 2018

  In September 2018 two updates were issued on Scottish Government action on climate change. A report from The Committee on Climate Change gives us an insight into progress so far and the Scottish Government have released a Climate Change Plan summary that gives us an insight into the future of govern...

  Read more →
• 

  New guides show how to talk to different institutional departments about sustainability – 1st October 2018

  We know that all too often, sustainability sits in a Facilities and Estates silo on campuses and it can be hard to engage with other departments in UK Further and Higher Education institutions. We also know that for sustainability to flourish, it needs to be embedded holistically and everyone needs ...

  Read more →
• 

  Anglia Ruskin University launches pilot programme to engage staff in sustainability and wellbeing – 25th September 2018

  Anglia Ruskin University (ARU) has just launched a new sustainability and wellbeing behaviour change programme, known as ARUgreen. Operated by Green Rewards through its JUMP engagement platform, the ARUgreen pilot is for six months and covers 700 employees initially of ARU’s total 18,000 emplo...

  Read more →
• 

  UCC launch plastic-free cafe and gain prestigious accolade – 25th September 2018

  University College Cork (UCC) has had a hugely impressive sustainability start to the new academic year already. This week they have opened Ireland's first plastic-free café and been announced as the first and only institution awarded a gold rating under the of the Association for the Advancement of...

  Read more →
• 

  New Green Guide for laboratories launched – 25th September 2018

  The University of Exeter's Environment and Sustainability Institute (ESI) has released a new Green Guide for laboratories. Laboratories should be on the frontline of cutting-edge technology related to energy saving and reduced use of resources - and so this guide has been formulated to help ensur...

  Read more →