What is QUB's sustainability action plan?
Flavia Gouveia
In November, the university announced it has “pledged a multi-million pound investment in a new sustainability action plan”. But what is it?
The investment will fund a transition to net zero, encourage more sustainable research projects, improve the university’s teaching and course provision in the area and will encourage students and staff to become advocates for a more sustainable future, the university has said.
‘This is a true testament to the efforts of students and staff’
Vice-chancellor Professor Ian Greer said: “Queen’s is a world leader in research and we know that by enabling our talent to look at solutions we can have a very real impact.”
Chloe Ferguson, the Students’ Union officer for campaigns and engagement spoke to the Eco Scoop and said, “this is a true testament to the efforts of students and staff to promote change within the university”.
Chloe added that the plan will build in the proposals of the Green New Deal which was voted in by students in 2020. The Green New Deal proposed “changes across campus” to reduce the university’s carbon footprint as well as “essential changes to our education system”.
Estates Manager, Sara Lynch, told The Scoop that “over the coming months the university will be engaging the support of external expertise to develop a net zero strategy for the university, to support achieving net zero emissions as soon as possible”.
“Our net zero strategy will seek to address emissions associated with how we heat and power our buildings, travel to and from the university, Business travel, what we purchase, our water usage and the waste generated.”
Sara Lynch added: “The university already started to take steps in number of these areas for example the new Business School at Riddel Hall will be primarily heated by geothermal, a renewable energy source, rather than the gas.”
The announcement coincided with the launch of Cop26 and follows an earlier announcement in October of a new carbon literacy initiative and the launching of the Queen’s bike hub, in partnership with Big Loop Bikes.
Flavia Gouveia is host of The Eco Scoop and a Liberal Arts student at Queen’s University Belfast