Sustainability at Newcastle University

Newcastle University aims to be net zero by 2030. Wondering how? Meet the team behind the plan…

The Sustainability Team is located within the Estates and Facilities department of the University. We are a team of nine who work on a wide range of areas of activity which are intertwined with sustainability, such as waste, energy, and travel. We work towards our net zero target, and other sustainability targets, which are outlined in our Climate Action Plan, released in June 2021.

The Climate Action Plan provides targets and action plans for 10 key areas of University activity, check out the picture below for an outline. We also work alongside Northumbria University, Newcastle City Council, and the Newcastle Upon Tyne Hospitals Trust, supporting each other to deliver climate action in the city.

If you ever have any sustainability related questions or ideas, please email the Sustainability Team – we would love to hear from you.

How to get involved as a student

Did you know you can get involved with sustainability initiatives at the University too? The Student Environment & Sustainability Committee (SESC) is a student-led group which looks at sustainability at the University. The SESC aims to gather feedback and understand student priorities regarding sustainability. The SESC is chaired by the Ethics and Environment Rep and is attended by Environment & Sustainability (E&S) Reps from all academic schools. Anyone can sign up to be an E&S rep, just ask about the position at your school at the start of each academic year!

Attendance at SESC meetings is not exclusive to E&S reps; any interested students are welcome to attend and contribute. This feedback is then taken to the University’s Environment and Sustainability Committee (ESC). These meetings are mostly made up of colleagues but are also attended by a designated Students’ Union Sabbatical Officer, the Ethics and Environment Rep & a postgraduate officer.
If you can’t make a SESC meeting, you can still get your opinion heard! The Ethics and Environment Rep also holds monthly forums where anybody can come along and discuss environmental issues at the University and Union. Find out when these are on the NUSU Your Voice Twitter page.

We have an upcoming event!

The Sustainability Team would like to work with the University community to shape Phase 2 of the Climate Action Plan. Staff and student feedback is extremely valuable to the team and events such as these provide an excellent opportunity for innovation and collaboration. In other words, you get a say on what’s next!

The event on 10 November 2022 will report on the University's progress so far as well as current and future projects. It will also include an afternoon breakout session on Nature Positivity - a new, global scheme - which asks universities to prioritise nature restoration.

Join the conversation and sign up now.

Find out more about Sustainability at Newcastle University.