The University of Turku commits to taking measures to make the University carbon neutral.
In its meeting on 14 December 2018, the University Board decided that the University of Turku becomes carbon neutral by the end of the year 2025. The University of Turku will assess critically all its operations, strengthen the already existing good practices, and develop completely new kinds of modes of operation to ensure carbon neutrality.
According to the latest report by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) published this year, global warming continues. As agreed upon in the Paris Climate Conference, limiting global warming to 1.5 degrees requires rapid and extensive global measures. Scientific knowledge and creating a new kind of an operational culture are key in preventing climate change and adapting to it.
Universities develop society on the basis of research. They offer the highest form of education, implement research, development and innovation operations, and are in close interaction with the different interest groups of society.
– In order to increase societal interaction, universities also need to pioneer the developing of their own operations. The goal is to make climate work and the principle of sustainable development a comprehensive strategic theme on all levels of the University community, says Rector Kalervo Väänänen.
The measures the University will take in order to reach the goal include:
- increasing understanding and concrete information on the state of climate change and how to prevent it and adapt to it, and strengthening the attitude and ambition to strive for carbon neutrality. This calls for leadership to realising the goals of carbon neutrality.
- strengthening the research on climate change, and more broadly sustainable development. Researchers are encouraged to take sustainable development and climate change into account in the research of all disciplines.
- developing education so that the goals of preventing climate change and the aspects of sustainable development are acknowledged in teaching and continuing education even better.
- committing to societal interaction, including proactive interest group operations in collaboration with central climate operators.
- developing the University’s internal processes, administrative services, travel guidelines, and facilities taking carbon neutrality into account.
- the University committing to creating the necessary carbon sinks.