Minister launches sustainable blueprint
Staff and students gathered on Friday 19 October at an event at City Campus for the official launch of AUT’s Sustainability Roadmap.
Developed by the Vice-Chancellor’s Taskforce for Sustainability, the Roadmap is a blueprint to ensure that AUT achieves a more sustainable future. It outlines AUT’s sustainability objectives, priority actions and targets across learning, research, governance and facilities to 2025.
With input from staff and students, the Roadmap also demonstrates AUT’s contribution towards the United Nations’ 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Each goal addresses global challenges including those related to poverty, inequality, climate, environmental degradation, prosperity, and peace and justice.
MC for the Launch, Dr David Hall introduced the Minister for Climate Change, the Hon James Shaw who talked about the SDGs in more detail.
The audience also heard from Vice Chancellor Derek McCormack and Emeritus Professor Thomas Neitzert, Chair of the VC’s Sustainability Taskforce on the process of developing the Roadmap and what we’re trying to achieve.
The event culminated with a panel discussion with the Minister, Professor Marjo Lips-Wiersma from AUT Business School, student Britt Little, who is also a Taskforce Member and Earth Week Convenor, and Natalie Robertson, Senior Lecturer from the School of Art and Design.
“As the University for the changing world, AUT recognises that contributing to the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals requires more than a ‘business as usual’ approach. Created by staff and students, the Roadmap is the University’s commitment to the step change needed to create a more sustainable future for our planet,” says Chair of the Taskforce for Sustainability, Emeritus Professor Thomas Neitzert, School of Engineering, Computer and Mathematical Sciences.
AUT will report annually on progress in all areas of the Sustainability Roadmap. Some of the key indicators of positive change include:
- Increasing numbers of students will have access to majors, minors or papers with a sustainability orientation
- Moving towards zero waste in line with Auckland Council’s targets and relevant national initiatives
- Increasing the number of peer reviewed research outputs that contribute to the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
In early 2016 AUT became a member of the UN’s Sustainable Development Solutions Network. The network supports implementation of the SDGs through mobilisation of scientific and technical expertise from academia, civil society and the private sector.
For further information and a copy of the Sustainability Roadmap visit Sustainability at AUT