Ollscoil na Gaillimhe - University of Galway
AC-6: Sustainability Literacy Assessment

What is the most widely used definition of "sustainable development" as articulated in the 1987 Brundtland Report?

"In their 2008 book ""The Necessary Revolution"", Peter Senge and his co-authors concluded that the ability to collaborate effectively with others is based primarily on three abilities.

Which of the following is NOT one of these abilities?"

"The Earth's ozone layer protects us from harmful solar radiation. However, it was discovered in the 1970s that a collection of man-made CFC (Chlorofluorocarbon) gases were endangering the ozone layer. Thus, in 1987, an international agreement called ""The Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer"" was agreed on and over the years adopted by numerous governments.

What was the outcome of this agreement?"

"So far, scientists have cataloged an estimated 350,000 plant species on Earth.

According to the UNEP Convention on Biological Diversity, the compounds extracted from these plant species constitute the basis for approximately what per cent of modern prescription drugs?"

"While electricity is crucial for poverty reduction, economic growth, and improved living standards, more than 675 million people still did not have access to electricity in 2021.

What has been the global trend in gaining access to electricity over the last 25 years?"

"Being part of the workforce or seeking and securing employemnt are factors of emancipation and independence, both for men and women. However, there is still a gender gap in how men and women experience the world of work.

What was the approximate global labor force participation rate for men and women in 2020?"

"Children are constantly exposed to media of all types via both classical print platforms as well as online digital media, a situation that led UNICEF to create a code of conduct for journalists.

According to this code, which of the following behaviors should journalists adopt when interviewing children?"

"In the last 30 years, the number of connected and mobile devices  (both phones and Internet of Things) has significantly increased in the world. Mobile phones have changed the way we work, consume, interact, and live. Other connected devices are merely designed to speak to other connected devices (i.e., Internet of Things).

Which statement about the number of mobile devices compared to the number of humans is true?"

"Keeping the average global temperature within its historical range of variability is vital for life on Earth, particularly human life. In the complex process of climate regulation, oceans play a key role by absorbing a significant amount of heat trapped in the Earth's atmosphere due to the greenhouse effect.

What percent of the excess heat-energy captured and stored by the Earth is absorbed by the oceans?"

"Universal health coverage is considered ""one of the most powerful social equalizers among all [health] policy options"", according to Dr. Margaret Chan, the former Director-General of WHO, the World Health Organization.

What is meant by equitable access to medical care?"

"Since the beginning of the Industrial Revolution, the Earth's oceans have absorbed a significant part of all CO2 released into the atmosphere by human economic activity. This has led to an estimated 30% increase in ocean acidity to date, and which is projected to increase to 150% by 2100.

What are the consequences of ocean acidification on marine life?"

"The UNESCO World Heritage Committee launched the World Heritage List in 1972.

What is the purpose of this list?"

"Over two thirds of the world population is projected to live in cities and urbanized areas in 2050. Given the density of cities, and the pollution generated from individual vehicles, policy makers are beginning to rethink how urban mobility should be organized.

What is considered the most effective and realistic way to reduce the overall urban pollution that results from people's individual mobility?"

"Scientists, medical professionals, and consumer advocacy groups are working ever harder to raise awareness about the risks of human exposure to the ""endocrine disturbers"" that are being introduced more and more into today's industrial and commercial goods.

What are endocrine disturbers?"

"If effectively and widely implemented, putting a price on greenhouse gas emissions is considered one possible solution to fighting climate change.

Since the beginning of the 21st century, what has been the trend worldwide in implementing carbon pricing?"

"Farming is one of humanity’s most important activities and largest economic sectors. Depending on how it is managed, agriculture can have either a positive or a negative impact on the natural environment. Agroecology is perceived by many as part of the solution to sustainable agriculture.

Agroecology can best be described as"

"Orienting financial resources towards sustainable development is a key component of the energy and ecological transition. More and more institutional and private investors are becoming aware of the importance of what is called ""Sustainable, Responsible and Impact Investing"" or SRI.

What is Sustainable, Responsible and Impact Investing?"

Absent, inadequate, or inappropriately managed water and sanitation services expose individuals to deadly (though preventable) health risks through microbial contamination, the most widely known being

"It’s important that everyone has a pair of shoes; that everyone has a pair of shoes that fit; and that the differences in everyone’s shoes is not a source of stigmatization.

This metaphor of acknowledging individual needs and empowering people with a political voice is best described by which phrase?"

What is the approximate percentage share of greenhouse gas emissions attributable to the richest 1%, richest 10%, and poorest 50% of the human population, respectively?

Which of the following contributes the most to the degradation and of inland and coastal waters?

"Martin Luther King Jr. once said, ""where there is injustice for one, there is injustice for all,"" believing that society cannot be maintained for a few at the expense of the many.

All of the following are charactersistics of social equity EXCEPT"

"Worldwide, 40% of women and girls live in countries where the level of discrimination in social institutions is estimated to be high or very high.

Which of the following is a root cause of gender inequality outcomes?"

"According to the International Monetary Fund (IMF), fragile and conflict-afflicted states (FCS) suffer disproportionally from climate change.

An example of a fragility that amplifies the impact of climate shocks would be:"

"It is widely recognised that environment-related risks and threats are not gender-neutral; on the contrary, women and girls are disproportionately affected by climate change and environmental degradation.

All of the following are examples of how women and girls are affected by environmental issues EXCEPT"

Approximately what percentage of national curriculum frameworks DO NOT reference climate change?

"Numerous bottlenecks have so far limited progress in ensuring adequate, safe and affordable housing and basic services.

All of the following are examples of the most significant bottlenecks to acheviving progress on this target EXCEPT"

"Blended finance is the strategic use of development finance for the mobilisation of additional finance towards sustainable development in developing countries. It attracts commercial capital towards projects that contribute to sustainable development, while providing financial returns to investors.

In which of the following have the most blended finance deals occurred to date?"

The Sulitest was used for this sustainability literacy assessment. Since 2020, Sulitest has been incoporated in several sustainability courses, including Introduction to Sustainability, Green Labs: Principles and Practices, BSc Environmental Sciene, BSc Applied Social Sciences, MSc Sustainable Environments and MSc Environmental Leadership. 1,287 University of Galway students have taken Sulitest to date and will repeat it at the end of their four-year programmes (i.e. academic year 24/25 for the first cohort). Therefore, the University of Galway is in the pre phase of the pre and post assessment method.

Since 2020, Sulitest has been incoporated (pre- and post-) in several sustainability courses, including Introduction to Sustainability, Green Labs: Principles and Practices, BSc Environmental Sciene, BSc Applied Social Sciences, MSc Sustainable Environments and MSc Environmental Leadership. 1,287 University of Galway students have taken Sulitest to date.

Results for each question for one class have been uploaded above and summary results for two classes are included in the additional document below. 

The additional document shows the some of the instances that Sulitest has been completed at the University of Galway between 2020 and 2024. The document also includes the summary results from two classes.