| Overall Rating | Gold |
|---|---|
| Overall Score | 83.12 |
| Liaison | Richard Manton |
| Submission Date | Sept. 12, 2024 |
Ollscoil na Gaillimhe - University of Galway
PA-2: Sustainability Planning
| Status | Score | Responsible Party |
|---|---|---|
|
4.00 / 4.00 |
Richard
Manton Director of Sustainability Sustainability Office |
Part 1. Measurable sustainability objectives
Academics
A list or sample of the measurable sustainability objectives related to academics and the plan(s) in which they are published:
RL1: Integration of sustainability across all education programmes of the university - By 2023
RL2: Availability of co-curricular sustainability experiences for all NUI Galway students - By 2023
RL3: Provision of opportunities for all to learn about sustainability and to be part of the change process in the transition to a sustainable campus - By 2025
RL4: Increase research activity aligned to the SDGs across all colleges and research institutions. Establish a baseline of funded research projects aligned to the SDGs with the ambition to achieve alignment of over 60% - 60% alignment by 2025
RL5: Leadership in sustainability innovation and entrepreneurship. Establish a baseline of and increase sustainability innovation and entrepreneurship programmes - By 2025
The Sustainability Strategy 2021-2025 will be reviewed in 2025.
Engagement
A list or sample of the measurable sustainability objectives related to engagement and the plan(s) in which they are published:
HW1: Achieve the Keep Well Mark - Achieve by 2021
HW2: Achieve Healthy Campus Status - Achieve by 2022
HW3: Tobacco Free Campus - Achieve by 2021
HW4: Level of harmful drinking among students - Reduce year on year
NE1: Biodiversity Action Plan implemented and monitored for future updates -Ongoing
NE2: Demonstrated linkages between sustainable management of campus and research on campus biodiversity. Applied for funding for actions to showcase sustainable biodiversity management for wider community - Start in 2021 and continue year on year
NE3: Signatory to Leave No Trace and principles - implemented By 2022
NE4: Co-developed community projects in city and county with key partners - By 2025
The Sustainability Strategy 2021-2025 will be reviewed in 2025.
Operations
A list or sample of the measurable sustainability objectives related to operations and the plan(s) in which they are published:
EN1: Improve energy efficiency by 45% from 2005 baseline year - By 2025
EN2: *Reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 15% based on 2021 baseline - Publication of baseline & methodology By 2025
EN3: 20% of electricity to come from renewable sources by 2025 - By 2025
BE1: From a 2019 baseline, reduce total water consumption by 10% - Achieve by 2025
BE2: Ban specific single-use plastic convenience items including polystyrene food containers, cups and drinks containers - Achieve by 2021. Reduce food wastage (kitchen and plate waste) by 50% - Achieve by 2025.
BE3: Establish baseline transport carbon footprint by 2021 and reduce year on year - 2025
The Sustainability Strategy 2021-2025 will be reviewed in 2025.
Administration
A list or sample of the measurable sustainability objectives related to administration and the plan(s) in which they are published:
GL1: Show year-on-year progress on the achievement of the SDGs Annual improvement in Times Higher Societal Impact Ranking.
GL2: Impactful partnerships established with community groups to achieve the SDGs
Continuous growth each year
GL3 All labs green lab certified - By 2025
GL4: Achieve inaugural STARS ranking and improve award rating - Initial STARS ranking by 2022 with improved award rating by 2025. Maintain An Taisce Green Flag status.
GL5: All contracts/tenders incorporate green purchasing criteria By 2021.
GL6: Develop a roadmap to move ambitiously towards carbon neutrality. Measure and report carbon footprint by 2021. Develop a framework by 2023 for the university to move ambitiously towards carbon neutrality by 2030.
The Sustainability Strategy 2021-2025 will be reviewed in 2025.
Part 2. Sustainability in institution’s highest guiding document
The institution’s highest guiding document (upload):
Website URL where the institution’s highest guiding document is publicly available:
Which of the following best describes the inclusion of sustainability in the highest guiding document?:
Optional Fields
Website URL where the institution's sustainability plan is publicly available:
Does the institution have a formal statement in support of sustainability endorsed by its governing body?:
The formal statement in support of sustainability:
Shared-Vision-Shaped-by-Values - one of the four core values, take from this.
Our value of sustainability comes most strongly from our students, the generation that faces climate change most vividly. Our students demand that we leave the world in a better place than they found it, a responsibility of us all. In our research, teaching and engagement, and in our actions, we are committed to being an exemplar of climate action, for and with our sector and other organisations in our region. Acutely aware of our place in the world at this time and in this place, we are committed to the sustainability of our climate and determined to make a difference. We also cherish our role as a university, as an educational institution, sustaining our communities and the next generation of citizens and of knowledge, for our students and for our society.
Also see Climate Action and Sustainability Policy approved by the University Management Team: https://www.universityofgalway.ie/media/sustainability/files/Policy-QA205---Climate-Action-and-Sustainability-Policy--Final.pdf
The institution’s definition of sustainability:
Definitions
The UN SDGs are a collection of 17 global goals that UN member states, including Ireland, are expected to use as a guide for tackling the world’s most pressing challenges including ending poverty and hunger and bringing economic prosperity, social inclusion, environmental sustainability, peace and good governance to all countries and all people by 2030.
The SDG Accord is the University and College Sectors Collective Response to the Global Goals. The purpose of the SDG Accord is twofold: First it is to inspire, celebrate and advance the critical role that education has in delivering the SDGs and the value it brings to governments, business and wider society. Secondly, the Accord is a commitment learning institutions are making to one another to do more to deliver the goals, to annually report on each signatory's progress, and to do so in ways which share the learning with each other both nationally and internationally.
Climate Change refers to long-term changes in the earth's weather patterns or average temperature. A wide range of gasses known as greenhouse gases (GHGs) contribute to climate change. Carbon, in the form of carbon dioxide (CO2), is the earth’s major emitted greenhouse gas (GHG). GHG emissions and the impact of an organisation on climate can be measured in terms of equivalent CO2 emissions. Carbon management means, firstly, understanding where the organisations CO2 emissions are coming from and then putting in place a plan to reduce/eliminate/offset the carbon.
Carbon neutrality is defined by an internationally-recognised standard – PAS 2060 – which sets out requirements for the quantification, reduction and offsetting of greenhouse gas emissions. Achieving carbon neutrality means that the CO2 emissions attributable to University of Galway are fully compensated by CO2 reductions or removals exclusively claimed by University of Galway, such that University of Galway's net contribution to global CO2 emissions is zero, irrespective of the time period or the relative magnitude of emissions and removals involved. An organisation can purchase credits to become ‘carbon neutral’.
Net Zero Emissions means achieving an overall balance between greenhouse gases emitted and those that can be taken out of the earth’s atmosphere through natural or artificial systems, referred to as off-setting. A net-zero GHG emissions organisation reduces its emissions following science-based pathways, with any remaining GHG emissions attributable to University of Galway being fully neutralised by like-for-like removals of emissions from the earth’s atmosphere, without purchasing carbon credits, in line with global efforts to limit warming to 1.5oC. The boundary of a net zero target for University of Galway includes global scope 1, 2 and 3 emissions attributable to University of Galway, as defined in The Greenhouse Gas Protocol – A Corporate Accounting and Reporting Standard.
The Community and University Sustainability Partnership (CUSP) was established in 2015 under the direction of the Deputy President and Registrar to showcase how a university can become a role model for the transition to a sustainable future. CUSP is a multi-disciplinary, voluntary team of over 30 students and staff from across the campus and community partners, all working together with the common aim of establishing the university as a leading institutional model for sustainability. CUSP operates through a multidisciplinary board - the CUSP General Board. The University Sustainability Advisory Board provides strategic oversight of University of Galway’s commitment to sustainability as detailed in the Strategic Plan, Sustainability Strategy, SDG Accord and Climate Action and Sustainability Policy. The Sustainability Terms of Reference sets out roles, responsibilities and constitution of the CUSP General Board and University Sustainability Advisory Board.
At University of Galway, we adopt a Learn, Live, Lead approach to sustainability. The aim with learn is to embed learning about sustainability into all aspects of university practice, learning and research, so that our campus community can gain the necessary knowledge and skills to facilitate sustainable thinking and decision-making in the wider world; the aim with live is to implement the principles of sustainability through campus operations, so that our communities understand the importance of sustainable living in all aspects of their lives and value their connection to the physical environment, ecosystems and biodiversity; the focus of lead is developing the campus as a role model for sustainability and fostering partnerships between community and university so that we all work together to address local and global sustainability challenges.
Is the institution an endorser or signatory of the following?:
| Yes or No | |
| The Earth Charter | No |
| The Higher Education Sustainability Initiative (HESI) | No |
| ISCN-GULF Sustainable Campus Charter | No |
| Pan-Canadian Protocol for Sustainability | No |
| SDG Accord | Yes |
| Second Nature’s Carbon Commitment (formerly known as the ACUPCC), Resilience Commitment, and/or integrated Climate Commitment | No |
| The Talloires Declaration (TD) | No |
| UN Global Compact | No |
| Other multi-dimensional sustainability commitments (please specify below) | Yes |
A brief description of the institution’s formal sustainability commitments, including the specific initiatives selected above:
Our primary sustainability commitments and reporting schems are:
AASHE STARS
THE Impact Ranking
SDG Accord
Green Campus
SDG Champion/Ambassador
For more information, see: https://www.universityofgalway.ie/sustainability/aboutus/ourpartners/
Website URL where information about the institution’s sustainability planning efforts is available:
Additional documentation to support the submission:
Data source(s) and notes about the submission:
The information presented here is self-reported. While AASHE staff review portions of all STARS reports and institutions are welcome to seek additional forms of review, the data in STARS reports are not verified by AASHE. If you believe any of this information is erroneous or inconsistent with credit criteria, please review the process for inquiring about the information reported by an institution or simply email your inquiry to stars@aashe.org.