Sustainability - it's not just a buzzword

This week is Sustainability Week – a time to reflect on the issues our world faces including climate change, biodiversity loss and air, water and soil pollution. It’s also a time to highlight the work organisations are doing in an effort to become more sustainable.

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report released recently revealed that Australia’s land areas have warmed by about 1.4 degrees Celsius since 1910.?The report also stated that the shift in global systems cause by human Influence is “bringing widespread and rapid changes in the atmosphere, ocean, cryosphere and biosphere”.

And the bad news is that many of these changes scale with global warming, so the more global warming we experience, the worse these extremes will be.

The devastating drought, record high temperatures and the 2019 and 2020 Australian bushfires locally highlight the need for stronger action. The IPCC report says natural disasters such as heatwaves, droughts and floods will be more widespread at 2 degrees Celsius of warming. But it also says it’s not too late to make a difference.

We can avoid these changes to our climate by reducing emissions and every action we take now can count towards reducing the risks.

QUT recognises climate change as an existential issue requiring all individuals and organisations to respond. The United Nations landmark agreement reached in Paris in late 2015 highlights the critical need for global response to the threat of climate change. Universities are in a unique position to contribute to and meet the challenges that will lead to a more sustainable world.

?At QUT we’re committed to living lightly upon the earth and reducing our impact on the environment, while improving our institutional resilience. Sustainability and the Environment is one of the high-level priorities?in the university’s strategic plan.

Further reflection of our ongoing commitment to Sustainability and Environment is the appointment of Pro Vice-Chancellor (Sustainability Strategy) Professor Kerrie Wilson and the development of QUT’s Sustainability Action Plan. Our vision is to move to a low carbon future and reduce activities that result in greenhouse gas emissions.?We realise the capacity of the next generation of decision makers, business leaders, specialist practitioners and citizens to maintain a sustainable world for the future.

A great example of this is Associate Professor Alice Payne’s work on creating a world of more sustainable fashion. Associate Professor Payne’s work includes encouraging consumers to repair clothes, buy second hand, purchase direct for the maker and lobby for change via social media platforms. ?She is working to grow consumer behaviour change, encourage innovation in biotextiles and tame waste using advance manufacturing and other measures to recycle fast fashion fibres.

Sustainability isn’t a buzzword – it’s how we as individuals and QUT as an institution need to conduct ourselves daily. ?It’s ultimately about seeking a harmonious relationship between people and the planet. The natural environment underpins our economy and society, and we need to take care of it – not only for our own sakes but for future generations and to ensure the persistence of other species.

As part of our Sustainability Action Plan, QUT is aiming not only to meet but to significantly exceed the emissions reduction targets in the Paris Agreement. And we’re aiming to have net zero carbon emissions by 2030.?Our priorities and targets are outlined in the plan across 13 domains, from carbon, energy, water and waste to transport, procurement, education and research.

As part of our Sustainability Week events, we’re fortunate to have renowned scientist and climate writer Professor Tim Flannery delivering the keynote address on August 25. ?QUT’s Elder in Residence Uncle Cheg and Leeton Lee from Firesticks will take a tour of the Samford Ecological Research Facility on August 26 and Conversations at the Cube will be held all week from 10-11am.

Sustainability means acting thoughtfully and responsibly, always considering the impact of our decisions on other people, other species and future generations.

?For more, click here