Meet our Student Ambassadors

• Ellen Dainty, Bangor University, Applied terrestrial and Marine Ecology 

• Riddhi Vyas, Brunel University, Environmental Management MSc  

• Rouzait Jarrar, Qatar University, Environmental Science BSc  

• Gopika Gopan, Scotland Rural College,  Environmental Protection and Management MSc 

• Anis Sabrina Roslan, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Master of Environment  

• Anthony K. Veerayan, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Master of Environment  

• Tolulope Kayode, University of Greenwich, Global Environmental Change MSc 

• Pranay Arora, University of Manchester, Environmental Science BSc  

• Jiaqi Zhao, University of Manchester, Environmental Science with Industrial Experience MEnvSci  

• Christopher Jefford, University of Plymouth, Environmental Science BSc  

• Adam Bridgwater, University of Plymouth, Environmental Science BSc 

• Kimberly Williams, University of Portsmouth, Marine Environmental Science BSc 

• Sophia Caton, University of St Andrews, Earth and Environmental Science BSc  

• Millie Hore, University of St Andrews, Earth Science MGeol  

• Allison Villarreal, University of Stirling, Environmental Science BSc 

The University of St Andrews aims to reach net zero by 2035 with the help of students, staff and the local community, by implementing a range of projects. A crucial step towards this is the reduction of energy and water consumption. The investment and development of the Eden Campus, just outside of town, provides a space for innovation, as well as contributing to university buildings becoming more energy efficient. It aims to introduce renewable energy methods to power these buildings, including halls of residence, and eventually to provide a district heating system for the town. Currently, a biomass heating network sustainably heats 43 university buildings and 2,500 student rooms. Solar and wind projects are also in development to reach the desired energy efficiency, with a prototype project for energy storage and conversion being launched at the end of 2021 — the first in Scotland.

The continuous investment by the university and Scottish Government allows an annual 2000 tonne carbon emission reduction, as well as the university consuming 30% less energy than ten years ago, despite a 10% expansion. Thus, the development of this Eden Campus is proving effective in reducing carbon emissions, helping reach the net zero target and tackle climate change.  

At the University of Manchester, we have a project called ‘50,000 Actions’. It is the biggest environmental sustainability initiative in the higher education sector, challenging all of our 50,000 university students and staff to take small steps to live more sustainably and take care of our planet. We are asking all staff and students to take practical action in everyday life to live more sustainably. It begins with committing to sustainable actions through an online platform. This enables participants to communicate with each other, helping them maintain the actions they have committed to, and track the progress they have made. The platform also provides information about more than 150 different events and actions that staff and students can complete, such as volunteering in the local community or reducing single-use plastics in our own homes.  

The most important thing an individual can do is be less of an individual. The 50,000 Actions project helps us to be organised with others and do everything we can to ensure that we will reach our collective goal, by making sustainable choices in everyday life, helping reduce carbon impact, fighting against climate change, looking after the environment, and making a difference. 

The end of term reuse project is an initiative of the University of Greenwich (students) and is a fascinating one, running since 2011. Student volunteers and ambassadors coordinate it at the end of terms/sessions, encouraging students to give items for reuse, repurposing, or recycling, rather than the items contributing to environmental pollution due to inappropriate disposal. 

This accomplishes part of the strategies of a circular economy using the 9R Frameworks, which include Refuse, Rethink, Reduce, Reuse, Repair, Refurbish, Remanufacture, Repurpose, and Recycle. The initiative has reduced emissions and contributed to the socio-economic benefits of students and charity organizations. 

The purpose of the end of term reuse project is to curb ‘waste’ that could result in environmental pollution with a negative ripple effect on the climate. The slogan, ‘Give it, do not bin it,’ gives meaning to the initiative which includes a charitable cause (partnering with the British Heart Foundation) and provides a reuse and recycling opportunity.  

This initiative can be employed in other institutions or societies, which will promote the circular economy approach toward net zero, and further aid awareness of sustainable development goals. 

A Collaboration Between University of Plymouth and Ocean Conservation Trust: Mitigating Climate Change Through Seagrass Restoration.  

The Ocean Conservation Trust (OCT) and the University of Plymouth (UoP) have been collaborating, advancing knowledge and best practice of planting seagrass (Zostera marina) seeds in Plymouth Sound National Marine Park.  

Experiments were conducted in the UoP’s COAST (Coastal, Ocean, and Sediment Transport) laboratory. The aim: Discover the best way to plant and deploy seagrass planting units, and how hydrodynamic forces influence them.  

The planting units are constructed from sustainable, biodegradable materials (cotton layer, hessian intertwined mat) that are covered with sand. The planting units were observed and analysed regarding how they reacted to different variables (i.e., waves and currents).  

The limitations and best positioning formation for the units was discovered. OCT implemented the research, attaching planting units to the seabed, as part of the 4-year LIFE Recreation ReMEDIES Project restoring 8 hectares of seagrass meadows in Plymouth Sound and the Solent Maritime SAC.  

This was part of a conservation and Blue Carbon Scheme, restoring seagrass meadows and mitigating atmospheric CO2. Similar projects have since been implemented throughout the country involving volunteers and citizen science, providing vital links between science and the public.  

I personally find climate actions that have been driven by younger people particularly inspiring as it shows how people today are actively fighting to save our planet.  

On such effective example is Nzambi Matee, a Kenyan who was one of the people awarded ‘Young Champion of the Earth’ by the UNEP in 2020 for creating a company that turns plastic waste into paving stones. Matee herself said that her inspiration came from ‘not wanting to be at the side-lines' of plastic pollution. In Nairobi alone, 500 metric tonnes of plastic waste is generated daily, only a small percentage of which is recycled.  

The outcome was the development of plastic pavers, a durable and affordable building material that is stronger and lighter than the concrete alternative. They have since been used in various environments such as schools, roads and industrial areas.  

Since winning the award, Matee has continued to plan a way to expand her company’s reach to cover the rest of Kenya and Africa.  

Whilst the main concern when tackling resource use should be ‘reduce’ more than anything, finding new and practical ways to deal with the large amount of waste we produce is a valuable contribution to climate action overall. 

I would like to talk about a smaller-scale form of climate action: education. I don’t mean presenting to a lecture hall of already interested students; I mean educating the friends and family you have around you.  

This may not make large changes immediately, but if public opinion continues to grow in support of climate action, then larger political changes can follow. Speaking with friends – and especially family – about climate issues can be difficult, but it is important to be considerate and listen to their views when discussing issues. I have found that although some people, such as myself, may change when confronted with upsetting information, it can cause some people to put their guard up, and it won’t help if everyday people feel accused, especially as big decisions are down to larger organisations and many people don’t have the luxury of spending extra to have a smaller climate footprint. I have had many conversations with family members and am often forwarded interesting infographics to them.  

My family now purchases organic produce where possible, tries to reduce our daily waste, and shops from small businesses, among other things. Small changes still have an impact, and there’s a change everyone can make. 

As part of my institution’s plan to achieve net zero carbon emissions by 2035, there is a new campus (Eden Campus) being built. Eden Campus will be used for both energy research, and production through solar and biomass plants. Combined, the solar and biomass plants have already reduced the university’s carbon footprint by 20% since opening in 2018. The biomass plant provides heat to 43 buildings in the university and has the potential to heat an additional 6,000 homes in St. Andrews.  

The Eden Campus is still in the process of being built, but this development, and step towards clean energy, is inspiring and it is possible that other communities and institutions could replicate it. The Eden Campus biomass plant uses sustainably sourced woodchips, but biomass plants in other regions can use other source material as well. For example, Covanta in the USA utilizes post-consumer waste that would have otherwise been sent to landfill. By reassessing energy production and sources on local levels, curated solutions can be explored based on the budget and resources of that area. For that reason, despite still being in development, I believe the Eden Campus is an example of an effective transition away from fossil fuels on a local scale.    

Qatar University (QU) is currently within a five-year framework known as the Qatar University Zero-Waste Vision 2025 Action Plan, with a key aim of becoming a zero- waste campus. The move to a zero-waste campus will present a chance to put into practice a number of initiatives aimed at fostering a sustainable culture on campus. QU will simultaneously incorporate the most suitable framework within local capabilities while drawing from the best global practices.

Qatar University’s Zero-Waste Vision 2025 Action Plan is included in this circular economy action plan. It combines, and expands the university’s current waste prevention initiatives into a very ambitious prospect. The Qatar University Zero-Waste Initiative (QUZWI) will carry out and oversee the implementation of this strategy. The Action Plan’s main objective is to meet an ambitious zero waste target by 2025 by relying on its four main pillars: creating governance and monitoring structure with strong Partnerships; developing a waste measurement and prevention system; using a communications strategy to engage campus employees and students; fostering a culture of innovation and social change within QU.

The development of the Waste Measurement and Prevention System will allow us to observe more precisely levels of waste generation at Qatar University (QU). The focus will be on municipal solid waste for the time being, which is waste generated regularly by staff and us students at the University, such as paper, plastics, and organic waste. This will be a key effort towards achieving the waste reduction target. The aim of waste prevention and management will be to minimize waste generation and ensure that any waste which is generated is correctly recycled. A measurement system for waste will be developed at QU in which can be utilized to design and implement policies, as well as assessing the effectiveness of these policies. Findings will be used to create a zero-waste target that will be the key goal for the Action Plan. This is inspiring because every student and member of staff will have the opportunity to grow and innovate, whilst at the same time working towards a clean and healthy environment.

Among the many climate actions that have amazed me with their innovation and purpose, I wish to share something I believe can be adopted in the UK to eradicate one of its climate challenges. In the state of Gujarat, India, extreme drought prevails. The short-term monsoon results in water logging which overlaps with the peak cropping season, making livelihoods impossible for the indigenous people. Bhugroo, a system that collects and stores rainwater beneath the surface, allows for the avoidance of water logging. Collected water is later used to water crops during the whole of drought time, enabling continuous farming. By storing merely 10 days of rainwater, the water requirements of 7 months are met. This has transformed desert into vegetation, and bagged the UN Global Climate Action Award in 2017.  

Peatland restoration is a big challenge for the UK. The cost and efficiency of existing rewetting processes are one of the stumbling blocks to the restoration process. Integrating the rewetting model with underground rainwater storage, the groundwater table can be effortlessly maintained at a level that favours the regeneration of peatlands. The UK is a country with good rainfall, making the solution through a rainwater management system viable.

The '1 Million Forest Trees Planting' Programme, is a tree planting project to rehabilitate 2,500 hectares of degraded forest in Ulu Segama - Malua, Sabah. The area is planted with fast-growing indigenous forest species and native fruit trees through the engagement of local communities with an opportunity for an added income stream. The program also enriches forest biodiversity in this area and creates wildlife corridors for the endangered Bornean elephants and Bornean orangutans in the long term. The project was launched in 2019 in collaboration with the Malaysian Palm Oil Council (MPOC) and the Sabah Forestry Department (SFD) with estimated completion by the year 2029, which includes the planting of seedlings and tending to the survival of the seedlings for at least 5 years with funding from the Malaysian government. However, there is the possibility of the project being delayed due to the recent pandemic and the challenge of having continuous financial aid. The program has a high possibility to be replicated in any part of the world, especially in the tropics with proper coordination, strong commitment from the collaborators, and continuous funding from stakeholders while utilizing local knowledge and experts. 

Brunel University is firmly committed to environmental sustainability and net zero economy. As part of its strategy, Brunel University has developed a Climate Change Policy to systematically change the investment industry. The policy focuses on five principal areas, including Policy Advocacy, Product Governance, Portfolio Management, Persuasion, and Positive Impact. The aim of creating a climate change policy framework is to minimize greenhouse gas emissions, register progress in a low carbon economy, and to prepare for the unavoidable effects of climate change. The university creates plans to be in line with the policy’s focused areas, and regularly monitors its own progress. The university publishes an annual report called “RI & Stewardship Outcomes Report” to show their performance related to their RI goals and climate change. The annual “Carbon Metrics Report” shows the exposure of active holdings, and a “TCFD Climate Action Plan” reports progress the university has achieved so far regarding climate metrics and targets. As part of their commitment to the United Nation’s SDGs, Brunel University makes sure their daily activities are in check with these goals. For example, the university aims to build sustainable buildings, in addition to protecting and improving the existing biodiversity at the campus. To conclude, Brunel University is committed to support SDGs and be the change the world requires to combat the issue of climate change.