As part of UQ’s commitment to environmental sustainability the University has become a signatory to the international Talloires Declaration.
The Talloires Declaration includes a 10-point action plan for incorporating sustainability and environmental literacy in teaching, research, operations and outreach at colleges and universities.
UQ Vice-Chancellor Professor Paul Greenfield said adoption of the declaration underscored UQ’s commitment to integrating sustainability throughout learning, discovery and engagement.
“Under the declaration UQ supports environmental citizenship at all levels of the University community, in an endeavour to advance global environmental literacy and sustainable development,” Professor Greenfield said.
“It is a formal acknowledgement of UQ’s roles and responsibilities to advance sustainability through education, research and engagement with communities, corporations and governments.
“The University must also lead by example as an environmental citizen, and we continue to enhance strategies and practices to make our own operations more sustainable.
“We have well-established environmental and sustainability policies and procedures, covering areas such as water, recycling, waste management, air quality, biodiversity management and energy.
“Education programs, water saving measures, the Unigreen program, participation in Earth Hour and World Environment Day, and the inclusion of the Indooroopilly Mine site and part of the St Lucia campus in the Land for Wildlife program are also important developments.
“UQ began implementing site and campus environmental management systems in 1996, and recently established a Sustainability Steering Committee.
“However as the challenges of sustainability increase, so do the responsibilities of the University and all members of its community.”
The Talloires Declaration has been signed by more than 400 university leaders in over 50 countries since it was composed in 1990 at an international conference in Talloires, France.
The United Nations has declared the period 2005-2013 the Decade of Education for Sustainable Development.
Media: Jan King 0413 601 248
