Research for Sustainable Development.Opportunities @

Simon GoldsmithHead of SustainabilitySustainable Development Unitgs15@gre.ac.uk

https://youtu.be/FFCNCQleCuk

“Sustainable development is development that meets the

needs of the present, without compromising the ability of

future generations to meet their own needs.” Brundtland 1987

Defining Sustainability:

The Natural Step’s ‘Sustainability Principles’

They are necessary, sufficient, universal, concrete and non-overlapping to describe a sustainable future and have been developed by scientists and businesses from all over the world.

• Sustainability Principle 1 … we cannot dig stuff up from the Earth at a rate faster than it naturally returns and replenishes.

• Sustainability Principle 2 … we cannot make chemical stuff at a rate faster than it takes nature to break it down.

• Sustainability Principle 3 … we cannot cause destruction to the planet at a rate faster than it takes to regrow.

• Sustainability Principle 4 … we cannot do things that cause others to not be able to fulfill their basic needs.

http://www.thenaturalstep.org/our-approach/

Defining Sustainability:

Sustainability ‘lens’

• Meeting the goal of a sustainability (restorative) society• Understanding the consequences (and unintended

consequences) or work (sustainability and systems thinking)

• Emergent & new ways of thinking (constraint’s, backcasting

from success)

• Having clear principles to help guide thinking, decisions & actions

• Having a common language for success

Sustainability helps

• Overcome different understandings• Can turn complexity to simplicity• Defined and applicable• A shared language• A connector• A lens to understand the world & create solutions• The concept that helps enable a successful future society• Meet key organisational drivers

The Sustainable Development Unit

• Strategy & Policy• Teaching & Education for Sustainable Development• Research• Sustainability Communications & Reporting• Living Lab• Staff engagement & behaviour change• ISO 14001 (Environmental Management)• Projects, Collaborations & Connections (Internal & External)

• Contact Simon Goldsmith, gs15@gre.ac.uk, Website Link, Twitter: @sust_Greenwich

Assisting Research and Researchers

• Developing sustainability literacy• Identifying opportunities• Facilitating groups and collaborations• A board to bounce ideas & dialogue• Communicating and connecting – within &

beyond UoG• .. Access to Living Lab..

University as a ‘Living Lab’:

Identify research opportunities that could help improve the Greenwich Estate:• Utilising existing monitoring data – electricity, gas, water• Review Construction and refurbishment projects• Review specific areas

• Energy, Waste, Water• Procurement• Estates management (local)• ICT• Biodiversity• Wellbeing• Student Experience• Review relationships between University and third

parties such as ORNC Foundation, contractors, ..

Assisting Research and Researchers

How would using the lens of sustainability? To: • create a novel perspective to your research? • help meet wider goals of interest to funders?• identify wider partnerships?• reduce impacts of your research? (e.g. carbon)

• to meet your own needs, interests & values?• to help meet a needs of a sustainable society

Thank you.Simon GoldsmithHead of SustainabilitySustainable Development Unitgs15@gre.ac.uk