SDSN AusNZPac Student Statement on the Climate Crisis and Universities
On 8 March, 2022, SDSN Youth Australia, New Zealand, and Pacific released a student position statement which university students and staff can use to guide, advance, and create climate action at their institutions. The statement lays out the ways in which student sustainability leaders from Australia and New Zealand want their universities to achieve specific climate action goals and provide support to student-led climate action groups.
Students want achieved are for universities to commit to:
- Building climate literacy among all of the university’s students and staff
- Clarity and transparency about the university’s relationships with third-parties
- Including I ndigenous voices in climate action decision making
- Carbon neutrality
- Minimizing single-use plastic in campus catering facilities
They also describe ways universities can support student climate action groups and projects. These include:
- Providing financial grants to university clubs and advocacy groups to fund sustainability initiatives
- Providing avenues for student groups to get involved in national and international climate action discussions
- Creating a centralized web page with the sustainability focused opportunities, clubs, and education programs students can get involved in
- Climate action advocacy by universities
- Creating avenues for multi-university events and communication on climate change
More information on the statement, including a guide to writing your own statement and to facilitating workshops to develop such a statement can be found on the SDSN AusNZPac website.