Climate Action at Newcastle University<\/strong> <\/p>\n\n\n\n On the 10th of November 2022, we invited colleagues and students to join us at a conference-style, collaborative event on climate action<\/a>. This was a great event where delegates were able to discuss future climate action plans and hear more about more about sustainable initiatives in the higher education sector. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Spudfest<\/strong> <\/p>\n\n\n\n In December 2022 the School of Natural and Environmental Sciences held Spudfest<\/a> in collaboration with the Sustainability Team, Keenan Recycling Ltd, EAT@Newcastle and Newcastle Food Bank. This event showcased some of the exciting research on our farms and helped to avoid food waste. It was a spud-tacular event! <\/p>\n\n\n\n Sustainability Week<\/strong> <\/p>\n\n\n\n Sustainability Week<\/a> was a weeklong event in March 2023. We held a variety of activities throughout the week aimed to engage and inspire the University community. Activities included a tour of the National Green Infrastructure Facility, a climate anxiety workshop and a full day festival! <\/p>\n\n\n\n Environment Awards<\/strong> <\/p>\n\n\n\n At the end of June, we celebrated the Environment Awards. This was a lovely afternoon where we celebrated the achievements of the University community. From acknowledging the work of LEAF members to celebrating our Grounds Team, there was plenty to celebrate! <\/p>\n\n\n\n We received some exciting awards\u2026<\/strong> <\/p>\n\n\n\n In December we received the news that we retained our \u2018First Class\u2019 sustainability ranking by the People and Planet University League for the 10th<\/sup> year in a row. <\/p>\n\n\n\n We were ranked 4th<\/sup> in the UK and joint 24th<\/sup> in the world for sustainable development in the Times Higher Education Impact Rankings. <\/p>\n\n\n\n In June, we were externally audited on our Environmental Management System (EMS) and Energy Management System (EnMS). We were recertified to ISO 14001 and ISO 50001 respectively. You can learn more about what this means in our EMS and EnMS blog post.<\/a><\/strong> <\/p>\n\n\n\n We brought our campus to life\u2026<\/strong> <\/p>\n\n\n\n Our grounds team planted over 1500 m2<\/sup> of wildflower beds across campus. These really came into bloom in the hot summer weather and have made our campus look great! <\/p>\n\n\n\n A group of volunteers and the Sustainability Team carried out hedgehog surveys on campus. Newcastle University holds a Silver Award from Hedgehog Friendly Campus. <\/p>\n\n\n\n In December 2022, we became a founding member of the Nature Positive Universities Alliance<\/a>. This initiative was launched at COP15 and requires universities to calculate a baseline of their effects on biodiversity and set targets to minimise their impacts. <\/p>\n\n\n\n .![\"\"](\"https:\/\/blogs.ncl.ac.uk\/sustainability\/files\/2023\/09\/image.jpeg\")
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