Campuses connect for climate action

Top climate experts from universities and colleges around the country say it is key for the sector to collaborate to meet challenging net-zero targets.

The discussions were part of the Conversations on Climate Solutions event at the annual EAUC conference at the University of Bath this week.

The event, attended by Salix, brought together UK’s top university and college academics, leaders, and professionals to address the Climate and Ecological Emergency.

The event gave people a chance to share best practices and expertise across a range of issues and also discuss how changing behaviours are key to winning positive solutions.

Speakers also agreed that the education sector was key in shifting mindsets and inspiring more students to join the climate conversation.

During the two-day conference Salix’s Higher and Further Education team ran an interactive session on delivering decarbonisation projects across campuses.

Salix has supported 134 institutions with decarbonisation projects across the Low Carbon Skills Fund and 76 across the Public Sector Decarbonisation Schemes.

During their session, the Salix team encouraged the audience to get involved through a ‘Salix Game’ which included real-life examples of challenges faced when handling projects.

Salix Client Support Officer, Fouad Amuni, said: “The EAUC conference revealed the need for an intersectional approach to combatting the climate crisis.  

“It is crucial to factor in the different social and economic elements for instance that face communities to better support them.

“At Salix our focus is on heat decarbonisation, and the interest of our audience shows that we can continue to support Government ambitious net zero targets through the schemes we so effectively deliver.”

The event offered a useful opportunity for Salix to network with teams from across the public sector. It was also a perfect opportunity to meet face to face the teams Salix has supported the Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme, Low Carbon Skills fund and Scottish Funding Council funding schemes.

This included those from the Royal Botanical Gardens, Kew, University of Exeter, Cranfield University and University of Strathclyde.

Other speakers at the event were from Students Organising for Sustainability (SOS-UK), Black Leadership Group and Solihull.

Client Support Officer, Evelyn West was also at the event. She added: “It was also great to see so many people at our session, and I hope this will translate into many more excellent higher and further education Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme applications and projects in the future.”