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My country:
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#SustainableBangor

At ¶º±ÆÖ±²¥ we plan on making our university synonymous with sustainability.

19th

in the UK

Times Higher Education Impact Ranking assessed against the United Nations’ Sustainability Development Goals, 2024

77th

in the world

Times Higher Education Impact Ranking assessed against the United Nations’ Sustainability Development Goals, 2024

18th

in the UK

People & Planet University League, 2023/24

14th

in the World

for Responsible Consumption and Production, Times Higher Education Impact Rankings, 2024

Development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.

The UN on sustainability
Image of green fields trees in the background with a blue sky above
Credit:Lars_Nissen Pixabay

¶º±ÆÖ±²¥: A force for good.

Our goal is to inspire our academic community, our professional services teams and our students to create a more sustainable world in alignment with our vision to drive success through transformative, innovative, impact-driven research and teaching.

We believe this University has a role to play in society, building on our focus on discovery, sustainability, safeguarding the environment and promoting economic, social, bilingual and cultural vibrancy. As a research-led University and as individuals who care deeply about the world we live in, we want to contribute to solving the world’s challenges, such as climate change, health inequalities, and workforce development.

We are passionate about promoting a culture and scholarship of environmental stewardship, living in harmony, and caring for the world in ways that meet our economic, social, environmental, and cultural needs. Underpinned by our world-renowned research, we will support the development of Wales as a bilingual learning country with a knowledge driven economy for the benefit of the world and future generations.

¶º±ÆÖ±²¥ Strategy 2030

The four principles of ¶º±ÆÖ±²¥â€™s sustainability strategy.

Not just the environment

We realise that sustainability is not just about the environment. Alongside natural resources, we also need social, cultural and economic resources, meaning the four pillars of sustainability are: environment, culture, society and economy.
Our sustainability targets encompass all four aspects and develop a set of relevant key performance indicators.

Ambitious and evidence-based

We will become a leader in sustainability and to do this we must be ambitious in the targets we set our self. However, these ambitions and the actions required to achieve them will avoid knee-jerk reactions and fads. They will be based on robust multi-disciplinary evidence, which will be supplied by our own experts and researches at ¶º±ÆÖ±²¥.

Open and honest communication

We are on a journey to be the most sustainable university in the UK and we will be honest and transparent about what we have done well, and equally so on what we could do better. ¶º±ÆÖ±²¥ will never be able to be accused of ‘greenwashing’.

In everything we do

Sustainability will become more ingrained in all aspects of life at ¶º±ÆÖ±²¥ and all the activities our staff and students are involved in. Particularly, we will ensure that sustainability becomes a central theme in our curriculum and research specialisms. Developments across our campus, procurement processes, staff training and community engagement activities will also embed the principles of sustainability within them.

Read the Transcript for the Sustainability video

[00:03] Sustainability. It's a word we hear a lot these days, [00:06] but what does sustainability mean to you? [00:11] To me, it means protecting our planet for generations to [00:14] come healing the damage already done and learning what [00:17] we can do to create a better future. [00:20] Like investigating other ways to reduce our dependency on [00:23] fossil fuels by harnessing alternative sources of energy from [00:26] the marine environment which comprises over 70% of [00:29] the Earth's surface. [00:31] But getting to understand how every organism plays [00:34] a part in our world from insects to mammals and [00:37] even microorganisms. [00:39] Learning about ways to minimize wasted energy wasted [00:42] food and wasted resources and studying [00:45] about internet connected devices to guide action [00:48] on air pollution and emissions. [00:53] Our research on wind and tidal stream turbines and more [00:56] could lead to potentially endless source of [00:59] natural sustainable energy. No greenhouse gases. No [01:02] pollution no harm. [01:06] I'm passionate about managing our Landscapes to help nature [01:09] take care of itself. Understanding our world helps [01:12] us to protect it. [01:14] I want a future with cleaner oceans cleaner [01:17] air and much less waste. [01:22] And while we're studying different courses, we all have [01:25] the same passions at heart to create a better future through [01:28] sustainability and research. Sustainability at [01:31] ¶º±ÆÖ±²¥ - it's more than [01:34] a word. It's a way of life.

More than the environment.

Being a truly sustainable university means not only looking after our natural resources and the environment – it means caring for our communities, our culture and our economic resources. At ¶º±ÆÖ±²¥ we plan on making our university synonymous with sustainability.

Sustainability is more than the environment and it’s more than the work of a single department – it’s in everything we do. Working with the Welsh Government’s Well-being of Future Generations (Wales) Act 2015, and the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals, we are committed to making an impact to the challenges our global community is facing.

Dr Christian Dunn,  Associate Pro-Vice Chancellor for Sustainability
image of Dr Christian Dunn (white man, with dark hair and facial hair)

Sustainability at Bangor

From our undergraduate modules to our research project, everything we do is being mapped onto the 17 UN Sustainability Goals and using the principles of the Welsh Government’s Well-being of Future Generations (Wales) Act 2015.

Well-being of Future Generations (Wales) Act 2015

UN Sustainable Development Goals

Elevated green fields in Uganda

Some of our impact so far Zero Hunger

An estimated 30-40% of Uganda’s fruit and vegetables are wasted before reaching the market. ¶º±ÆÖ±²¥ is working with colleagues at Makerere University in Uganda to develop sustainable food packaging alternatives.

A close up of a bowl of fruit including apples, bananas and grapes

Some of our impact so far Food Waste

Hungry Dragon is a ¶º±ÆÖ±²¥ student-led food project, saving surplus food in Bangor. Recently partnered with Fair-Price Café, they convert surplus fruit and vegetables from local supermarkets into preserves and meals.

Solar panel next to high voltage towers

Clean Energy

As a University, we understand that our use of fossil-fuel-derived energy is contributing to global climate change. In 2019, we declared a Climate Emergency and announced that 100% of our electricity is now supplied from guaranteed renewable sources. We have expertise in marine renewables (including mitigating the impacts on marine wildlife) and nuclear energy, vital to continue decarbonising electricity generation, which underpins emissions reductions in other sectors. North Wales is geographically placed to be a leader in environmental technologies.

illustration of the earth surrounded by the recycling symbol.

Some of our impact so far Responsible consumption and production

In 2019/20 the University diverted 100% of its waste from landfills. Out of the waste diverted, 2% was reused, 59% was recycled and 39& was recovered. 617T of waste was generated in total, a 196T (24%) reduction from the previous year. We aim to reuse/recycle 70% of our waste by July 2025, as laid out in Wales’ overarching waste strategy – Towards Zero Waste.

People standing next to wall of sticky notes

What are we working on

We are working on many items to improve our environmental and ethical performance, in areas such as education for sustainable development, staff and student engagement, and finance and procurement

A close up of a man's hands signing a document with a pen
Person signing document

Policies, Strategies and Reports

Our policies and strategies shape the future of the University as well as focus on issues that face current staff and students.ÌýWhilst our Reports evidence our efforts so far.

People holding hands

Meet the Team

All people involved in Sustainability at Bangor share the same vision and values despite bringing different expertease and experiences to it.

When it comes to team we believe the whole is greater than the sum of its parts- but if you would like to browse the names check the list below.

Get in-touch

ÌýIf you have any questions about sustainability at ¶º±ÆÖ±²¥ please email sustainability@bangor.ac.uk

#SustainableBangor

ÌýFollow and use the hashtag #SustainableBangor for all things sustainable at ¶º±ÆÖ±²¥ on social media.