Strong sustainability commitment sees NTU join university alliance

Nottingham Trent University (NTU) has become a founding signatory of the Nature Positive Universities Alliance, which was launched at COP15 in Montreal.

As such, NTU is now part of the global network of founding universities supporting the Nature Positive Universities Alliance.

The Alliance has an official pledge to work towards halting, preventing and reversing nature loss by addressing their own impacts and restoring ecosystems harmed by their activities.

NTU ranks as the second most sustainable university

Furthermore, NTU has been ranked as the second most sustainable university in the world in the UI Green Metric – a rise on its previous position as fourth ranked. The UI Green Metric consists of more than 900 universities from 84 countries and each institution is ranked on six indicators including infrastructure, waste, water, transportation, and education.

“NTU is delighted and proud to be one of the founding universities of the Nature Positive Universities Alliance, as well as being named as the second most sustainable university in the world. Sustainability is one of the key themes of our University, Reimagined strategy, demonstrating the high priority we place on it," said Charmaine Morrell, Head of Sustainability at Nottingham Trent University [pictured above].

“Whilst this is a cause for celebration, there is still more to be done. We now look to work towards the elements set out in the Pledge not only increasing our own sustainability, but as an educational establishment, use that to help and influence the community around us. We all need to work together to help address the environmental crisis affecting us all.”

Addressing climate and ecological crises

The Nature Positive Universities Alliance was founded by the University of Oxford and UN Environment Programme (UNEP) as part of the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration, a movement to avert climate catastrophe and mass extinction and brings higher education institutions together to use their unique power and influence as drivers of positive change. By publicly tackling their own supply chains and operational impacts on nature, universities can help guide the wider community on a path to address the twin climate and ecological crises.

The Alliance also includes a Student Ambassador Programme, where over 100 students from across 35 countries are taking action toward nature positive awareness and approaches on their campuses.

Enhancing biodiversity on campus

NTU’s Biodiversity Policy demonstrates its commitment to protecting and enhancing biodiversity on its campuses. NTU is home to a number of IUCN Red Listed species including the Great Crested Newt, Peregrine Falcon, European Brown Hare, Pipistrelle Bat and Eurasian Badger; NTU collaborates with partners to ensure that their habitats are protected, and their activities are monitored.

NTU is also an accredited hedgehog friendly campus at its City, Clifton and Brackenhurst campuses and undertake actions to increase suitability for hedgehogs which are vulnerable to extinction. Other recent actions include supporting student societies with wildflower planting and pond remedial works to increase their ecological value at Brackenhurst.

E.J. Milner-Gulland, Tasso Leventis Professor of Biodiversity at the Department of Biology, University of Oxford, and co-founder of the Nature Positive Universities Alliance, said: "As universities, we occupy a unique position in educating future leaders, researching solutions to environmental challenges, and influencing our communities and governments. By addressing our own institutions' environmental impacts, we can be powerful thought leaders while also directly contributing to restoring nature."