UQ Climate for Change is a group of students and staff at the University of Queensland who came together to raise awareness and generate action on issues of environmental sustainability, and most urgently, on climate change.
We believe that our Universities, as centres of learning, research and critical thought, should demonstrate leadership in environmental management and in research and education for sustainability.
Living up to this responsibility is vital for the sake of ours and future generations, and is the only ethical response to the current sustainability emergency of climate change, environmental degradation, loss of biodiversity and depletion of natural resources.
For UQ, our main aim is a systemic and co-ordinated ‘Sustainability Plan’ to integrate sustainability and climate issues into UQ’s research, operations, teaching and outreach.
Our vision is for sustainability to be integrated within all operations, research and education at UQ , and we actively pursue our work to mainstream sustainability at UQ along these three key themes.
We are also involved in advocacy and events beyond UQ, and work together with other climate and sustainability networks to support projects for youth outreach, changes in Australia’s policies, and to call for international action for a safe climate.
Thanks to Naomi Schmidt for designing our logo.
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UQCfC Aims
Systemic changes at UQ:
1 To generate systemic changes at UQ that integrate climate change and sustainability throughout the University’s research, teaching, operations and outreach:
to minimise the university’s ecological footprint and take a leading role in addressing these issues in our society.
Awareness, Education and Motivation of the UQ Community:
2 To raise awareness and understanding of climate change and environmental sustainability within the University community.
3 To enable and motivate students and staff to act, collectively and in their own lives, to help reach a safer climate and a sustainable society.
Forming part of a wider movement:
4 To work with other organisations and contribute to the wider movement for a safe climate and transitions to sustainability, for Australia and globally.
To achieve these aims, UQ CfC will:
1. generate systemic changes through active involvement in the UQ Sustainability Steering Committee & Working Groups, and collaborations with the UQ Union, Global Change Institute, Properties & Facilities, and interested staff and students;
We will help to develop and to realise a comprehensive Sustainability Plan for UQ that integrates sustainability and climate issues throughout the University’s research, teaching, operations and outreach, and enables the University to take a leading role in addressing these issues in our society.
2. raise awareness and help all students and staff to learn about the issues and what they can do individually and collectively, by running events and educational activities on campus; and
3. contribute to the wider movement for a safe climate by sharing ideas, information resources and participating in joint initiatives with the Australian Youth Climate Coalition, Australian Student Environment Network, Community Climate Network Queensland, and other groups or networks.
