SDGs associated

Conference of University Presidents (CPU) declaration for World Environment Day on June 5th 2020

Higher education is committed to making the construction of the "next world" a strategic priority.

On World Environment Day, 5 June 2020, higher education and research institutions recall their dual commitment to the ecological and energy transition, and call for the acceleration of the effort.

We have already crossed three of the nine global limits described by Rockström (report published in Nature in 2009), in terms of climate change, the collapse of biodiversity and the alteration of major biogeochemical cycles.

In order to imagine a viable world for humans in 2050, academic research can and must contribute to a profound transformation of society. Our objective is to better integrate the issues related to the ecological and societal transition into research and teaching, in an inter and transdisciplinary logic. In order to achieve this, increased cooperation between the major scientific fields and between Science and Society is necessary.

Contents

  • Higher education closest to ongoing transitionsThe fundamental role of Research
  • The fundamental role of Research
  • Training our students in environmental issues
  • The university community mobilized

Read the full CPU declaration (french version)

Latest update: 02.11.2023