Higher education sector commits to reverse biodiversity decline through worldwide Nature Positive Universities Alliance
Dublin City University have joined with over 100 third-level institutions worldwide in a new Nature Positive Universities Alliance - a global network of universities that have made an official pledge to work towards a global Nature Positive goal in order to halt, prevent and reverse nature loss through addressing their own impacts and restoring ecosystems harmed by their activities.
Details of the alliance were announced at the UN Biodiversity Conference (COP15) by the University of Oxford and UN Environment Programme (UNEP). This push is part of the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration, a movement to avert climate catastrophe and mass extinction.
Ahead of the announcement, Samantha Fahy, Sustainability Manager at DCU said:
“As part of Dublin City University’s Climate Action Plan, we are committed to science-based targets and to enhancing and protecting biodiversity, and to ensuring that all members of the DCU community understand the importance of nature in our lives. DCU is committed to protecting biodiversity and embedding this protection into decision-making across all the University and working with our local and city partners to support this within our communities and our city.”
The Nature Positive Universities Alliance brings higher education institutions together to use their unique power and influence as drivers of positive change. Universities already carry out environmental and conservation research to help inform government and company action, but 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 initiative launches with 111 universities from 44 countries, who have made individual pledges to start a journey towards becoming nature positive. University pledges include four key elements: carrying out baseline assessments; setting specific, time limited and measurable targets for nature; taking bold action to reduce biodiversity impacts, protect and restore species and ecosystems, while influencing others to do the same; and finally, transparent annual reporting.