On the 16th of November, the annual Roland Clift lecture by the Center for Environment and Sustainability (CES) was held at the University of Surrey, and I am proud to have attended it. For this year, the lecture was given by the namesake of the event, Professor Emeritus Roland Clift himself, and the topic was “A journey in sustainability – Looking backwards and ahead”. The lecture was truly enlightening and eye-opening, highlighting the journey of University of Surrey as a torchbearer for the sustainability of the environment that we live in.
CES is celebrating it’s 30th anniversary this year, and it was founded by Professor Emeritus Roland Clift in 1992. He defines the core meaning of sustainable development as “a process of social development subject to techno-economic and ecological constraints.” He is also releasing a new book titled “Living Well on a Finite Planet: A systems approach to sustainability, society and economy” in 2023. You can find additional information, including a list of courses that CES teaches by clicking here.
The university of Surrey has committed to achieve net-zero by 2030, by creating a solar farm to increase renewable energy production from 0.1% to 20% of annual demand at the university. Additionally, the Institute for Sustainability (IFS) has been launched today and is being headed by Professor Lorenzo Fioramonti. He is an energetic and passionate speaker and gave an introductory speech on the role of the institute on the importance of linking cross-faculty research with practical solutions that are sustainable for the environment during the lecture. Although the institute is brand new, there are multiple courses that are on offer that you can already apply for, and further information is available here.
Another important highlight during the lecture was a panel of expert speakers discussing issues related to sustainability especially in the finance sector. This was a diverse panel with speakers from the University of Oxford, and University of Surrey in the UK, Norway, and Sydney – Australia that included engineers and accountants. It offered a unique question and answer session by the audience as well and was educational and thorough.
The Centre for the Understanding of Sustainable Prosperity (CUSP) is an internationally leading research organisation. It is directed by Professor Tim Jackson at the University of Surrey who defines sustainability as “the art of living well within ecological limits.” CUSP is an academic institution, and it is “committed to translating intellectual and scientific research into practical action for society.” Further information regarding CUSP can be found here.
As highlighted above through information regarding CES, IFS, and CUSP, University of Surrey is at the forefront of creating the next generation of environmental scientists and engineers, with an important emphasis on sustainability. If you want to pursue a related course, please take the time to research University of Surrey as well, as you will definitely enjoy your time here!
Cheers,
Shaulan
