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The national and transcontinental networks for sustainable development convened in Leeds in late March to establish a global alliance.

– Professionals in sustainable development at universities have never been together in such large numbers before. The NSCN network headed by Aalto University was invited to take part and to represent Nordic universities. It is wonderful that we can inspire the institutions that we represent to bear responsibility for global development. Sharing experiences is also valuable, says Meri Löyttyniemi, Senior Adviser on sustainable development at Aalto University.

A worldwide alliance would enable universities to have a strong, unified voice in working on behalf of sustainable development, for instance at the COP21 Forum to be held in Paris in December 2015. 

– The alliance will publish its vision in the autumn and members of the network are organising events in advance of the Paris climate meeting. Only through active networking can Aalto also inform its students of the possibility to participate in the international climate meeting as part of the competition to be organised, Löyttyniemi emphasises.

Forerunner in Finland

Aalto is the first university in Finland to be part of the International Sustainable Campus Network. This year is the first time that the responsibility is integrated more closely as a part of the annual report. The direct environmental impact of the activities of the university, the indirect impact, as well as statistics from research and publication activities are condensed in one two-page spread.

Aalto University Sustainability Report 2014, integrated to Annual Report (pdf)

More information:

Meri Löyttyniemi
Aalto University, Senior Adviser on sustainable development
Chair of the Nordic Sustainable Campus Network (NSCN)
tel. +358 50 313 7549
meri.loyttyniemi@aalto.fi
Additional sustainability statistics at aalto.fi/sustainability

This English version of the news published on 13 May 2015.