Utrecht University first Dutch university to sign sustainability manifesto

Utrecht University (UU) was the first Dutch university to sign the KNAW manifesto Sustainable Thinking, Sustainable Doing. With this step, Utrecht University underlines its ambition to regard sustainability not as a side issue, but as the core of its mission — in both thought and action.

The manifesto is an initiative of The Young Academy and The Green Young Academy, calling on universities to embed sustainability structurally in education, research, governance and operations.By signing, Utrecht University expresses not only its academic, but also its planetary responsibility. The manifesto calls on knowledge institutions to show courage and to make deliberate choices for a future-proof society.

Agreements based on shared goals

“The strength of this manifesto lies mainly in the collective call,” says Rector Magnificus Wilco Hazeleger. “It is not a set of rules, since every university has different resources and approaches to become more sustainable. But it provides direction and offers a foundation to make agreements based on shared goals. This is something we, as UU, are eager to be a part of.” – Wilco Hazeleger.

Steps toward climate neutrality

The manifesto includes concrete action points, such as integrating sustainability into all curricula, promoting societally relevant research, and formulating a roadmap towards climate neutrality by 2050.

“Our goal for UU is to be CO2 neutral by 2030,” says Vice-President Margot van der Starre. “We’ve recently taken a huge step toward this by becoming the first university in the Netherlands to purchase and operate our own solar park. This is a great example of how, as a university, we continue to invest in sustainability and in the future.”