Sustainability news

Ramla Khan, a PhD student in The Open University’s School of Environment, Earth and Ecosystem Sciences recently wrote for Climate Perspectives magazine.

In the article Ramla discusses her research ‘Investigating the effects of temperature extremes on urban trees’. Her work is part of The Open University's mission to deliver impact-driven research to ensure a sustainable planet.

Responsible Futures is a whole institution accreditation programme with the aim to embed sustainability across all aspects of student learning. Responsible Futures has been created by the charity Students Organising for Sustainability (SOS-UK), this is a unique accreditation being student led and audited by students.

Go Green recently ran a workshop for staff about Responsible Futures at the OU which you can watch below.

The Institute of Educational Technology (IET) at The Open University have recently launched a much-needed free OpenLearn badged open course (BOC) supporting educators across multiple sectors and subjects in addressing the climate emergency in their teaching.

In January 2024, The Open University introduced a new free course on the emerging field of Climate Psychology. It is now widely accepted that facts about climate change, taken alone, do not promote change.

The Open University's Dr Ian Kenny and MSc Student and Post Doctoral Research Assistant Dr Dhouha Kbaier recently co-authored an article for Climate Perspectives Winter 2023/24 edition (pages 26 - 29). 

The article discusses The Open University's mission to deliver impact-driven research to ensure a sustainable planet. Our contribution is through the intersection of two extraordinary fields: Climate Change and machine learning.

Learning about the climate and ecological crisis can be very disturbing and overwhelming. We may feel a variety of different emotions often grouped under the umbrella label of eco-anxiety. But what is eco-anxiety and how can we learn to live meaningfully with the reality of the crisis without falling apart?

Sustainable Fashion: Fashion Fixing and Mending - Getting started with  Ismay Mummery. OU Research Student, Ismay, shares her findings from her garment mending research study and will offer ways to get more out of your wardrobe and get inspired to alter and fix garments rather than getting rid of them. 

The People and Planet League is an annual ranking of UK Universities based on publicly available environmental and ethical performance. In Summer 2023, we were audited by People and Planet and the findings published on 13 December in the People and Planet League Table. The OU now ranks 67 (up from 116 last year) giving us a 2:2 lower second-class honours. This jump is a definite improvement for the University compared to previous years and cause for celebration.

Join Ayo Sokale, BBC Bitesize Presenter and Civil Engineer, alongside Dr. Victoria Hands, Director of Sustainability, and ESG Freelancer Amie Kumar.
Discover why sustainability matters to organisations, how to turn conversations into actions, and the importance of developing a solid plan.
Gain insights, ideas, and practical advice to propel your business towards a sustainable future.
Let's rise to the challenge together!

In November 2023, The Open University published a report on the environmental, social and governance (ESG) skill gap in businesses.