Environmental sustainability at UNSW: 2024 in review

The report marked the last year of implementation for our Environmental Sustainability Plan 2022-24 and highlights our actions and progress against three areas: Climate Action, Living Campuses and Resource Efficiency.

“The achievements highlighted in this report showcase the continuing advancement UNSW has made in pursuit of our mission to be an exemplar climate-resilient, nature positive, net zero emissions university that empowers our community.We are privileged to have a University community dedicated to minimising our environmental footprint and enhancing our performance across all areas of operation.” said Professor Attila Brungs, UNSW Vice-Chancellor and President.  

Read the report here.

Celebrating our environmental sustainability achievements

Among other achievements recognised in the report, UNSW achieved the following in 2024:

Climate action

• Electrification Program Stage 1 completed, including UNSW’s first all-electric College building.
• New solar photovoltaic (PV) systems for the Robert Webster Building, Manly Vale campus and David Philips Field.
• Climate risk assessments undertaken to inform resilience planning and reporting.
• Interactive carbon dashboards engaged UNSW staff to tackle emissions.

 Living campuses

• Expanded the LEAF program, with 58 laboratory teams now accredited University-wide.
• CBD Campus and Wagga Wagga Biomedical Sciences Centre opened, incorporating leading sustainable design features and driving social sustainability to the forefront.
• Climate Fresk program engaged 160 students and staff in climate science and solutions.
• Undertook a pilot initiative to track to nature value at Kensington campus and embed nature objectives in campus planning.

Resource efficiency

• Green cleaning standards established and rolled out at Kensington campus.
• The first University-wide lab swap events were run, saving consumables, costs and carbon emissions.
• Sustainable Procurement Framework formally endorsed by the University Leadership Team (ULT); supplier engagement uplifted to drive emission reductions.
• Two more food and drink retailers achieved a Plastic Free Dining Gold Award, with 100% of retailers achieving a gold or silver award by the end of 2024.

UNSW Head of Environmental Sustainability Will Syddall said “Since launching the Environmental Sustainability Plan 2022-24 we’ve reached some significant milestones including launching and growing LEAF to embed sustainability in lab spaces, increasing nature value at our Kensington campus, and completing Stage 1 of the Electrification Program. In 2025 we will continue to deliver on our Environmental Sustainability Plan initiatives while developing a new approach aligned with UNSW Strategy: Progress for All”. 

Tackling plastic pollution this World Environment Day 

This World Environment Day, the United Nations calls on everyone to join the global movement to beat plastic pollution - a crisis reaching from our oceans to the insides of our own bodies in the form of microplastics. UNSW plays a part in this global challenge. If you lined up all the disposable cups used on our Kensington campus in a single year, they’d stretch from Kensington to Parramatta and back. This July, keep an eye out for our Choose to Reuse campaign and be part of UNSW’s efforts to reduce plastic and single-use waste.

Get involved in environmental sustainability at UNSW

Accelerating the transition to a sustainable society and planet is one of the nine Strategic Pillars guiding UNSW’s Strategy over the next decade. Achieving our ambitious goals will take collective effort. Every action counts.

Read the Environmental Sustainability Report 2024 and explore initiatives on Environmental Sustainability website. 

Join the conversation on our Viva Engage page to stay up to date on events and get involved.

Any questions? Email us at sustainability@unsw.edu.au.