Discussion about UAB’s environmental footprint in Biosciences and Sciences Faculties

The UAB has reduced its greenhouse gas emissions by 55% in less than two years.

On September 30th at 1 p.m., Biosciences and Sciences faculties conference hall host the conference “Can we reduce the UAB climate impact?”, given by Anna Florensa, from UAB environmental office, and organized along with the coordination of the degree in Environmental Biology.

This event was organized as a result of the climate strikes that took place during the week and according to the university’s declaration of climate emergency. It also featured an explanation about what is the UAB climate impact, based on transport, energy and water consumption and waste and what are the actions taken and that will be taken to reduce it.

During the conference, Florensa explained that UAB’s carbon footprint (GHGs) —the indicator of greenhouse gases produced as a result of the university’s activity— dropped by 55% in 2018 compared to the previous year. However, the university is aiming to continue decreasing it. This reduction is due to the fact that, since January 2018, UAB uses electricity from renewable energy sources.

The main GHGs emissions at UAB are deriving from transport (to access the campus or commute) and energy consumption (natural gas and electricity). Since 2018, the transport to enter the campus has become the main GHGs emissions source, although more than 60% of commutations to UAB are done by public transport. Regarding the emissions produced because of the energy consumption, it mostly derives from the climatization of the Faculties.

Among the measures adopted or that will be adopted to reduce the UAB’s footprint and regarding the waste, it has been suggested to transform the green point of the campus in an innovation center in managing waste and it has been proposed to improve the project for a Healthy and Sustainable campus Pla Campus SiS 2018-2022. This is one of the multiple lines of work of the UAB to improve the sustainability of the campus, along with the promotion of public and sustainable transport and saving water and energy.

The event ended with a discussion among attendees and a collection of more than forty proposals on how to make the University more sustainable, in which ideas appeared such as optimizing the internal bus service, using solar panels, install two-button tank systems on the restroom or remove all plastic cups in the bars of the faculties.