The green agenda in higher education was this week given a new boost with university vice-chancellors, principals and students backing a wide-ranging statement of environmental intent.
The joint statement by the Committee of Vice-Chancellors and Principals, the Standing Conference of Principals and the National Union of Students agrees to encourage every university, higher education college and student union to adopt over the next five years environmental initiatives impinging on management and the curriculum.
The statement says: "We will aim to manage our operations in ways that are environmentally sustainable and economically feasible and to provide appropriate environmental education programmes for our staff and students."
Every university will be encouraged to publish a comprehensive environmental policy, to adopt recognised environmental guidelines on energy emissions and building development, to develop education and training programmes for staff in environmental awareness, and to develop ways of ensuring that all students have the opportunity to follow appropriate educational programmes in sustainable development.
Peter Toyne, vice-chancellor of Liverpool John Moores University and the author of a 1993 report on greening universities, welcomed the statement of intent and described it as "very important".
"It's the first time all the universities, colleges and students have declared publicly what they are intending to do to take forward sustainable development and environmental issues as a whole," he said. "There have been individual universities with statements, but this really draws it all together."
He added that there was now some support for rewarding financially those universities that take forward the green agenda. "The teeth will follow," he said.