KAUST Sustainability released its first report on the University’s progress toward the Sustainable Development Goals. The SDG Highlight Report, which covers the period from 2021 to 2022, features major projects, programs, and initiatives that have been set up or have been continuously running at KAUST across three broad categories: Education & Research, Operations, and Engagement & Outreach.
Highlights include KAUST’s ingress in several international sustainability networks; research on climate solutions and the water-energy-food nexus; participation or hosting of key events such as COP, Ocean Conference, G20, FII, World Sustainability Forum and UNESCO-TWAS General Conference; and engagement with strategic national projects, institutions, and companies such as Red Sea Global, NEOM, ARAMCO, Saudi Green Initiative, MEWA, PIF, and AEON Collective. The report asserts KAUST’s commitment to the global sustainability agenda and the Kingdom’s Vision 2030, heavily reliant on a cultural shift towards the sustainable development of the country through ecosystem protection and enhancement, water, energy, and food security, and economic diversification.
“KAUST’s work on sustainability is making a difference in the Kingdom and the World. We look forward to keeping up the momentum to further advance our sustainability agenda,” said Dr. Ana Margarida Costa, Head of Sustainability at KAUST.
KAUST has been making strides in communicating its sustainability efforts. With a recently released Sustainability Vision Statement, a brand new Sustainability Website, and participation in international rankings such as the Times Higher Education Impact Rankings, the SDG Highlight Report aims to cement the university as a regional leader in sustainability in higher education.
“I hope that the projects, initiatives and activities presented [in the report] will inspire us to continue our sustainability journey, and also inspire local, national and international audiences across all sectors of society to engage with us in the search for the solutions we need to collectively thrive.” concludes KAUST President Tony Chan in the foreword of the report.
The digital report can be downloaded here.
