Take Action
Join us in shaping a sustainable future through collective action and innovation.
Explore our diverse range of action areas, designed to catalyse progress towards sustainable development. We collect inspiration from our members, the global SDSN community, or the UN sphere.
Whether you're a member institution or another organisation committed to advancing the SDGs, our initiatives offer tangible actions for engagement and collaboration.
What universities and other knowledge institutions can do for the SDGs
The SDGs encompass a wide range of issues, including poverty eradication, quality education, gender equality, clean energy, sustainable cities, climate action, and much more. They are interconnected and require a multidisciplinary approach, making universities and other knowledge institutions ideal catalysts for change.
Universities and other knowledge institutions have unique strengths and resources that can contribute to the implementation of the SDGs. They are hubs of knowledge creation and dissemination, conducting research to understand complex challenges and develop innovative solutions. They also educate and empower the next generation of leaders, equipping them with the knowledge and skills needed to address sustainable development issues.
Furthermore, they serve as platforms for collaboration, bringing together diverse stakeholders, including academia, government, civil society, and industry, to foster partnerships and collective action. They can act as drivers of change, influencing policies, and practices through advocacy and engaging with decision-makers at various levels.
By integrating the SDGs into their strategies, curricula, and operations, universities and other knowledge institutions can lead by example and inspire others to take action. They can contribute to sustainable development through community engagement, knowledge transfer, capacity-building initiatives, and innovative projects that have real-world impact.
Net Zero on Campus: A Guide for Universities and Colleges to Accelerate Climate Action
This guide and its accompanying online toolkit will enable universities and colleges to accelerate the planning and implementation of carbon net zero strategies, and act as living laboratories for testing solutions.
University Ecological Footprint Calculator
An open-access, online tool, that allows calculating the Ecological Footprint of universities based on their consumption of natural resources and ecosystem services, and identifying interventions area for reducing the environmental impact of universities’ activities and operations.
