Trinity Chancellor and former president of Ireland, Dr. Mary Robinson, launched Trinity’s annual Green Week today in Front Square as College looks to its sustainability projects in line with international Green Week theme of UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Launching Green Week, Robinson commended the “impressive” progress Trinity has made towards becoming “a more sustainable campus and community”.
“This is exactly the leadership universities must give if we are to achieve a sustainable future for all,” continued Robinson.
Robinson joined students for a conversation on the effects climate change, in an event organised by Trinity College Dublin Students’ Union (TCDSU) which took place in the Graduate Memorial Building at 11am, prior to the launch.
Trinity boasts Ireland’s longest-running College Green Week, which takes place every February. This week annually promotes environmental stewardship to all of Trinity’s stakeholders, by hosting an exciting and diverse range of events and activities.
This year, the UN SDGs, which provide a common framework for global action on sustainability, were chosen as the theme for Green Week internationally. The seventeen SDGs focus on major global issues, including an end to poverty, zero hunger, quality education and gender equality worldwide.
Currently, Trinity has more than 40 research projects related to the SDGs, while its Strategic Plan positions engagement in “actions that advance the cause of a pluralistic, just, and sustainable society” as a priority.
Michele Hallahan, Trinity’s Sustainability Advisor, commented on the key initiatives of developing a fully sustainable campus, explaining: “The university’s decision to join the International Sustainable Campus Network (ISCN) almost one year ago served to further drive our commitment to sustainable goals, and we invite all staff and students across Trinity sites to join in the changes we are making in order to create a more just and verdant world.”
Various events and activities are to be held across campus to mark Green Week, including a bird walk and student presentation on “Zero Waste Adventures as a Trinity student”.
