Climate and environment: Unisannio's commitment

The University of Sannio is committed to a series of policies aimed at improving respect for the environment. Not just a promise, but concrete actions, urged by student representatives, at a time when raising awareness about climate change is very high. On October 31, 2019, at the Palazzo San Domenico, the outgoing rector Filippo de Rossi and the new rector Gerardo Canfora signed a document presented by the students for the reduction of plastic consumption and for the reduction of CO2 emissions. In particular, the University of Sannio in view of the COP 25 meeting (Conference of the Parties) to be held next December in Chile, has signed the Global Climate Emergency Letter. The document is the result of an initiative coordinated by the Youth and Education Alliance of the UN Environment, to officially invite governments to take drastic and immediate measures to combat climate change, to make a commitment to reach total decarbonisation by 2030 and to reinforce sustainability education, through collaboration with institutions committed to quality education. The letter has been signed to date by 214 universities and institutions and 54 networks for sustainable development.

Specifically, Unisannio aims to mobilize more and more resources for research geared to action on climate change; undertakes to become carbon neutral by 2030 and to increase the offer in environmental education and sustainability. In this sense, the students asked to implement renewable energy conversion systems, to expand the green areas in the university spaces and to make the academic community aware of virtuous behaviors, encouraging, for example, sustainable mobility. The University of Sannio has decided to join the Plastic free campaign promoted by the Ministry of the Environment and the Protection of the Territory and the Sea, entitled #IoSonoAmbiente. On this front, the demands are the improvement in the university of the separate collection and the replacement of glasses and plastic pallets in the coffee machines. Among the proposals is that of seeking an agreement with the ADISURC so that the canteen becomes plastic free and the food not consumed is donated to the Food Bank. "We accept with satisfaction the requests received from the students - said prof. Filippo de Rossi -. It is a good sign that young people are increasingly aware of environmental issues". The witness now goes to prof. Gerardo Canfora, from 1 November new rector of the University of Sannio. "The climate emergency is undeniable - said prof. Canfora - and places of knowledge and training play a fundamental role in directing towards more sustainable lifestyles”.