Open letter
Let’s be more ambitious in our approach to the challenges of climate change, biodiversity loss, and of global sustainability!
Passioned appeals from scientists to address the risks of climate change, biodiversity loss and the exceedance of planetary boundaries affecting sustainability are not a new phenomenon. Peer reviewed reports (subscribed to by most reputed experts) showing the aggravation of these problems are published time and again in the face of a general inertia and lack of action in response to the challenges. However, what is new, is the movement emerging worldwide from within a new generation, to put pressure on decision makers to act ambitiously and without delay in defence of a liveable planet for future generations to come. Universities, as institutions at the forefront of education, research and innovation at the service of society must show leadership and commitment in this matter. They must be the first to offer positive replies to the new generations to whom they are dedicated. As institutions supplying the scientific evidence of the ecological risks, Universities must be ahead in addressing the challenges that we face and to lead in the necessary transition towards sustainable societies. We, rectors, professors, researchers, students and staff of Norwegian Universities, call for an ambitious change in the way our institutions work, and we propose to act together along the following lines:
- EDUCATION: climate change, biodiversity loss and sustainability in general is impactful and requires action from all professional areas, not only in the areas of science, but in those of business, administration, policy, citizens groups, households and the general public. Universities must contribute to the formation of the future scientists, engineers, architects, lawyers, medical doctors, social scientists, economists and entrepreneurs who will have to be very well informed of the drivers of the sustainability problems and the possible solutions. They must be the leaders in the transition. For this to happen, a thorough revision of university curricula and of lifelong education programmes is urgently required, in particular to allow them to address the system dimension of problems through broader interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary wealth of knowledge.
- RESEARCH and INNOVATION: responding to the planetary challenges requires an unprecedented effort of research and innovation for new technological and non-technological solutions. They are possible, and human ingenuity must shine a light also from the world-view dimension on how to ensure a good life for future generations in a liveable planet. Universities should integrate sustainability into all of their research and innovation activities while encouraging substantial collaborations between natural scientists, medical doctors, technologists and social and humanities scientists, placing value in interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary cooperation, including in scientific publications and career development.
- SHOWCASING SOLUTIONS: Universities must become “laboratories of possibilities”[1], showcasing solutions through an ambitious incorporation of sustainability and low- and zero-carbon principles, including within its management. For example, setting very ambitious targets for the reduction of its own greenhouse gas emissions via sustainable and green procurement, zero and plus energy buildings, environmental and social clauses in service contracts, mobility policy of staff[2], spinning-off sustainability companies, etc. This initiative will network with others in different countries, those already launched and those yet to be launched, with the global ambition of putting Universities worldwide at the forefront of the sustainability transition.
[1] See the open letter of Belgian professors and researchers at https://plus.lesoir.be/221281/article/2019-04-30/pour-que-nos-universites-deviennent-des-actrices-engagees-de-la-transition
[2] As already promoted among other actions through the campaign “Vis veien!” (see at https://www.opprop.net/visveien )
First signatories:
| Name | Surname | Position | University | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Andrea | Tilche | Senior Advisor and Adjunct Professor | UiT and NTNU | ||
| Lars-Otto | Reiersen | Senior Advisor | UiT | ||
| Anne | Husebekk | Rector | UiT | ||
| Dag Rune | Olsen | Rector | UiB | ||
| Gunnar | Bovim | Rector | NTNU | ||
| Lars | Kullerud | President | University of the Arctic | ||
| Edel O. | Elvevoll | Professor of Food Science and Technology | UiT | ||
| Annemie | Wyckmans | Professor and Head of Sustainable Cities | NTNU | ||
| Annik | Magerholm Fet | Professor of Sustainability and vice-Rector | NTNU | ||
| Asgeir Johan | Sœrensen | Professor of Marine Technology | NTNU | ||
| Berit | Kristoffersen | Associate Professor of Social Sciences | UiT | ||
| Brynhild | Sæther | Sustainability student | UiT | ||
| Clara | Good | Postdoc - energy and climate | UiT | ||
| Dan Terje | Nytrem | Sustainability student | UiT | ||
| Eivin | Røskaft | Professor | NTNU | ||
| Eivind | Pettersen | Sustainability student | UiT | ||
| Hans K. | Stenøien | Professor, Head of Dept. Natural History | NTNU | ||
| Håvard | Haarstad | Professor of Human Geography | UiB | ||
| Hedda | Crogh | Sustainability student | UiT | ||
| Helge | Brattebø | Professor and Director of NTNU Sustainability | NTNU | ||
| Hilsen Frode | Stordal | Professor of Meteorology | UiO | ||
| Ingrid | Wiedmann | Postdoc | UiT | ||
| John | Krogstie | Professor of Information Systems | NTNU | ||
| Jon Ove | Hagen | Professor | UiO | ||
| Jørgen | Berge | Professor | UiT | ||
| Jørgen Schou | Christiansen | Professor | UiT | ||
| Karen | O’Brien | Professor of Human Geography | UiO | ||
| Kathrine | Tveiterås | Head of Faculty, Biology, Fisheries and Economics | UiT | ||
| Kenneth | Ruud | Vice-Rector | UiT | ||
| Kerim Hestnes | Nisancioglu | Professor | UiB | ||
| Kim-André | Flygel | Sustainability student | UiT | ||
| Lena M. | Tallaksen | Professor of Hydrology | UiO | ||
| Lis | Allaart | PhD student | UiT | ||
| Marene Irene | Bakkevoll | Sustainability student | UiT | ||
| Marit | Reigstad | Professor | UiT | ||
| Oline | Eikeland | Sustainability student | UiT | ||
| Oluf | Langhelle | Professor of Political Sciences | UiS | ||
| Øyvind | Stokke | Professor of Philosophy | UiT | ||
| Paul | Wassmann | Professor | UiT | ||
| Rasmus Gjedssø | Bertelsen | Professor | UiT | ||
| Reidar | Andersen | Director University Museum | NTNU | ||
| Robert (Bob) | Corell | Senior Advisor | UiT | ||
| Rolf André | Bohne | Professor, Civil and Environmental Engineering | NTNU | ||
| Sonni | Olsen | Dean, Faculty of Humanities, Social Sciences and Education | UiT | ||
| Sveinung | Sægrov | Professor of Water and Wastewater Systems | NTNU | ||
| Synnove | de Bouvrie | Emeritus Professor of Classical Languages | UiT | ||
| Tomas Moe | Skjølsvold | Professor | NTNU | ||
| Trond-Ola | Hagbo | PhD student | UiS | ||
| Trude | Storelvmo | Professor of Cloud Physics | UiO | ||
| Trygve | Lavik | Professor of Philosophy | UiB | ||
| Veronica | Ulleland Skotnes | Sustainability student | UiT | ||
| William | Helland-Hansen | Professor | UiB |
Contact the author of the petition