At Loreto College we are taking a stand, recognising that it is no longer acceptable to continue with business as usual, as the world races beyond the 1.5o target we are all now familiar with, at an alarming pace. Climate change is the greatest challenge we face in the 21st century, and as an academic institution, guided by the values of Mary Ward, we have a responsibility to equip our young people, now and in the future, to be the confident and vocal climate advocates our planet so desperately needs.
“Young people demand change”.
These were the words of Pope Francis is his Encyclical Letter Laudato Si. In his letter, he sets out the clear need for a cultural shift in how we think about the environment and human ecology. Climate anxiety, the feeling of worry, nervousness, or fear of the consequences of climate change is on the rise. A 2021 survey of 10,000 children and young people (aged 16-25) across 10 countries found that 84% were at least moderately worried about climate change.
We all have a duty to do everything we can to protect the environment for future generations. As Sustainability & Environment it is my responsibility to ensure that we are putting the sustainable development principles at the heart of everything we do here at the college. Whether that’s working with our curriculum leads to better embed environmental education, or working with our estates team to minimise energy use. We all have a role to play, and I will work hard to facilitate progress and collaborate with colleagues internally and externally to bring about change across the education sector.
In February 2023, we set out our commitment to the environment in our Sustainability Strategy, an ambitious 12-year strategy that recognises the complexity and breadth of the challenge we face, and which recognises that we will only achieve progress through collaboration, participation and collective action.
Achievements so far:
- Zero Waste to Landfill
- Double sided, black and white printing as standard
- Removed single use water bottles from meetings
- Established staff and student Environment Committees
- Annual College Environment Week
1. To equip all our students with the environmental knowledge they need to contribute to mitigating climate change
We are investing in resources to ensure that every student who leaves Loreto College has received top-quality environmental education, regardless of their chosen courses, and is equipped to be environmental champions as they continue their journeys.
2. To Achieve Net Zero by 2035
We have set the ambitious goal for the college to achieve net zero emissions by 2035, including committing to removing all un-avoidable emissions, 3 years ahead of the commitment made by Manchester City Council and 15 years ahead of UK Government targets.
3. To embed sustainable development principles within all our curriculum programs
We are providing resources and challenging our academic staff to embed the sustainable development principles into all courses we teach here at Loreto College.
4. To take all reasonable steps to reduce the College's impact on the environment
We have committed to rigorously challenging all processes within the college, making changes where necessary, to mitigate our impact on the environment while maintaining our outstanding teaching provision for our students.