The coordinator of the Unicamp delegation at COP30, Professor Roberto Donato, announced this Tuesday (11) – during the panel “Sustainability in Brazilian universities” at the University Pavilion, in the Blue Zone of the Conference – that by the end of 2025 the University expects to formalize the creation of its Directorate of Sustainability (DEXS). According to him, the directorate represents a new cycle in the management of sustainability at Unicamp.
“We have had excellent initiatives in this area since the late 1990s, and this has been reflected in the rankings in which we participate,” he said. According to Donato, the new body should even be able to strengthen the university's participation in future COPs, by expanding Unicamp's presence in international university networks. “By creating the Directorate, we seek an integrated management of sustainability and the consolidation of a management focused on addressing the climate crisis,” he added.
Held this Tuesday (11) at the University Pavilion, in the Blue Zone of COP30, the panel “Sustainability in Brazilian universities” took stock of actions that are being articulated in higher education institutions in Brazil. The panel aimed to expand the connections between higher education institutions and the climate agenda, emphasizing the role of universities in promoting climate action, not only in their teaching, research and extension activities, but also through the management of campuses.
The University of São Paulo (USP) was a pioneer in the Brazilian context when it created, in 2012, a Superintendency of Environmental Management (SGA), with the mission of promoting environmental quality on its campuses, reducing and offsetting greenhouse gas emissions.
As explained by Professor Patrícia Iglesias, superintendent of environmental management at USP, a fundamental step in consolidating the actions of the SGA was the elaboration of the USP Environmental Policy in 2018, a set of principles and objectives that guide environmental management and that formed the basis of the university's Environmental Management Plan.
Another milestone in sustainability management at the University was the creation, in 2022, of USPSusten, a postdoctoral program that integrates applied research in five areas: water, biodiversity, renewable energy, environmental management, and climate change. Within this program, projects were created in solar energy generation, bioenergy, and biofertilizers obtained through the processing of organic waste generated at the university, as well as for the conversion of ethanol into green hydrogen.
“In this last one, we achieved a 72% reduction in CO2 emissions from the internal fleet of the capital campus,” said Iglesias. In 2024, USP ranked fifth in the world. GreenMetric.
The head of sustainability at the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), Graciella Faico, highlighted the importance of sustainability rankings and certifications as important management tools in higher education institutions.
“In addition to the continuous monitoring of indicators, they help us to scale actions, build projects and engage the community in actions for sustainability,” said the manager. In 2023 and 2024, UFRJ received the SDG Education seal for the first time, granted by the Instituto Selo Social, for its contribution to the fulfillment of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Located in Sorocaba, the Facens University Center ranks first in sustainability. GreenMetricAmong Brazilian private higher education institutions, Facens ranks sixth among public and private institutions in Brazil. “We have invested in more sustainable construction technologies on our campus, in waste management projects, and in high-impact projects in partnership with other institutions, always guided by the premise that these actions generate a positive impact not only outside the university but also in the education of our students,” said Vitor Belota, director of sustainability and education at Facens.
The Center has approximately 4 undergraduate and 700 graduate students. Throughout their studies, students can participate in projects such as "Smart Forests," in which they develop solutions to protect forest biodiversity and improve the quality of life for communities. In one such project, a group of students developed a tool to harvest açaí berries from palm trees without having to climb the tree's long trunk.
The Federal University of Mato Grosso do Sul (UFMS) has had a Sustainability Directorate since 2019. “More recently, we have created actions that integrate citizenship and sustainability; therefore, in 2024, the Pro-Rectorate for Citizenship and Sustainability was created,” said Leonardo Chaves, UFMS's director of sustainability. One of the resulting programs was the "I Am a Woman at UFMS" Program, whose objective is to guarantee equal access for women to the university, as well as their permanence and participation in teaching, research, and entrepreneurship projects, through specific calls for proposals for women, the creation of support infrastructure such as playrooms, diaper-changing facilities, and a women's ombudsman service for the prevention and confrontation of moral and sexual harassment.
According to the UFRJ administrator, the climate crisis demands cooperation and commitment. “COP30 is our stage, but real change happens in the territories where we work daily. By integrating SDGs, indicators, and climate justice into our policies, we show that science and management can work together to transform the future,” she concluded.
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The AmazonFACE program booth can be visited in the Blue Zone.
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