The University of Coimbra participates, for the first time, in COP29, as an exhibitor on panels in the areas of Science and Education where, according to the pro-rector, it will share the institution’s sustainability and social responsibility projects.
“We will share experiences in the field of research and good practices, as well as collect experiences from other institutionswhether academic, non-governmental or governmental,” the vice-rector of the University of Coimbra, Patrícia Silva, told the Lusa agency, who on Saturday is part of a panel on Nature and Biodiversity, at the Portugal Pavilion.
On the day that the United Nations Conference on Climate Change (COP29) dedicates the date to the topic of Science, Patrícia Silva will present the role of the institution “in the formation of critical skills for the climate transition, position the university as a reference in the development of green skillsessential capabilities for global sustainability.”
The professor will address two research projects from the University of Coimbra, Syberac (investigating the impacts of pesticides on Bairrada vineyards) and BeSafeBeeHoney (focusing on bee health and sustainable beekeeping).
On the 16th, Education Day at COP29, Patrícia Silva will be part of a debate panel in the Global Compact Portugal Network (GCNP) pavilion where she will speak “about the practices that the University of Coimbra has used and about our sustainability and social responsibility plans for the future”he explained to the Lusa agency.
According to the pro-rector, the University of Coimbra “is committed to sustainable development, having for many years had a policy aligned with the 17 sustainable development goals of the United Nations 2030 Agenda.”
Even so, Patrícia Silva admitted, there is “a long way to go” for the university “committed to becoming a renewable energy community,” and which intends to expand the installed capacity of photovoltaic panels, so that “within two years be more self-sufficient in terms of renewable energy production.”
At the same time, “it is investing heavily in the rational use of energy” by renovating the structures of old buildings, classified by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site.
Sustainability “is transversal to many curricular units of all our faculties,” he stated, highlighting the objective of “instilling in the spirit of young students, who will be future leaders, all this awareness of the area of sustainable development in its various aspects.” focusing on the environmental aspect, “which is the one that normally has the most impact and is most perceived by the average citizen, but also putting a lot of focus on the economic and social aspect.”
The presence of the vice-rector at COP29 will also serve to intensify the presence of the university in international sustainability networks, particularly with Portuguese-speaking countries, where they already lead some projects.
Reinforcing “the role of the university as a leading university in sustainable development in Portugal” will involve continuing to participate in climate conferences, and the presence of a delegation at COP30, in Brazil, in 2025 is already planned.
The 29th United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP29) will continue until the 22nd, in Baku, Azerbaijan.
Source: Observadora
