The Institute for Sustainability, Health and Environment

Jim Longhurst Professor of Environmental Science

Judy OrmeReader in Public Health

The Vision for ISHE• Bringing the resources, capacity and capability of a leading University to address

some of the most intractable yet urgent problems facing humanity and the planet• Seeking to integrate and direct our academic research and knowledge exchange

activities to deliver diagnosis and sustainable solutions to real world health and environmental problems

• Providing critical research resources spanning the academic disciplines yet skilled in multi and inter disciplinary approaches,

• Deploying pro sustainability behaviour change methodologies• Acting at the critical nexus of science, behaviour and policy • One-stop dynamic which facilitates generation of unique and challenging spaces

where different expertise and professionals can discuss and debate with aim of generating creative interdisciplinary approaches which can only be done through shared analysis

A Healthy Planet ? Living within environmental limits• Because the world is on an unsustainable trajectory• Global population rising by approximately 80 million a year• Global population 6.8 billion today, 9 million by 2030• An increasingly urbanised population• Because the world’s population has unequal access to resources• Food consumption 3.5 billion tonnes in 2030, a 50% increase in production

needed to meet this demand.• Fresh water per head 17000 cubic metres per capita 1950, 2030 only 4000,

with half used in agriculture. • Predicted energy use in 2030: 17014 MTOE, only 7223 MTOE in 1980• A changing climate exacerbating all of these adverse trends

A Healthy Population? • Because many people in the world have to live in a relatively poor state of

health • 1.1 billion people surviving on less than $1 per day of income. 70% in rural

areas where they are highly dependent on ecosystem services• Inequality has increased over the past decade. During the 1990s, 21

countries experienced declines in their rankings in the Human Development Index

• An estimated 852 million people were undernourished in 2000–02, up 37 million from the period 1997–99

• Some 1.1 billion people still lack access to improved water supply, and more than 2.6 billion lack access to improved sanitation.

• Water scarcity affects roughly 1–2 billion people worldwide • Healthy and diverse populations and communities are more likely to be

sustainable communities.

Health Impacts of Environmental Challenges

• Water pollution – sanitation and clean water supply arguably the most important public health advance in developed countries.

• Air pollution • Land contamination • Waste disposal• Population growth and urbanisation pressures• Changing climate - new opportunities for pathogen migration

Health Impacts of Climate Changehttp://www.ipcc.ch/graphics/graphics/ar4-wg2/jpg/fig-8-3.jpg

Behaviour Change for a Healthy Planet and a Healthy Population• Recognising and responding to the scientific challenges but recognising that

changing behaviour is the only real solution.• Change embodied by the recognition that we can no longer contemplate

the resource demands of an EU lifestyle for all requiring the equivalent of the resources of 3 planets.

• Change embodied by the recognition that we can wisely steward the resources of one healthy planet and its healthy population

The Health Map Barton, H. & Grant, M A tool for interpretation and analysis.

Rising to the Challenge

• Because where knowledge of solutions is available resources to deploy it are often scarcest

• The challenge is NOT knowledge alone but is equally found in the challenge of helping individuals, communities, organisations and societies to recognise the challenges of a changing and unsustainable behaviour pattern, to adapt to a changing world and to adopt sustainable expectations, consumption patterns and lifestyles.

• We begin - but don’t end - with the University's student population who we are training to be the next generation of thinkers and leaders.

The Vision for ISHE

• Because we want to make a difference locally, nationally and internationally• We are mobilising and directing the intellectual and physical resources of

the University to support pro sustainability behaviours • We expect that this will lead to behaviour

Change in ourselvesChange in partners Change in practicesChange in policyChange in communities and the professions

The ISHE Strategy

• Research• Knowledge Exchange• Public Engagement• Programme Development

• A four point strategy to deliver excellence in all we do.

The ISHE Capability - HEAT and HEIF

HEAT @ UWE• An early win to link technology, health and environment• EPSRC Research Council recognition c£0.6 million - changing the way we

workHEIF• Using our change methodologies to help organisations understand and

adopt pro sustainability behaviours• Providing leadership support for ESD• Providing training, CPD and professional development opportunities• c£150k of third stream funding

University Investment

• Education for Sustainable Development• Healthy University• Index of Sustainability, Health and Environment• Total ISHE foundation resources £0.8m

The ISHE Expertise

• The expertise to deliver a vision and strategy• Integration of assets for multi/inter disciplinary approaches• Clear direction • Momentum for change • Leadership of change• Demonstrable capability and capacity.• Sensitive and responsive to partnership opportunities• Responsive to market demands • Forging distinctive approaches for solving intractable problems.

Who we are• 18 research centres and units form the core of ISHE

offering niche specialisms across the disciplinary terrain. • Together these offer a synergy of multi and inter

disciplinary competency, capacity and capability. • WHO Collaborating Centre for Healthy Cities and Urban

Policy is central to the vision for ISHE working closely with WHO Europe in driving forward the ISHE agenda.

• ISHE staff have received funding from BBSRC, EPSRC, ESRC, NERC, Government Departments in UK and overseas, charitable bodies and the private sector.

Capacity and Capability of ISHEniche specialisms and synergistic whole

• Air Quality Management Resource Centre• Centre for Clinical and Health Services Research• Centre for Environment and Planning• Centre, for Leisure, Tourism and Society• Centre for Public Health Research• Centre for Research in Analytical, Materials and Sensors• Centre for Research in Biomedicine• Centre for Research in Environmental Sciences• Centre for Research in Plant Science• Centre for Social Marketing• Centre for the Study of Sustainable Building• Centre for Transport and Society• Cities Research Centre• Construction and Property Research Centre• Geography Research unit• Science Communication Unit• SOLAR • WHO Collaborating Centre for Health Cities and Urban Policy

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Supporting UWE in achieving its sustainability goals

• A Sustainable UWE• A Healthy UWE• A curriculum for a healthy sustainable world and education of citizens and

the leadership generation of tomorrow• RKE delivering diagnosis and solutions to real world problems• Using our budget to deliver sustainable development through all our

activities• Influencing policy and practice locally, regionally, nationally, internationally

A Sustainable UWE•Sustainability Board

•Sustainability Strategy

•Responsibility and accountability

•Embedding Sustainability at senior management and Governor level

•Communication with staff, students and other stakeholders

•Training and development

•Management of Sustainability Impact Areas

Healthy and sustainable working, learning and living environments for students, staff and visitors

UWE, BristolHealth integrated into

routine life of the university

Contributes to the health, well-being and

sustainability of the wider community

UWE committed to being a Healthy University

Key Focus Areas

e.g. building/campus design, student accommodation, student services, work-life balance, management style, communication systems

e.g. increase profile of health and sustainability

in teaching, research and knowledge

exchange

e.g. local/regional/global impact assessment,

partnerships, university as a resource

Education for Sustainable Development

• A cross UWE Internal Knowledge Exchange Network entitled Knowledge Exchange for Sustainability Education.

• Leading the University’s response to the UN Decade of Education for Sustainable Development

• A Baseline Study of the University's Modular Provision for ESD.• 10 cross cutting recommendations for a systematic UWE engagement with

ESD.• Recommendations accepted by the Sustainability Board and an Action Plan

for implementation produced.

Healthy and Sustainable Communities Research and Knowledge Exchange • EPSRC – Evaluation of the contribution of Sustainable New Developments

to Sustainable lifestyles;• WHO Healthy Urban Planning Network• Big Lottery Evaluation community projects contributing to Wellbeing in the

South West• Social inclusion, physical activity and neighbourhood design• Food for Life Partnership• Balanced Retirement Villages• Moving On: Impact of an arts project in a mental health care setting• Southville Home Zone Evaluation Study

Environmental limits and cyclesResearch and Knowledge Exchange • Assessment of the LA Air Quality Review and Assessment Procedure for

Defra and Devolved Administrations• Environmental exposure to Endotoxin Emissions from Commercial

Composting Activities• Water Quality and Environmental Geochemistry• Consultation as Science Communication? • Environmental Newsletter• University of Sustainability – Mexico?• South Africa National Framework on Air Quality

Behaviour Change and Participation Research and Knowledge Exchange

• Public Understanding of Sustainable Transport• ESRC and Academy for Sustainable Communities – Assessing the practice

and potential of situated social learning in the work of building sustainable communities

• Birmingham City Council – Streets Ahead on Safety• Dept for Transport - Making Personalised travel planning work• Dept for Transport – Neighbourhood Road Safety projects• Understanding Sustainability in Schools• Government Office South West - Workplace Health

How can we work with you?

• Partnerships and Co-production of knowledge• Research and knowledge Exchange• KTPs• Professional development and training• Change management processes

How will we know ISHE has made a difference?• Change in ourselves for a healthy sustainable future• Change in others for a healthy sustainable future • External Partnerships and Networks for a healthy sustainable future• Enhanced curriculum offering for a healthy sustainable future• Advocacy for a healthy sustainable future• Enterprise for a healthy sustainable future• Public Engagement for a healthy sustainable future• External recognition of our endeavours• ISHE - complementary yet distinctive

Conclusions

• “The significant problems we face today cannot be solved at the same level of thinking we were at when we created them.”

• As true today as when Albert Einstein first said it.

It’s the only one we have

The End!