The Italian Minster of the Environment Sergio Costa and Sapienza Rector Eugenio Gaudio have undersigned a memorandum of understanding on issues related to sustainable development and fair and sustainable well-being. Lorenzo Fioramonti, Deputy Minister for Education, University and Research; Sapienza Director General Simonetta Ranalli; Sapienza Deputy Rector for Energy Policy Livio de Santoli; Chief of Staff Pier Luigi Petrillo and Silvana Riccio, Secretary General at the Ministry of the Environment were also present at the signature of the document.

“It was an important day,” commented Environment Minister Sergio Costa. “It is part of a greater collaboration strategy between the ministry and the university. Sapienza has accepted the challenge of eliminating single-use plastics and the Ministry will provide its contribution on issues related to environmental sustainability: from energetic efficiency to minimum environmental criteria, sustainable mobility and the responsibility related to cultural events.”

“The agreement that we signed today with the Ministry of the Environment,” explains Rector Eugenio Gaudio, “is part of the initiatives that Sapienza is implementing to reinforce the role of the university in the process of environmental safeguard and sustainability. The university is committed to coordinate actions in a unitary framework even on issues concerning waste and energy, with a far-reaching plan to convert to renewable energy sources, and a course on sustainability in each one of our eleven faculties.”

The five-year MoU includes the organisation of advanced courses in sustainability and the promotion of an environmentally conscious culture promoting biodiversity, knowledge of the ecosystem and the reduction of the environmental impact of universities.

More specifically, the MoU objectives include the promotion of virtuous behaviour throughout the university community by reducing the consumption of single-use plastic, efficient waste collection systems, sustainable mobility, a conscious use of water, environmentally compatible recycling and reuse and the design, renovation and efficiency of university energy systems.

Sapienza is already working on some of these objectives. It has joined the #StopSingleUsePlastic Campaign and activated six work groups as part of the Network of Universities for Sustainable Development (RUS).

At the annual “Porte Aperte – Open Doors” Orientation Event, Sapienza distributed aluminium water flasks that allow students and staff to fill them up at the university water fountain system that has also recently been maintained and extended.