responsible consumption and production

SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production

Sorbonne University Abu Dhabi is committed to sustainability through a comprehensive approach that addresses various environmental policies. The university implements an ethical sourcing policy to ensure that all materials and resources are obtained responsibly, aligning with sustainable practices. It has established stringent waste disposal policies for hazardous materials to mitigate environmental risks and protect public health. Additionally, the university places strong emphasis on reducing landfill use by promoting recycling initiatives and implementing effective waste-tracking systems, ensuring that a high proportion of waste is diverted from landfills. Policies aimed at reducing plastic consumption and single-use items are strictly enforced across campus, with these minimisation efforts also extended to suppliers. Through these measures, Sorbonne University Abu Dhabi not only fosters an eco-friendly campus but also sets a standard for responsible resource management within the academic community.

Partnerships and Initiatives

Sorbonne University Abu Dhabi signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Veolia Abu Dhabi—the benchmark company for ecological transformation, known for its innovative solutions in water, waste, and energy management. This exclusive partnership aims to foster research and academic collaboration, offer student internships, and enhance research capacity and development, all while promoting sustainable practices in the UAE.

Initiatives Held at Sorbonne University Abu Dhabi

Sustainability Initiatives: A Greener Sports Building

In line with SUAD’s sustainability efforts, the Sports Department eliminated single-use plastic bottles from the sports building. Athletes, staff, and visitors are encouraged to use reusable bottles, with water dispensers available throughout the facility. This initiative aligns with global environmental goals and promotes responsible behaviour.

Recycling at SUAD’s Campus

The 3R’s
Reduce
Choose products that help prevent waste generation.
Reduce waste by selecting items with minimal packaging that can be used efficiently and then recycled.

Re-use
Re-use containers, packaging or waste products, wherever possible.

Recycle
Recycle waste material into useable products, wherever possible.

Carbon Footprint Reduction Targets

1. Food Waste Management

Reduce pre and post food waste by reaching full use of all composting capacity on campus, on a full-time basis
Phase-out of single-use plastics in all facilities

3. Paper Waste Reduction

I-procurement signatures
Automation of visiting professors’ travel
Increase the adoption of Learning Management System (LMS)
Digital transformation of manual processes

2. Utilities Management

Reduction in utilities consumption by 10 to 25%
Revitalisation and adaptive reuse of assets
Recycle bins on campus
Consolidation of physical servers
Carbon footprint review

4. Sustainable Friendly Policies

Draft an HSE circular for third parties to committing supplier to comply, attain, implement, and monitor HSE system as part of their obligation in the contract
Allocate 5% of the technical evaluation scores in tenders to HSE compatibility and GO GREEN initiative among SUAD contractors

2023 Activities and Events

Smart Optical Films: Controlling The Optical Properties of Nanostructured Oxide-Based Polymer Films

Dr. Stavros Christopoulos led a project aimed at developing environmentally friendly materials with advanced properties by embedding metal-oxide nanoparticles (e.g., ZnO, TiO2) into polymer matrices. The goal is to improve the physical properties of the films for applications in agriculture, construction, and display technologies, such as greenhouse covers and anti-glare coatings. The nanoparticles are treated, coated, and incorporated through processes like extrusion, resulting in low-cost, high-performance materials. The project also focused on using biodegradable polymers and developing a theoretical model to better understand the interaction between nanoparticles and the polymer, optimising the films' performance.

A Pre-study on Greening Information Management for Sustainable Development

Dr. Proscovia Svard led a study, with Dr. Victor Kabata as a participant, focused on investigating how governments can implement green information management strategies to address environmental challenges posed by the exponential growth in digital information and data centres. The literature review highlighted the lack of research in this area, justifying the need for the study. Research was conducted in several countries, including the UAE.
The study aimed to examine how governments are aligning information management practices with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Its specific objectives included:

Identifying the strategies and policies adopted by selected countries—including the UAE—for sustainable information management
Assessing public officials’ awareness of the environmental impacts associated with information management
Evaluating how open data developments support sustainability objectives
Providing recommendations for greening information management practices

2024 Conferences and Events

Conference: Suboptimality, the inefficient truth

The conference addressed the omnipresent marks of humanity on Earth, highlighting the Anthropocene's focus on performance and control, and questioned the value of this "progress" given its environmental impacts. The discussion revealed that current responses to environmental challenges were slow and ill-adapted, with many sustainable development solutions proving counterproductive and the idea of a general slowdown failing to mobilize action. The conference proposed that studying living systems could offer alternative ways of being "Earthlings," suggesting a shift from efficiency to robustness and cooperation, mirroring the heterogeneity and fluctuations found in nature. Examples like participative housing, agro-ecology, repair workshops, and citizen science were presented as pioneers of this new "way of life," potentially leading to an age of robustness and cooperation, moving away from the dogma of performance, aligning with responsible consumption and production.

Learn more about the conference

Study: The Environment Agency – Abu Dhabi and Sorbonne University Abu Dhabi Partner to Conduct Sociological Study on Domestic Waste

The Environment Agency – Abu Dhabi (EAD) and Sorbonne University Abu Dhabi have launched a collaborative research project to develop culturally sensitive strategies for reducing domestic waste in Abu Dhabi. The study employs a multidisciplinary approach combining sociology, psychology, and waste management to understand and influence behavioural change, ultimately aiming to decrease landfill waste and promote environmental sustainability through informed policy and community engagement.

Students’ Initiatives

Bestby, an e-commerce platform connecting consumers with discounted food nearing its best-by dates was cofounded by Amna Elnour, SUAD’s own Master’s alumna Amna who currently contributes to sustainability programs with the UN Global Compact. Check Amna's post on Instagram.

Research and Publications on Responsible Consumption and Production

Tunable Optical Greenhouse Covers – Dr. Stavros Christopoulos
EVENT & PUBLICATION “Raising green awareness through children’s literature” – Dr. Karine Germoni
Responsible Consumption & Production (we have a thesis discussing this topic) – Dr. Amar Ahmed (MMCM)
“The impact of fintech-based eco-friendly incentives in improving sustainable environmental performance: A mediating-moderating model” – Dr. Rana Husseini Frangieh (https://doi.org/10.5267/j.ijdns.2023.9.013)
“Revolutionising sustainable supply chain management: A review of metaheuristics” Dr. Raed Abu Zitar (https://doi.org/10.1016/j.engappai.2023.106839)
BOOK CHAPTER “Future of Nanomaterials in Agricultural Practices” – Latefa Hamdan Al Mansoori (A00021952) (https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-323-91703-2.00012-9)
CONFERENCE PAPER “Geologic Environments for Nuclear Waste Repositories” – Dr. Kosmas Pavlopoulos (https://doi.org/10.1051/matecconf/201712006003)

JOURNAL ARTICLE “Laser-Induced Nanostructured Si and SiGe Layers for Enhanced Optical and Thermoelectric Performance” - Dr. Joumana El-Rifai, Dr. Eliane Bsaibess, Dr. Stavros Christopoulos, Dr. Ahmed Slimani, Dr. Valerie Laux-Le Guyon (https://doi.org/10.1021/acsomega.4c06006) 2024

CONFERENCE PAPER “Deploying model obfuscation: towards the privacy of decision-making models on shared platforms”- Dr. Tanujit Chakraborty 2024

BOOK CHAPTER “La Pollution Plastique : vers un Traité Mondial” - Dr. Beatriz Garcia 2024

BOOK CHAPTER “La contribution des puissances privées á la protection des droits: approche théorique” Dr.Maïa-Oumeïma Hamrouni 2024

JOURNAL ARTICLE “The need for a participatory recordkeeping system for children and young people placed in residential care homes: the case of Sweden” - Dr. Proscovia Svard (https://doi.org/10.1007/s10502-024-09437-x) 2024

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