The increase of effects on the planet due to climate change requires deep changes in the way we interact with nature and on our lifestyle.

Over the past two decades, there have been observed 18 of the hottest years since there is record, accompanied by a significant increase in the occurrence of extreme intensity meteorological phenomena, such as heat waves, tornadoes and floods. In addition, the scarcity of water and food, the extinction of species of fauna and flora, the appearance and spread of diseases and plant pests are increasingly frequent problems. The rise in the average temperature of the planet, with the consequent sharp decrease of glaciers and the rise of the mean sea level, will be very soon responsible for the disappearance of numerous coastal territories and consequent forced migration of millions of people.

The first warning regarding the phenomenon of climate change dates to 1979, at the first World Climate Conference in Geneva, Switzerland. Since then, indisputable scientific evidence pointing to a further acceleration of global warming has led the scientific community to repeatedly warn governments and civil society on countless unsustainable human activities, such as the abusive use of fossil fuels, intensive deforestation and massification of agriculture and farming - activities that are responsible for most of the emission of greenhouse gases.

Therefore, it is urgent to increase efforts in fighting climate change to avoid devastating consequences for all species on the planet.

In 2015, 195 countries signed the Paris Agreement, aiming to limit global warming to less than 1.5ºC and achieve carbonic neutrality by 2050. Also in 2015, the United Nations General Assembly adopted the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, which sets out the priorities and aspirations for global development, based on 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and 169 targets to be implemented by all countries by 2030. It is an extended and ambitious agenda that addresses various dimensions of sustainable development (social, economic and environmental) and that promotes peace, justice and effective institutions.

Achieving these goals demands strong collaboration between governments, companies, NGOs, and civil society – with higher education institutions playing a central role in educating young people for a future of change. Schools should be the promoter of this development, bringing issues into debate and adjusting their curricula to meet the needs of our society. It is therefore critical that higher education institutions promote an effective articulation between teaching, research and citizenship that leads to sustainable development and hence to societal positive changes.

ISEL’s board is conscious of the urgent need to implement climate change measures and considers imperative to define lines of action that contribute to meeting the goals of the Paris Agreement and complying with the UN 2030 Agenda. In this, every member of our community counts. For the next 4 years, our priorities lie in the following 4 areas:

1. Environmental sustainability

2. Energy transition

3. Digital transition

4. Social sustainability