Sustainability has been part of the core values of KAUST since its genesis. Building on our four founding pillars, namely Energy, Water, Environment, and Food, now extended to include Food & Health and the Digital Domain, the mission of KAUST as a research and academic institution is deeply rooted in environmental stewardship and sustainable development.
KAUST has recently reaffirmed its commitment towards sustainability by signing a joint statement endorsing the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, adopted by the United Nations. The United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are a framework that aims to achieve a better and more sustainable future for all people in the world. They address the global challenges humanity faces, such as climate change, food and water security, poverty, inequality, and environmental degradation, among others.
Being strategically positioned to make impactful contributions towards sustainable development, KAUST aims to advance the SDGs through its world-class research and innovation in critical areas for sustainability and provide education to the future leaders of sustainable development. This event aims to support KAUST's efforts towards meaningful sustainability actions. Below you can find all efforts put in place to deliver a sustainable event:
Transportation: We encourage all attendees to choose sustainable means of transportation when joining the event. KAUST is a bike-friendly campus and has extended its Bike Week event to align with the KAUST Research Open Week. You can also use collective transportation such as the on-demand and campus buses provided by KAUST free of charge, or choose your personal electric mobility transports such as golf carts, electric scooters, or segways.
Food: We are providing increased plant-based food options and the use of local produce, to reduce our food impact during the event. We also encourage participants to be mindful of their portion sizes to avoid unnecessary food waste. Any remaining food left over after each day will be donated and, when not possible, segregated for composting at the KAUST Composting facility.
Plastic and Waste: Our event will have no single-use plastics, such as cutlery, water bottles, or coffee cups, to limit the single-use of plastics. We encourage all attendees to bring their reusable coffee cups and water bottles (which can be re-filled at available water fountains) or use the available glass cups and mugs.
The KAUST Smart Campus is also an advocate of maximizing the use of appropriate technology. Therefore, all printed give-away material will be provided in digital format whenever possible, to reduce or eliminate unnecessary paper usage.
Locally Sourced Products: From an environmental perspective, it's always better to avoid the unnecessary use of materials. Necessary materials have been sourced locally.
SDG Education: To contribute to disseminating the Sustainable Development Goals, the KAUST Sustainability Office will be present on campus to provide information to participants and our campus community. Learn about each SDG, find related key facts in the giant "SDG Cube," chill and have a coffee in the SDG seating areas or take some pictures with the SDG photo booth materials. If you share your photos on social media, please tag with #KAUSTResearch #SustainableKAUST #KAUSTforSDGs