Nova Scotia Community College (NSCC) Student Association members have come together to demonstrate their commitment to sustainability by signing the SDG (Sustainable Development Goals) Accord. They signed at IT Campus in Halifax during Canada's first SDG Week (March 6-10). To recognize this commitment, Student Associations offered a discounted lunch at campuses in the spirit of SDG 2: Zero Hunger.
The SDGs are a framework of 17 goals developed by the United Nations to achieve a better future by addressing the world's most urgent challenges.
In January 2021, NSCC was one of the first post-secondary institutions in Canada to sign the Accord and in June 2022, International Student Ambassadors followed suit and made the pledge.
As part of its work to honour these global goals, the College has:
- Reduced its greenhouse gas emissions by 40% since its baseline year of 2008
- Established opportunities for professional development in education sustainable development (ESD)
- Created additional opportunities for our students to engage and learn more about building a sustainable future
These and additional initiatives are outlined in NSCC's recently released 2021-22 Sustainability Report.
Nathaniel Swider, Student Association President at IT Campus, was one of the students to sign the Accord. "In a time where food and housing inequality has become commonplace, there is no nobler goal than that of the UN's Sustainable Development Goals," says Nathaniel. "By pledging ourselves to the Accord, to follow them as a campus student body, we take the first step towards conquering these inequalities. Together we are building a better, richer and more equitable society for all."
Anna Jessop, NSCC's Sustainable Development Coordinator, says she is thrilled that the Accord and the SDG goals resonate with students and staff. "We have a goal to embed the SDGs into everything that we do and there is much work to be done. It's amazing that students and employees are committed to working towards these goals and greeting the SDG pledge with such enthusiasm," she adds. "It's ambitious - we all must work together."
