Advancing our collective commitment to climate action and sustainability
30 January 2026
Ludovic Thilly, Chair, Coimbra Group Executive Board
Beatrix Busse, Vice-Chair, Coimbra Group Executive Board
Danny Donoghue, Lead member for Sustainability, Coimbra Group Executive Board
With only four years remaining to achieve the United Nations’ 2030 Sustainable Development Goals, and with scientific evidence pointing to accelerating climate deterioration, universities are increasingly expected not only to support the green transition but to lead it decisively. For Coimbra Group (CG) members, sustainability is not an add-on to our mission. It is central to our responsibility as educators, innovators, investors and partners.
In this context, the adoption of the Durham Declaration on Climate Change and Sustainability in March 2025 marked a defining moment for our network. Endorsed by the leadership of all of our members, the Declaration articulates a shared vision of how universities can drive transformative change through education, research, innovation and societal engagement.
The Executive Board (EB) and the Rectors’ Advisory Group have now translated the Declaration into an implementation roadmap structured around operational, strategic, and political action lines. This framework provides a clear direction through defined actions and accountability, illustrating the impact of coordinated collaboration and partnership building.
Sustainability has become a cross-cutting priority across CG Working Groups. As confirmed at the joint meeting of the EB with Working Groups (WGs) Chairs and Vice-Chairs on 22 January, climate and sustainability considerations are embedded in the agendas of multiple WGs, including Academic Exchange & Mobility, Doctoral Studies, Education Innovation, Employability, Global Partnerships and Heritage. Other Working Groups, such as Equality & Diversity, Latin America, Life Sciences, Research Support Officers and Social Sciences and Humanities, are actively exploring how to integrate these dimensions into their activities.
Alongside this internal work, we have expanded cooperation with European partners by involving research funding bodies, key stakeholder organisations such as the European University Association, and student organisations in our discussions. The Durham Declaration has also been the focus of constructive exchanges with the European Commission’s Director-General for Climate Action, Kurt Vandenberghe, who expressed strong interest in our proposals.
Rethinking international mobility is another key strand of our work. The Erasmus+ funded Green Erasmus 2.0 project (2025-2028), coordinated by the University of Poitiers and involving CG as full partner, was launched on 16 December 2025. Building on earlier initiatives, the project seeks to encourage behavioural change among mobile students, develop challenge-based learning initiatives, and introduce a Green Erasmus label to support institutional transformation. In addition, CG experts from the Research Support Officers WG contributed to the updated Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions Green Charter, helping shape practical guidance for environmentally responsible research.
Embedding sustainability into curricula is a cornerstone of the Durham Declaration. To advance this goal, the Education Innovation WG mapped climate-related teaching and learning initiatives across CG universities. This work informed the report “Sustainability and Climate Change Education in Coimbra Group Universities” (available to CG members only) and will now underpin the development of a CG labelled online course on Sustainability for students, staff and the wider public. A dedicated Task & Finish Group is currently being established to co-design the course content and pedagogical approach.
Universities also face growing challenges from climate change scepticism and broader anti-scientific narratives, which risk undermining public trust in science and democratic dialogue. These issues were addressed directly during CG’s High-Level Seminar “Reinventing Campus Democracy” (Brussels, 21 November 2025), which examined how universities can respond not only as knowledge institutions, but also as democratic actors fostering critical thinking, civic engagement and societal resilience to disinformation.
In 2025, CG brought its climate leadership onto the international stage: the Durham Declaration was presented at COP30 in Belém, where it was recognised as a concrete and actionable roadmap for university-led climate action. Positioned alongside other emerging regional coordination models, including those from the Euro-Mediterranean region, the African Union, ASEAN and Latin America, the Declaration demonstrated how higher education can move beyond fragmented initiatives towards structured collective impact. The roundtable concluded with a call to action to build a global coalition of regional university initiatives on climate, laying the foundations for potential coordinated engagement at the 64th Sessions of the UNFCCC Subsidiary Bodies (Cologne, June 2026) and at COP31 (Antalya, November 2026) and beyond.
CG was invited by Science Europe to present the Durham Declaration at the Global Research Council (GRC)’s European Regional Meeting in Belgrade, with outcomes feeding into discussions at the upcoming GRC Annual Meeting (Bangkok, May 2026), further reinforcing its global relevance.
We are also honoured that the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) has selected the Coimbra Group to pilot the implementation of the UN Green Jobs for Youth Pact in Europe. This joint UNEP/ILO/UNICEF initiative aims to equip young people with the skills and jobs needed for a just transition. This partnership aligns closely with our mission, as our universities collectively educate over 1.5 million students each year.
In 2026, implementation of the Durham Declaration will advance in close alignment with the Poitiers Declaration, strengthening cooperation between universities and municipalities. As the Poitiers Declaration marks its 10th anniversary, the EB and RAG have committed to updating it to reflect emerging challenges and opportunities. The revised Declaration will be adopted at our Annual Conference in Granada on 18 June 2026.
The year ahead will be decisive. Our actions, grounded in scientific excellence, pedagogical innovation and societal engagement, show that universities are not merely responding to the climate emergency but actively shaping a more sustainable future. We warmly thank all Working Groups, the senior leadership at our member universities, and their staff and students, as well as our partners, who are transforming the Durham Declaration from words into lasting impact.