Environmental sustainability of research and innovation

The newly released Concordat for the Environmental Sustainability of Research and Innovation Practice, co-developed by the UK research and innovation community—including universities, research organisations, funders, and their partners—represents a broad ambition for the sector to transition to a sustainable future.1 Concordat signatories are asked to prioritise action on leadership and system change, sustainable infrastructure, sustainable procurement, emissions from business and academic travel, collaborations and partnerships, and reporting data on the environmental impact of their activities.We commend the developers of the concordat for encouraging the advancement of environmental sustainability in research and innovation across all sectors, including healthcare, but it does not go far enough given the scale of the challenge. Important limitations include the voluntary nature of the concordat, lack of clarity in reporting standards and guidance, lack of verification, and a limited capacity to address the environmental impact of supply chains.First, action stronger than voluntary participation is needed to…
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