Periyar University hosts workshop on sustainable development practices in higher education

SALEM: A climate-neutral economy can be achieved by 2050 through eco-design, green packaging, waste management and other innovative sustainable development practices, said an expert who spoke in a workshop on sustainable development practices in higher education conducted at Periyar University, Salem, on Monday.
Speaking at the workshop, K Jayaraman, dean of the college development council and head of the department of economics at the university, stressed the importance of a circular economy model that minimizes water usage and emissions across all sectors, directly supporting the Sustainable Development Goal 12 (SDG 12) which focuses on responsible production and consumption.
In his presidential address, vice-chancellor R Jagannathan discussed the concept of bio-buildings, which involves incorporating biological principles, materials and processes in the design, construction and operation of buildings.
P Thangavel, the director of Centre for Climate Change and Disaster Risk Management (CCCDRM), spoke about implementing sustainable development goals (SDGs) in higher education institutions (HEIs).
R Selvakumar, assistant conservator of forests for the Salem division, highlighted efforts to enhance tree cover in the Salem area to meet the state govt’s goal of 33%.
S Rajakumar from Bharathidasan University, Trichy, spoke about various sustainable initiatives at different institutions. He spoke about the green and clean efforts implemented at his university before and after cyclone Gaja that wreaked havoc in delta districts in 2018.
K Murugesan, head of the department of environmental science, welcomed the attendees.
The workshop was organized by the CCCDRM and the department of environmental science, with financial backing from the Tamil Nadu Climate Change Mission (TNCCM) and the Department of Environment & Climate Change (DoE & CC) of the state govt.