Dr Emily Heath, who led the campaign to get Lancaster University to declare a climate emergency, has been recognised for her ‘transformational’ impact on the University’s approach to sustainability.

Emily, an Earth scientist and Teaching Fellow at the Lancaster Environment Centre, has won the Environmental Sustainability (individual) category of the Lancaster University Staff Awards, which recognise ‘truly exceptional’ achievement.

She was praised for her calm determination, willingness to ask tough questions and ability to inspire action.

Her contribution covers a wide range of agendas including sustainable travel and commuting to the campus, ethical investments, food and waste, workers' rights and embedding sustainable practices across the institution. Specific achievements include:

• Gathering staff and student support for the successful campaign to get the University to declare a climate emergency, including organising a packed mass participation event (pre pandemic) and a 2,100-signature petition. In November 2020, the University committed to achieving net zero carbon emissions between 2030 and 2035.
• Helping to set up and later chair the Lancaster Environment Centre (LEC) Sustainability Group, carrying out a range of activities including creating the LEC Sustainability Commitments, a set of tangible actions designed to embed sustainability in all aspects of departmental work. These commitments have acted as a model for other departments and for wider University sustainability strategies.
• Running a LEC workshop on academic travel and helping to create and promote a Travel Decision Tree‌ to help people avoid unnecessary travel, and opt for low carbon travel options. This is now being considered for adoption at University level.
• Chairing the Faculty of Science and Technology’s Sustainability Advisory Committee which was set up in 2019.
• Working with the Ethics4USS campaign group, and through her role as a University and College Union (UCU) branch secretary, to push the USS pension fund and the University to divest from fossil fuels and weapons.

Emily was nominated for the award by Ellie Appleton, from the Faculty of Science and Technology, and Darren Axe, from the Students’ Union: They said: “Emily’s input to Lancaster University is a clear example of how one individual can really create significant impact and systemic change, reaching well beyond the boundaries of the University campus. She is an inspiration for the buoyant and enthusiastic next generation of climate and ecological emergency campaigners at Lancaster University and beyond.”

Professor Phil Barker, director of the Lancaster Environment Centre, agreed, saying: “Changing cultures is difficult and it often needs individuals like Emily to challenge prevailing practices to reveal how things could be done better. Some people do things by confrontation, which can create animosity and be counterproductive. Emily presents the evidence and calmly brings people to understand her position. Through her firm yet balanced leadership she has helped push the University to a deeper understanding of its sustainability responsibilities and in doing so has been instrumental in creating a new orthodoxy.”

Emily, who came to Lancaster University as an undergraduate 31 years ago and never left, started getting involved in environmental activism while doing her volcanology PhD, and soon after that became a local Green Party councillor, a role which she held for 12 years. She is leaving the University shortly to work for Scientists for Global Responsibility, a membership organisation that campaigns for peace, social justice and sustainability. She feels the climate emergency declaration is a great climax to her university career.

“I’m pleased that the University adopted a really ambitious and challenging commitment. It will mean huge changes to how people work. It has triggered a lot of conversations in all departments and activities to align strategies. There has been a lot of thinking about business travel, some good work is going on in terms of ethical investments and not investing in fossil fuels, there is work on increasing renewable energy generation and planting the forest of the future at Forrest Hills. There are plans for a Lancaster COP26 Festival, and a review of University merchandising to make sure we are not just giving away disposable stuff.

“There are still big areas to tackle, such as procurement of IT and making sure our new and existing buildings are fit for the future. It has helped a lot having someone in a senior position (Pro Vice Chancellor Simon Guy) responsible for sustainability, though I’d like to see that as a job in its own right, not just a part of a much bigger portfolio. But in the end sustainability is part of everybody’s job.

“I have mixed feelings about leaving; there is such a lot of momentum I helped to build, but I am leaving this work in good hands. My new role involves working with academics, so I hope to still be in touch and working with colleagues in the University.”

Emily Heath (2^nd from left) with LEC colleague Prof Rebecca Willis, Green Lancaster’s Darren Axe and student Victoria Hatch, about to present a 2,142-signature petition to the Vice Chancellor of Lancaster University, calling for an urgent response to the climate and ecological emergency.

See a video of the mass participation work stoppage event: