Sustainability in Practice Ilia Iaonnidi is Head of Communications for the LSESU Sustainable Futures Society. In this article, she outlines the importance of a proactive approach to sustainability as the world responds to the COVID-19 pandemic, and introduces some exciting initiatives that the Sustainable Futures Society is leading on. As you have probably heard before, COVID-19 is often referred to as a dress rehearsal for climate change. Indeed, amongst other things, they are both pandemics, posing a global threat, and demanding a global response. They are also not unrelated. The cities that have been worst affected by the virus have also been worst affected by air pollution. In this highly unsustainable situation we currently find ourselves in, environmental action is needed more than ever. It is with this urgency that the Sustainable Futures Society (SFS) was founded at the LSESU. As a leading university, we believe that we have a responsibility to be leaders in environmental sustainability – students and staff alike. We also believe that a collaborative response is needed – between different LSESU societies, students and staff, the LSESU and the LSE, and the university and external bodies. This is what our society has sought to do in the past, and what it will seek to do now more than ever before, through a fresh array of sustainabilityrelated events. These will include talks with leaders in sustainability, environmentally-focused seminars, fundraising challenges, hands-on action, green policy contributions, and last but not least, the Sustainable Projects Fund (SPF).
20
