New monthly thematic series on sustainability 

With the Sustainability Theme of the Month project, our aim is to showcase and highlight university-related stories that contribute in some way to sustainability and the protection of the values of our Earth. 

The idea for the project first came up at ERS Agora in January, which will inspire us to work with university citizens to present a specific sustainability-related topic on our communication platforms. The themes of the series are designed to be linked in some way to a current event, action, or World Day. 

We wish a wide range of university citizens, as much as possible, to engage with the project, so we plan to include research, student projects and events, community partners, and news about university operations and infrastructure. We welcome story ideas, information, studies, programmes related to the given monthly theme to be submitted via a content submission form or to mate.kovacs2@uni-corvinus.hu, and we will edit and publish the submitted material according to our editorial principles. 

The spring wind blows the water in March 

Last year’s severe drought reminded many of us of the obvious fact that water is one of our greatest treasures. Former President János Áder said last September in a lecture at the Corvinus that about 80 percent of the effects of climate change can be felt through water, and that the carbon binding capacity of wetlands is one of the ways in which  can be an important part of the solution.   

While many people buy mineral water in plastic bottles hoping for clean water, it is this plastic that pollutes wetlands and marine and ocean ecosystems, and microplastics are also being returned to us and ultimately our bodies through our drinking water and food. In order to stop the vicious circle, collective action is needed. 

This is why this month, water and wetland protection will be the theme of the World Water Day on 22 March. In addition to water conservation, our articles will also touch on keeping our waters clean, reducing plastic pollution in lakes and oceans, and the ecological importance of wetlands. 

In addition to the articles, we are also planning actions involving the university community, for example, in connection with the water supply points on campus. In addition to the practical aspects, we will also provide a review of the literature in order to provide a scientific background to the project, in addition to the necessary active action. 

Green investments, biodiversity, and sustainable food industry 

This year’s Earth Day will focus on the slogan “Invest in our Planet“, and in April we will explore the theme of green investments and finance in more depth. We also want to focus on projects with community partners, as an investment can be not only a financial investment, but also an investment of time and knowledge. 

In May, the Day of Birds and Trees (10 May) and the Day of Biodiversity (22 May) will focus on terrestrial ecosystems. We will show why it is important to maintain biodiversity in almost all sustainability-related areas, whether it is carbon sequestration, food production, healthy communities or even physical, mental and spiritual well-being. 

The last theme of the academic year will be sustainable food, to mark World Meat Free Day on the second Monday of June. In this series, we look at the issue from an industrial and societal perspective, along with our individual consumer choices. 

For any of these topics, we welcome suggestions and ideas that can be processed on our communication platforms. The first season will start as a pilot, and if the project is successful, we will build on the involvement of university citizens to introduce new themes in the fall. 

The Theme of the Month project is implemented under the umbrella and with the professional support of the ERS Hub, and further project ideas are welcome under the Join the section of the following page. The ERS Hub was established for the purpose of coordinating projects and initiatives in the fields of ethics, social responsibility, and sustainability at university level and to provide an open platform for their wide dissemination, volunteers, and supporters.