The moment is there: LUGO can finally announce the winner of the Sustainability Award 2020!

Twenty years from now, the world population is estimated to be around 8.7 billion people, compared to the current 7.3 billion. In combination with the improvements in living standards and the corresponding growth in consumption, this will result in an enormous increase in the demand for food, consumables,…

This thesis aimed to investigate the impact of exposure dynamics, relative contributions of ENPs(particle) and ENPs(ion), and dosing regimens on the toxicity of ENPs varying in different physico-chemical properties, on the composition and functioning of soil microbial communities.

Promotores: Prof.dr. J. Schaye & Prof.dr. C. Steidel (California Institute of Technology)

Are you ready to tackle the most pressing sustainability challenges of our time? Do you want to contribute to a sustainable future while respecting the limits of our planet, but don't quite know how to do that yet? Our interdisciplinary Minor in Sustainable Development invites you to explore sustainability…

In this thesis, we consider various (electro)chemical phenomena at surfaces and nanoparticles and their underlying atomistic processes, which we studied using first-principles methods such as density functional theory.

Leiden University is working on a green, circular campus, with a significant reduction in energy consumption by 2050 as its goal, as elaborated in the Route Map Energy Transition Buildings, published in 2022.

Knowing how to resolve global problems is one thing, but how do you make sure that it actually happens? That’s the real challenge, because there are powerful movements everywhere that want to reconstruct the walls of nation states. In an attempt to resolve this issue, Leiden researchers are experimenting…

Several buildings need to be demolished to make way for phase 2.

How do you engage society to stop biodiversity loss? How do you create political and social involvement around climate change? And how do you balance the economic needs of the industry with the negative effects of pollution? If you find these kinds of questions interesting, then this Pre-University…

The research presented in this thesis explores the chemotherapeutic potential of metal-based compounds as chemotherapy agents, with an initial focus on the synthesis and DNA interaction studies of platinum and palladium compounds utilizing the [Pt(bapbpy)]2+ scaffold. The study identifies intercalation…

We are very excited to announce our Sustainability Series for 2023-2024. Each month an interactive workshop will be organised that discusses a specific theme of sustainability. Interested about sustainability? Do not hesitate to sign up to our events !

EnSMiRT seeks to harness expertise within the Una Europa alliance and foster collaborations between leading researchers working on several stages of the mineral value chain to address these pressing challenges head-on.

This was the question Leiden researchers from the Institute of Environmental Sciences CML posed in an article published last week in the journal Resources, Conservation, Recycling

The main research theme in the group of Dennis Hetterscheid is to understand and mimic bioinorganic multi-electron processes that are relevant to our future energy infrastructure. Reduction of protons generates hydrogen that can be used as a chemical fuel. Alternatively to gaseous hydrogen, the reduction…

In line with Leiden University's sustainability vision for 2030, the Green Office is taking practical steps to structurally integrate sustainability principles within the pillars of education and research. Central to this effort is the introduction of the Sustainable Master Thesis Award, which strives…

Check this page regularly for more information about incorporating sustainability within the education of Leiden University.

Check this page regularly for more information about incorporating sustainability within the education of Leiden University.

In our teaching, we give all our students the opportunity to learn about sustainability themes and issues, where possible ones that tie in with the content of their degree programme.

The master’s specialisation Biodiversity and Sustainability at Leiden University provides students with a much better understanding of the biological processes which are essential for creating a sustainable society.

The Sustainability in Education group is a diverse network of scientists, researchers, educators, and other interested employees at Leiden University who share an interest in fostering and celebrating sustainability in education.

How to get involved in sustainability? Read more about four projects that Leiden University helped realise in the past few years.

Watch the Sustainable Career Event back!

Leiden University enables students to play a role in the sustainability challenges of the coming decades. Good scientific research and education are crucial for a safe, healthy, sustainable, prosperous and just world. In Leiden students are being taught the knowledge and skills that are important for…

Members of this research group focus on the governance aspects of running an organisation and the relationship between business activities and sustainability.

Leiden University offers its students a wide range of bachelor's, master's and minors that explore sustainability or climate. Here, you find an overview of those programmes in the academic year 2020-2021.

Sustainability and law is one of Leiden Law School's four research focus areas.

The university aims to expose all students to sustainability topics and issues that are relevant to their field during their time studying here. Students are educated to become academic professionals with the necessary knowledge and skills to contribute to the sustainability transition.

Research carried out at Leiden University contributes to our knowledge of sustainability. This is essential if we want to work together to find solutions to pressing issues, such as the current climate emergency and the shortage of raw materials.

Are you in the final stage of your bachelor or master program? And do you want to research a topic that has to do with sustainability? Then, this document is the right one for you. In this document, several sustainability related topics from a variety of studies is coming together which can give you…

This interdisciplinary minor addresses sustainabilty challenges from a systems perspective, and investigates ways to sustain society within planetary boundaries.

duurzaamheidsthema's onderzoek

To support sustainable travelling in our university community, LUGO is excited to offer the Sustainable Travel Kit - designed to make eco-friendly international travel easier and more comfortable.

The Sustainable City Map serves as a comprehensive guide to achieve a sustainable lifestyle within the city. Whether you’re new in town or just looking to make greener choices, this map has something for everyone!

Are you eager to learn how to shape governance solutions to complex environmental challenges? Are you passionate about fostering a more inclusive, just and sustainable world? Then this master’s is the right fit for you.

A place where scientists and students from Leiden University and residents of The Hague come together to create innovative solutions for sustainable living in the city: that's what the Sustainable City Lab aims to be. When we talk about "sustainable living" we think of many different things. For example:…

In the Governance of Sustainability programme students will learn to become a future ‘change agents’ who can develop and inform governance solutions to complex environmental sustainability challenges.

Take a view on the slides of the presentation and read what the event of Sustainable Travel was about.

Keeping our planet healthy in a just and responsible way.

Lets hit the water! Our students joined us on Saturday 30 August 2025 for a Stand Up Paddleboarding (SUP) and canal clean-up session on Leiden’s canals with Plastic Soup Surfer Merijn Tinga.

In 2025, Leiden University College became the first university programme in the Netherlands to receive the special “Sustainable Higher Education” label from the NVAO, the Dutch-Flemish Accreditation Organisation.

This guide relays information on tips and tricks for traveling by train and bus, and which online tools you can use for sustainable travel and trip planning.

Earth and outer space have become increasingly intertwined environmentally, politically, and philosophically, as satellite constellations multiply, lunar activities expand, and aspirations for Mars and beyond gain momentum.

Are you a student, resident, civil servant or researcher? Would you like to contribute ideas and work together for a more sustainable The Hague? Then read on.

Governance of Sustainability

Looking for ways to travel more sustainably once you've reached your destination? Here, we offer some ideas and helpful links to guide you in becoming a more responsible tourist. Ecotourism, defined as "responsible travel to natural areas that conserves the environment, sustains the well-being of…

The sustainability upgrade of the University Library (UB) is well under way. The building now has entirely new façade glazing with HR++ glass, as well as two new glazed roof domes. The climate-control system has also been modified, enabling low-temperature heating and enabling the building for connection…

On 21 January, the Institute of Environmental Sciences (CML) has released two reports on circular economy and urban mining in the Netherlands. In them, together with Statistics Netherlands, they take stock of part of the Dutch ‘urban mine’: how much raw material can we reuse from the electricity grid,…

Mathilde Mechling defended her thesis on 28 january 2020.