Sustainability research

Researching sustainability and being sustainable in our research

Our mission is to be a global leader in research for environmental sustainability and sustainable development, generating interdisciplinary understanding and solutions to key local, regional and global sustainability challenges, whilst promoting more sustainable research practices.

World-class sustainability research

Our sustainability research spans from the local to the global level, addressing key environmental challenges that cut across sectors and disciplines. By collaborating across departments and with external partners, researchers at York are helping to shape a more sustainable future for us all.

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Sustainability at York

Sustainability Plan: our research objectives

A sustainability entity

Establish a new sustainability entity that acts as a flagship for globally-recognised research and teaching on environmental sustainability.

A Code of Practice

Develop and implement a Code of Practice for Sustainable Research with clear performance indicators, showing reduced environmental impact to support the University’s carbon and sustainability goals.

Building skills to maximise impact

Develop transformational competencies to maximise opportunities for our research on environmental sustainability to make an impact for the public good.

Increase research capacity

Enhance research capacity across the University's research portfolio to establish and reinforce global leadership in key areas of environmental sustainability.

Positioning York as a global leader

Develop innovative ways of research practice and funding to establish York as an internationally renowned 'go-to' resource for research of relevance for policy and practice on environmental sustainability.

Our research centres

Discover our world-class sustainability research centres, exploring everything from air quality and renewable technologies to building resilient ecosystems.

York Environmental Sustainability Institute (YESI)

York Environmental Sustainability Institute (YESI) was set up by the University of York to facilitate and deliver interdisciplinary research in environmental sustainability across a range of issue areas, including food, water and waste, resilient-socio-ecological systems and environment and health.

Stockholm Environment Institute at York (SEI-Y)

The Stockholm Environment Institute (SEI) is an international non-profit organisation addressing environmental and development challenges. As the largest sustainability team at the University, SEI-Y bridges science and policy to create solutions for a sustainable future.

Leverhulme Centre for Anthropocene Biodiversity

World-leading interdisciplinary research into the complexities of biodiversity change in the Anthropocene.

Green Chemistry Centre for Excellence

An international flagship for the promotion of sustainable chemistry.

International Global Development Centre

Promoting interdisciplinary research and partnerships to address pressing global development challenges.

BioYork

Translating and transforming cutting-edge research into technologies, processes and products across the bioeconomy.

Centre for Novel Agricultural Products

Using world-leading bioscience to provide sustainable supplies of food, energy and chemicals.

Wolfson Atmospheric Chemistry Laboratories

Enabling experimental and theoretical studies relating to the science of local and global air pollution, stratospheric ozone depletion and climate change.

Research focus

Our sustainability and environmental research spans the arts, humanities, sciences and social sciences. These are just a couple of our major research projects happening now:

BioYorkshire

We’re working with partners on a clean, green future that will create jobs and boost inward investment.

York Living Labs

York Living Labs brings together our University community to work on sustainability problems on campus, and use the campus as a test-bed for researching and implementing sustainability solutions which have wider impact.

Support and opportunities for researchers

Looking for guidance, support or opportunities in environmental sustainability research? Find experts, explore our facilities, join a network or access funding opportunities to support your research.

Find an expert

The YESI Community Directory is designed to showcase the breadth of research in the environmental sustainability area and help put you in touch with the right person.

Join a research network

Explore YESI’s networks, bringing together expertise across departments to foster collaboration, develop interdisciplinary research, and bid for funding opportunities.

Inner Development Goals (IDGs)

Find out more about our partnership with the IDGs and join a hub aligned with your areas of interest to connect with others tackling similar sustainability challenges.

New for 2025: Green Impact Laboratory Accreditation (GILA)

Green Impact Lab Accreditation (or GILA) has been created specifically to support research wet labs to achieve an approved sustainability accreditation in order to apply to certain funding bodies.

Each participating laboratory completes the necessary actions, is audited, then receives a nationally standardised GILA certificate. The certificate demonstrates progress towards embedding sustainability in research.

Explore GILA

For all researchers: Conducting your research sustainably

The University is dedicated to sustainability not only in what it undertakes its research on, but how it undertakes its research. That is why we have developed a Code of Practice for Sustainable Research (PDF , 207kb), offering guidance and support to help you conduct research sustainably. This Code and its corresponding guidance is designed to assist all researchers, regardless of their area of expertise or field.