Renowned writer and broadcaster Jonathon Porritt delivered a sustainability masterclass at the University of Cumbria at Ambleside on Friday 20 July.
The university joined with the Lake District National Park Authority to organise the event and provide an opportunity for invited guests to discuss with Jonathon how the Lake District can contribute to, and benefit from, the transition to sustainability.
Jonathon initially spoke about the international backdrop of sustainability and the current position from a global leader’s perspective. This was followed by a lively discussion on global and local sustainability issues and also the potential development opportunities at the university’s Ambleside campus.
“It has been a real privilege to spend the morning at Ambleside at such an important time for the university as a whole”, Jonathon said. “Brilliant people, lots of good ideas and sustainability are very much part of the mix so I believe the future prospects are extremely encouraging for the area.”
“We were keen to work on this joint venture with the university and to engage with local groups in pursuing the sustainability agenda,” commented Richard Leafe, Chief Executive of the Lake District National Park Authority.“We are already committed to this work through our Low Carbon Lake District initiative and welcome the opportunity to support the education of residents, visitors and businesses through activities such as this.”
“We were delighted to host this masterclass with Jonathon Porritt with invited attendees from the community, local business, the university and the Lake District National Park Authority,” added Liz Beaty, Pro-vice Chancellor at the University of Cumbria.
“The university has a new corporate strategy with four themes, one of which is sustainability, so we are currently focusing on how sustainability can be embedded into not only our curriculum, but also our estates strategy.”