Sustainability Plans
Goals
- AIT Towards Net Zero by 2030 – A Botanical Garden Campus
Climate change is arguably the greatest threat facing our planet and its people. Warmer temperatures are disrupting the usual balance of nature, posing myriad risks to human beings and all other forms of life on Earth. The IPCC AR6 2022 synthesis report on Impacts, adaptation, and vulnerability states that climate-resilient development is already challenging at current global warming levels. The prospects will become limited further if warming exceeds 1.5 degrees C and may not be possible if warming exceeds 2 degrees C. It was also stated that in every sector there are options available now that can at least halve the emissions by 2030. The landmark Paris Agreement of 2015, followed by the Glasgow COP26 and the recent COP27 in Egypt is the world’s collective response to limit greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions fueling global warming. Today, there is a broad consensus among experts that rising temperatures directly contribute to biodiversity loss and ecosystem degradation. Therefore, climate change and biodiversity loss ought to be tackled together as twin existential threats. - AIT aims to take the lead in practicing and promoting sustainability
The AIT campus has been described as one of the most verdant academic settings in Thailand, and South-East Asia more broadly. Its trademark is its lush, raw greenery enriched by exotic tropical flora and fauna that coexist harmoniously with the day-to-day intellectual pursuits of students, academics, and researchers from all around the world. To be a truly sustainable campus, AIT aims to take the lead in practicing and promoting sustainability – by establishing an all-encompassing botanical garden on its campus. This initiative builds on the previous campus plans, and it represents a significant leap forward toward making the entire AIT a fully-fledged botanical garden with a target to be Net Zero by 2030.
Action Plan
- Action plans to be Botanical Garden Campus
Botanical Garden Campus Towards Net Zero will organize these numerous natural assets into an integrated and harmonized campus plan to achieve Net Zero Emissions and the Bio-Circular Green (BCG) Economy. Put simply, Net Zero refers to reducing GHGs as much as possible. Our plan will be in-line with the BCG Economy direction of Thailand and the Asia-Pacific region through the implementation of two major activities to become a carbon-neutral campus, where various types of ecosystems and biodiversity can be found, thereby providing a place for nature-human harmonization in the center of one of Asia’s most urbanized settings. - AIT’s Sustainability Vision
Three Key Principles underscore the vision to achieve Botanical Garden and Net Zero emissions: Connection to The Queen Sirikit Arboretum; Balance between Academia and Industry; and Open Access to the Public. The 130-hectare campus will include three distinct zones of specialized activities to be a carbon-neutral campus. Academic and BOI Science and Technology Zone, Botanical Residence Zone, and Botanical Public Space Zone will mutually reinforce each other to create a synergy of sustainable activities across the campus.
By leveraging its abundant natural biodiversity and capitalizing on its historical role as an international gateway to showcase technology and sustainability in higher education, Botanical Garden Campus Towards Net Zero is AIT’s response to address the climate and biodiversity challenges of our time. Our campus can become a magnet to attract educationalists, researchers, public and private sector partnerships, social enterprises, start-ups, responsible investment, carbon credits, and top-class prospective students and researchers. Botanical Garden Campus Towards Net Zero will be a prime example of a sustainable academic institution where people aspire to live, study and work carbon-free in the 21st century.
The Impact Ranking
The Impact Rankings measure how universities worldwide are performing against the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Despite the increasing number of competing universities from 1,107 in the previous year, AIT maintained its overall rank of 100-200 out of 1,406 universities from 106 countries/regions.
The UN has 17 global sustainable development goals for 2030. This year AIT participated in 13 of them and ranked in the Top 100 in 4 and 100-200 in 6. Out of all participating universities, AIT is placed in the Top Worldwide band in 9 SDGs this year, up from 6 last year. AIT’s overall ranking has gone up every year
The UN has 17 global sustainable development goals for 2030. This year AIT participated in 13 of them and ranked in the Top 100 in 4 and 100-200 in 6. Out of all participating universities, AIT is placed in the Top Worldwide band in 9 SDGs this year, up from 6 last year. AIT’s overall ranking has gone up every year
The Impact Rankings 2022
#43
SDG1 No Poverty
#86
SDG2 Zero Hunger
#68
SDG10 Reduced Inequalities
#72
SDG16 Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions
#100-200
SDG 6 Clean Water and Sanitation
#100-200
SDG 7 Affordable and Clean Energy
#100-200
SDG 8 Decent Work and Economic Growth
#100-200
SDG 14 Life below Water
#100-200
SDG 15 Life on Land
#100-200
SDG 17 Partnership for the Goals
AIT Ranks 15th Globally by Times Higher Education for SDG 1 “No Poverty” Work 2021
The Asian Institute of Technology (AIT) in Bangkok ranks 15th in the world in the prestigious Times Higher Education (THE) Impact Rankings 2021 for its work to end poverty, in line with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal: SDG1 – No Poverty. Work on four other SDGs also positions the institute in the global top 100.
The THE Impact Rankings measure how universities worldwide are performing against the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). With over 1,200 universities from 98 countries participating, the overall results place AIT in the global top 101-200, with five individual goals in the top 100, as follows:
The Impact Rankings 2021
#15
SDG1 No Poverty
#58
SDG17 Partnership for the Goals
#64
SDG14 Life Below Water
#67
SDG2 Zero Hunger
#80
SDG 15 Life on Land
