One Planet
We are working towards a better and fairer world, addressing challenges and creating a more sustainable future, protecting our planet for the benefit of all.
Enough for everyone, forever
As populations increase and industry multiplies, our planet is facing some of the biggest challenges it has ever known.
The devastating impact of climate change is wreaking havoc on natural habitats and global ecosystems, endangering both plant and animal life. Beyond this, it is also creating a world in which we, as a society, need to be able to anticipate future change. We need to prepare for, and respond to hazardous events and disturbances on a vast scale.
Whilst land and water pollution increase and air quality decreases, the exponential growth of energy requirements puts natural resources under extreme pressure. It’s more important than ever to develop sustainable energy systems for the future.
We are supporting the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals – seeking peace and prosperity for all people and the planet now and in the future.
We’re working to ensure that there is enough, for everyone, forever.
We’re working together to create sustainable futures through discovery, education and innovation.
Professor Stephanie Glendinning
Pro-Vice-Chancellor, Faculty of Science, Agriculture and Engineering
The UN Sustainable Development Goals (UNSDGs) are embedded into every aspect of our University. They shape our estate operations and our approaches to teaching, research and innovation.
Our sustainability team leads on embedding sustainability throughout campus activity.
Our Global Challenges Academy advances research and partnerships to address the UNSDGs.
We are ranked 56th in the world and 19th in the UK in the QS World University Rankings: Sustainability 2025, with high scores across the categories of Environmental Impact, Social Impact, and Governance.
Driving change in policy, industry and communities
We impact policies, industries, communities and regions to discover and encourage sustainable practices. Our pioneering work includes:
- driving the transition to low-carbon energy and transport in the UK and internationally
- developing new social and technical approaches to water security and sustainable development
- developing biotechnologies to create a new generation of living buildings
- safeguarding river deltas futures, through more resilient communities and sustainable development
- investigating the impact of plastics in our oceans and working to preserve and protect our coral reefs
- protecting species and their habitats in Asia, Africa, South America and Australasia
- influencing and exploring the legal dimensions of environmental regulation
- building resilience and limiting the impacts of climate and environmental change
- growing UK manufacturing in electrification and Power Electronics, Machines and Drives
From Newcastle. For One Planet
There are many achievements we’re particularly proud of as we work to address challenges to create a more sustainable future. Some examples include:
- receiving the Queen’s Anniversary Prize for Higher and Further Education in recognition of our long-standing excellence in water research
- working with Procter & Gamble to develop a new enzyme to improve washing powders, helping to make laundry more sustainable
- discovering new species including three new species of fish and a giant crustacean
- mobilising data to tackle species extinction and influencing the Global Biodiversity Framework
- revealing that a Pacific coral reef is showing a potential historic increase in climate resistance
- identifying early warning signs of COVID-19 outbreaks through sewage and wastewater systems
- researching ways to achieve crucial Net Zero targets
Education for life
The One Planet agenda plays a part in several undergraduate and postgraduate programmes including:
- Leadership in Climate Change and Sustainability MSc (new for 2024 entry)
- Entrepreneurship, Innovation and Sustainability MSc
- Sustainable Agriculture and Food Security MSc
- International Business Management (Sustainability) MSc
- Renewable Energy, Enterprise, and Management (REEM) MSc
- Environmental Geoscience MRes
- Environmental Science BSc Honours
- Civil Engineering Undergraduate Degrees
- Marine Zoology and Marine Biology Undergraduate Degrees
- Geography Undergraduate Degrees
Our Executive Education programmes include a learning and reflection framework for the UN Sustainable Development Goals (UNSDGs).
Our Global Challenges Academy runs a programme where students can intern and contribute to the Uuniversity's initiatives supporting the UNSDGs. Hear from a previous intern about their experience.
View our collection of innovative UNSDGs teaching case studies
Newcastle University in Singapore
Newcastle University in Singapore shapes the future of science and engineering through powerful connections and innovative research.
Graduates are globally aware problem-solvers, ready to define the future of industry and government. Postgraduate research students are immersed in a hub for research, collaboration and innovation as part of Newcastle Research and Innovation Institute (NewRIIS).
Learn more about Newcastle University in Singapore
Discover how our Singapore campus is tackling climate change with AI
Research infrastructure
Our research infrastructure includes institutes, groups, centres and facilities that enable interdisciplinary collaboration for the benefit of our planet.
Research Hubs
We lead two of 12 UKRI GCRF Global Interdisciplinary Research Hubs.
We are the only university to lead more than one research hub. Our hubs work with more than 100 partners globally, spanning countries including India, Malaysia, and Brazil.
We also host the world’s first Hub for Biotechnology in the Built Environment. It brings together architects, designers and engineers from Newcastle University with bio-scientists from Northumbria University.
Research centres and institutes
A number of our Centres for Research Excellence form the foundations of our work in One Planet:
- Centre for Climate and Environmental Resilience
- Centre for Water
- Centre for Energy
- Centre for Landscape
- Centre for Data
- Centre for Mobility and Transport
- Centre for Researching Cities
Our research centres and institutes working in One Planet also include:
- National Innovation Centre for Rural Enterprise
- The McCord Centre for Landscape
- Institute for Agri-Food Research and Innovation
Doctoral Training Centres
Our Doctoral Training Centres are developing future research leaders to make change possible. Centres and researchers tackling some of societies biggest sustainability challenges include:
ONE Planet: a cohort-based, doctoral training partnership across Newcastle and Northumbria Universities. This is to design sustainable transdisciplinary responses needed to address intensifying global change.
Geospatial Systems: developing the world’s next generation of engineers, scientists and practitioners. They're trained in geospatial data, analytics, modelling and visualisation.
IAPETUS2: a multidisciplinary training partnership tackling challenges facing earth and the environment.
Sustainable Electrical Propulsion: developing a new generation of UK power electronics specialists to meet societal and industry demand.
We are also partners in the following centres:
- Renewable Energy Northeast Universities
- Water Infrastructure and Resilience (WIRe)
- Offshore Wind Energy and Environment (Aura)
- FLOOD centre (new for 2024)
Facilities
Our facilities contribute to cutting-edge research in both industrial and academic settings.
- coastal stations including the Dove Marine Laboratory and Blyth Marine Station as well as The Princess Royal research vessel
- agricultural facilities including two farms: Cockle Park Farm and Nafferton Farm
- earth and environmental science facilities
Meet some of our researchers and innovators
- Professor Stephanie Glendinning, Pro-Vice-Chancellor Faculty of Science, Agriculture and Engineering and Professor of Civil Engineering
- Professor Richard Davies, Pro-Vice-Chancellor, Global and Sustainability
- Professor Richard Dawson, Professor of Earth Systems Engineering and GCRF Water Security and Sustainable Development Hub Director
- Professor Hayley Fowler, Professor of Climate Change Impacts
- Professor Andy Large, Professor in River Science and GCRF Living Deltas Hub Director
- Professor Phil McGowan Professor of Conservation Science and Policy
- Professor Elizabeth Gibson, Professor of Energy Materials and Co-Director, Centre for Energy
- Professor Jeremy Phillipson, Professor of Rural Development and Director, National Innovation Centre for Rural Enterprise
- Matt Boyle OBE, Professor of Practice and Executive Chair of Driving the Electric Revolution Industrialisation Centres
- Professor Rachel Franklin, Professor of Geographical Analysis and Director, Centre for Data
- Professor Phil Blythe, Professor of Intelligent Transport Systems and Director, Centre for Mobility and Transport
- Professor Tom Curtis, Professor of Environmental Engineering, Co-Director, Centre for Water
- Dr Michaela Goodson, Dean of Research, Newcastle University Medicine Malaysia
- Professor Neil Boonham, Chair of Applied Crop Science
- Professor Anthony Zito, Professor of European Public Policy
- Professor David Graham, Professor of Ecosystems Engineering
- Dr Haris Patsios, Reader in Smart Energy Systems
- Professor Ben Bridgens, Professor of Regenerative Architecture and Co-Director, Hub for Biotechnology in the Built Environment
- Professor Ruth Morrow, Professor of Biological Architecture and Head of School X
- Professor Katharine Rietig, Professor of Sustainability and International Politics
- Professor Stephen Elstub, Professor of Democratic Politics and Director of Research, School of Geography, Politics, and Sociology
- Dr Marion Pfeifer, Associate Professor, Landscape Ecology and Management
- Professor Uta Kogelsberger, Professor of Practice
- Professor Maggie Roe, Professor of Landscape, Co-Director, Centre for Landscape
- Professor Sam Turner, Professor of Archaeology and Co-Director, Centre for Landscape
Who we work with
We work and partner with a range of organisations including:
- Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Service
- International Union for Conservation of Nature
- British Antarctic Survey
- British Geological Survey
- UK Centre for Ecology and Hydrology
- UK Research and Innovation:
- The Natural and Environmental Research Council
- Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council
- Fera Science (formerly the UK Government’s Food and Environment Research Agency)
- Procter & Gamble
- Our GCRF Hubs work with almost 100 partners around the world including:
- IIT Delhi
- Universiti Teknologi Malaysia
- National University Singapore
- United Nations University – Institute for Environment and Human Security
- Women in Sustainability Network
- Northumbrian Water
- Northern Gas Networks
- National Energy Action
- Siemens
