Assessing Universities' Impact on Climate Change and Sustainability: A Focus on Arab Institutions

Abstract

Climate change poses an immense global problem, affecting various aspects of life, from eco-systems to human societies and economies. Universities, being hubs of intellectual and human resources, are instrumental in understanding and tackling these issues, using their multifaceted expertise in research, teaching, and community outreach. Moreover, their engagement with local societies and policy advocacy aids in formulating an all-encompassing climate response. Objectives: This review explores how universities contribute to climate change mitigation and promote sustainability, focusing on their capacity to catalyse transformative changes via education, research, campus operations, and community interactions. Methods: Utilizing bibliometric analysis, we scrutinized articles from multiple scientific databases, including ResearchGate, PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus published between 2011-2023. 2,050 relevant articles were chosen for term co-occurrence analysis using VOSviewer. Results: The study unveils various university practices, such as the inclusion of sustainability in curriculum, renewable energy research, and green campus initiatives. It shows that universities hold significant potential to battle climate change by exemplifying sustainable practices, nurturing eco-conscious leaders, and informing policy through re-search and advocacy. Conclusion: Our study underscores the critical role universities play in promoting sustainability and fighting climate change, offering insights to assist universities in crafting and executing more efficient sustainability strategies.