King’s College London

King’s CAN: Co-creating climate action

The King’s Climate Action Network (King’s CAN) is an open, interdisciplinary forum at King’s College London, with the aim to co-create and implement the university’s Climate and Sustainability Action Plan.

The King’s CAN puts students and staff at the centre of our approach to climate action. The network is open to all students, staff, and alumni, regardless of their discipline or previous experience of taking climate action. It is built around seven sub-groups tackling a wide range of climate issues: from our estate and supply chain, to community engagement, education, and research.

Within these groups, members put forward recommendations to be included in the Climate and Sustainability Action Plan, scrutinised current recommendations, and targets, and developed their own initiatives to work towards a more sustainable university. Since it was founded in October 2020, more than 350 students and staff have joined the King’s CAN.

Top 3 Learnings

1. Including students and staff in creating our plans is incredibly rewarding.
2. Climate action covers more than just our buildings.
3. Transparency, especially about our challenges, is essential, as we won’t always have all the answers.