More and more research grants are asking applicants to include a statement on how their research will impact the environment, project sustainability, and what measures will be taken to minimise the environmental footprint. In particular, the EU-funded Marie Curie postdoctoral fellowships require applicants to include a statement on the project’s environmental considerations in light of the MSCA Green Charter (Part B-2).  

When I wrote my first MSCA grant I didn’t know that this was a mandatory section and so got a bit caught out at the last minute! However, once you know it’s something you need to include, it can be an easy(ish) part of a grant to get done and dusted quite quickly. So, in this short article, you will find a few pieces of advice to help you on your way. 

 

1. When you come to writing this part of the grant, make sure that you reach out to the research office within the host university for their input. They are likely to have experience with these types of grant applications and so might have text already prepared that you can copy and paste from. 
2. Although you might have to write a specific paragraph on environmental impact and sustainability, make sure that these considerations are threaded throughout the proposal so that everything is synced and clearly linked together.  
3. Read through the MSCA Green Charter whether you are applying for EU funding or not. The document (linked below) gives a good overview of the importance of minimising our environmental footprint within the research context and example ways you might do this.  
4. Also think about societal impact in this section too, ensuring your project practices are socially responsible. 
5. Think about environmental impact and sustainability on two levels; within your actual project, but also within the broader university landscape. Clearly divide these levels within your application so that you demonstrate to reviewers that you have thought about this thoroughly.  

 

The University Level 

• The host institution is likely to have a central policy on environment and climate change so make sure you (i) find out if they have one and read it, and (ii) make reference to the policy within your application.  
• Is there a sustainable way to purchase equipment and materials to reduce environmental impact? Ask the university about any procurement plans they have in place. E.g., local and ethical sourcing, supplier engagement.  
• Does the university use green energy sources?  
• Is there any technology used to improve sustainability, e.g., ways to reduce the use of paper and printing, more efficient resource management processes?
• Are there any monitoring systems in place that report on the university's sustainability targets, achievements, and areas of improvement?
• Does the university collaborate with any local or national government agencies to further support environment, society, and sustainable impact? 
• Are there any education and awareness raising initiatives within the university to support environmentally friendly research? 
• Check if the university or laboratory have any environmentally friendly certificates like the mygreenlab.org certification, Energy Star etc.  

 

The Project Level 

• Using remote meetings when possible. 
• When in-person meetings are required, they should be organised as sustainably as possible, e.g., consider public transport links, the location, accommodation arrangements and catering etc.  
• If you are using focus groups and interviews, can any of them be conducted remotely?  
• Obviously, it’s important to prioritise scientific excellence, but if your project requires participants to travel to the lab or a specific location, consider how this could be done in an environmentally friendly way, e.g., can you reduce the number of visits?  
• To reduce paper waste, consider if participant information sheets, informed consent and data can be collected electronically. 
• If you need specific materials for your project, try to ensure that no single-use plastics will be used, surplus purchasing will be minimised, and reusable, recyclable and/or biodegradable alternatives should be used wherever possible.  

 

Resources 

MSCA Green Charter