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National Union of Students (UK) survey results:
  • Between January 2018 and February 2019 awareness of the SDGs significantly increased from 28% to 34%
  • So too did the desire to learn more about the SDGs, from 61% in January 2018 to 70% in February 2019, after respondents were introduced to the SDGs during the survey
  • The UK government was most commonly identified as needing to actively lead and support achievement of the SDGs
  • Goal 13, climate action, is seen as the most important goal, and climate change is reported as being the most important issue facing the world today
  • Inequality (in terms of income and discrimination) is the most important issue facing the UK today.  Government accountability and transparency, a lack of healthcare services and a lack of economic opportunity and employement make up the top three most important issues across the 18 months of research
SDG1 - No poverty
  • When considering the most important issues facing the world today, respondents rated climate change as their top concern.  Poverty, religious conflicts and large scale conflict/war make up the top three concerns.
  • Focusing on SDG goal 1 - no poverty - 86% say they are concerned about world poverty, and 69% are concerned about poverty in the UK.
  • Contributing financially to charities or other appeals is the most common way to personally support people living in poverty (49%) followed by buying Fairtrade products (46%).
SDG2 - Zero hunger
  • Respondents reported reducing the amount of food they waste (71%) and buying locally produced food (47%) as ways they personally support making sure food is produced in a sustainable way.
  • 23% report skipping a meal in the last 12 months because they didn't have enough money to buy food, and 10% have gone without eating for the whole day because of a lack of money.
SDG3 - Good health and well-being
  • 65% say their physical health to be good or very good, and 57% say the same about their mental health.
  • 52% say they eat the recommended 5 portions of fruit or vegetables a day.
  • 8% find it difficult to go without smoking for a whole day.
SDG4 - Quality education
  • 60% say they have personally faced financial barriers to accessing learning opportunities, and 34% say they have found a lack of information about opportunities to be a barrier.
  • Work placements or volunteering are reported by respondents (48%) as the best learning experiences during their time in education so far.
  • Respondents are less likely to prefer role play activities or simulations (15%).
SDG5 - Gender equality
  • 95% agree that men and women should get equal pay for the same role.
  • 91% agree that, in the world as a whole, more needs to be done to ensure men and women are equal.
  • 28% say they know they have been discriminated against because of their gender and a further 13% think they have experienced this but cannot be sure if gender was the cause of the discrimination.
  • Of those who say they know they have experienced gender discrimination, 65% say they have felt unsafe in public places and 60% say they have experienced sexual harassment.
SDG6 - Clean water and sanitation
  • 88% agree that we should all try to save water regardless of the weather, and 72% disagree that we don't have to worry about the amount of water we use.
  • However 30% say they don't pay much attention to the amount of water they use at home.
  • 51% are not aware of the amount of water needed to make the products they buy, such as food, clothes and electronics
  • 66% are supportive of a government that helped tackle access to clean water and sanitation around the world.
  • The most commonly reported personal behaviors that conserve water or prevent water pollution include turning the tap off whilst brushing their teeth (84%) and taking showers instead of baths (76%).
SDG7 - Affordable and clean energy
  • Student respondents report taking a range of actions to minimize their energy use, including 75% who always only wash clothes when they have a full load.  Similarly, 73% say they rarely or never leave lights on when they are not in the room.
  • Thinking back to the winter of 2017-18, respondents reported limiting their energy use due to concerns about cost by turning down the heating (50%) or turning it off (47%) even though they would have preferred otherwise.
  • Support for renewable energy (for heating, electricity and fuel) is almost universal at 91%.
SDG8 - Decent work and economic growth
  • 54% say they are concerned about finding a job after they finish their course, and 57% are concerned about finding a job that matches the skills and knowledge they have developed during their course.
  • 73% are concerned about finding a job that pays a wage that meets the cost of living. Job security (65%), long term prospects (64%) and fair treatment (62%) are also key concerns amongst respondents.
  • 87% and 75% agreeing respectively that companies should prioritize human well-being and social equity and environmental protection over profits.
SDG9 - Industry, innovation and infrastructure
  • 36% say the costs of travel influenced their decision on what university or college to study at.
  • 10% say they have missed course commitments due to the reliability of transport services.
  • 50% would like to see improvements to social learning / study spaces if facilities and infrastructure at their place of study were being improved
SDG10 - Reduced inequalities
  • 59% think the economic situation globally is somewhat or very bad.
  • 47% think the gap between rich and poor in the UK is a very big problem, and a further 35% say it is a moderately big problem.
  • 39% indicated they think governments should take more responsibility to ensure everyone is provided for.
  • 43% indicated they think we should aim for a more equal distribution of wealth, even if the total amount is reduced.
SDG11 - Sustainable cities and communities
  • 33% think air quality in the area they live in during term time is a big problem.
  • 83% think the government should be doing more to tackle air quality.
  • 55% say they live less than 5 minutes walk away from a green space (e.g. parks, playing fields, community gardens, woods or other natural areas).
  • 62% say they find it easy to get around on a day to day basis without a car.
SDG12 - Responsible consumption and production
  • 67% say they'd like to be able to afford to buy more ethical and environmentally-friendly products but it's not a possibility for them at the moment
  • The biggest source of food waste from respondents is ingredients or products they open but don't finish (32% say they do this for at least some of they food they cook and eat
  • 76% say it is important to them that their university or college makes sure the things it buys have been produced in  way that limits damage to the environment
  • 86% say it is important to them that their university or college makes sure the things it buys have been produced by people who have been fairly treated
SDG13 - Climate action
  • 91% support increasing the use of renewable power to tackle climate change
  • 82% support regulating heavy industry to reduce emissions also to tackle climate change
  • 48% say they want to hear politicians discussing the loss of wildlife when thinking about the impacts of climate change
  • 75% say they think their university or college should consider and address climate change in every aspect related to how it is run
  • 74% say their institution should ensure all students have an opportunity to learn how they can be part of the solution to climate change
SDG14 - Life below water
  • 81% think the seas and oceans around the world are in an unhealthy state
  • To help protect the seas and oceans, and the life within them, 67% say they refuse single-use plastic when possible
  • For the same reason, 44% say they use eco-friendly cleaning products
  • 49% say secondary school was the time in their education so far that they've learnt about protecting seas and oceans
SDG15 - Life on land
  • 23% regularly put out bird food in the last term to help wildlife and natural habitats, and 22% say they choose to buy from brands that state they minimise their impact on wildlife and habitats
  • 88% are worried about the loss of species of animals and plants around the world
  • 80% are worried about the loss of native animals and plants in the UK
  • 62% say they want to do more to help protect animals, plants and birds around the UK but don't know how
  • 86% think protecting nature is essential to tackling climate change
  • Primary (64%) and secondary (67%) education are seen as the time in their education so far where they've learnt about the role of wildlie and nature on land
SDG 16 - Peace, justice and strong institutions
  • 39% say they think the present system of governing Britain needs a great deal of improvement, and a further 37% say it could be improved quite a lot
  • 14% agree that decision-making in the UK responds to their needs, whereas 57% disagree
  • Almost half (46%) disagree when asked if they think decision-making in the UK is inclusive of people like them
  • Decision-making at their place of study is seen as more inclusive and responsive with around 60% agreeing that the processes have these characteristics
SDG 17 - Partnerships for the goals
  • 78% of respondents would like to see the UK apply a law that means public bodies must consider the social, economic, environmental and cultural implications of their work on both current and future generations
  • 65% see a role for all actors in society (government, business, NGOs, individuals) when it comes to responsibility for ensuring the SDGs are achieved
  • A third of respondents are unaware of the action taken by their place of study when it comes to working with other organisations to contribute to achieving the SDGs
  • 78% want to do their bit to help achieve the SDGs
Read the full research report here.
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  • About US
    • Vision >
      • Perceptions of sustainability
    • Organisation >
      • Organisational Documents
      • Governing Bodies
      • Executive Leadership >
        • Advisory Boards
  • Donate
  • Members
    • Member's Portal
    • Member Benefits
    • Leadership Forum
    • Membership Guidelines >
      • Membership Eligibility
      • Membership Structure
      • Participation, Representation and Role
      • Member Obligations
      • Membership Resignation and Withdrawal
      • Membership Application
    • Members List
  • Academics
    • Masters Degree Programme
    • Joint Ph.D. Programme
    • Doctoral Student Symposium
    • Fellows Programme
    • Global Exchange and Mobility
    • International Students-at-Risk Network
  • Research
    • Global Sustainable Development Initiative >
      • SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT RESEARCH NETWORK
    • Global Research Enterprise Services >
      • Sponsored Programs and Research
      • Research Integrity and Complaince
      • Pre-award research services
      • Post-award research services
    • Research Funding >
      • Research Fund Development
      • Sustainable Development Innovation Fund
    • Research Infrastructure >
      • Research Cloud Computing
      • Advanced Analytics
    • Institutes & Centres >
      • Centre for Eco-Innovation
      • Artificial Intelligence Centre >
        • VISTA-Innovation+Investor_Platform
        • Corporate Sponsorship
    • Knowledge Transfer Partnership
  • News
  • Contact
  • Survey