Higher education institutions play a special role in the ecological transition. Representing almost half of all State operators and catering for a large number of people, they have a substantial environmental impact. Numerous initiatives have been taken in recent years, and policies are beginning to be put in place within institutions. However, they are still not sufficient to achieve the stated objectives, particularly as they lack many of the tools needed to develop a rigorous, coherent and effective approach. Yet higher education has a major role to play, not only in reducing its own ecological footprint, but also in producing, adapting and disseminating the knowledge needed to make a success of the ecological transition.
