50
L. L. Brandli et al.
root retention (World Bank 2017). In contrast, replacing these areas with paved areas
may contribute to flooding and the effect of heat islands in cities (Melo et al. 2015).
Besides that, the decline of these spaces in urban environment limits the opportunities of experiences and exchange of knowledge between the new generations
and the nature (Speake et al. 2013). Given that promoting sustainability by encouraging people’s contact with nature is easier than motivating them to behave in an
ecologically sustainable way (Nisbet and Zelenski 2011), the phenomenon of green
areas decrease in the urban environment is becoming problematic. The projections
of the World Urbanization Prospects report show that by the year 2050, 66% of the
world population will be living in the cities (United Nation 2015d) and to meet the
challenges of world population growth, an adoption of a sustainable way of living is
urgent.
Sustainability is defined by Moore (2005) as a concept that permeates the spheres
of social justice along with ecological integrity, considering the well-being of all
living systems on the planet. Another definition found is the one of applied sustainability, given by Leal Filho (2011), who sees sustainability as a way to approach and
guide actions in real contexts and situations applying the principles of “Sustainable
Development”. This term was conceived in 1987 by the United Nations’ (UN) World
Commission on Environment and Development and means “to meet the needs of the
present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own
needs” (UN 1987). These concepts converge to the central idea that everyone has the
right to live in an ecologically balanced environment (the right of the latter, which is
provided for the Constitution of the Federative Republic of Brazil of 1988), and for
that, conscious use of the natural resources of the planet is necessary, avoiding its
capacity of support to be exceeded and ensuring that the next generations also have
right to its use.
In “Higher Education in a Warming World” of Eagan et al. (2008), the role of
universities as propellers of actions aimed at a sustainable world is highlighted and
emphasized by the fact that these institutions will form the leaders of future societies. These spaces are people-trainers, disseminators of values and knowledge, who
can convert a theoretical concept of sustainability into real behaviour through the
promotion of actions (Finlay and Massey 2012). In this context, Higher Education
Institutions (HEIs) are at a unique position on promoting sustainable development,
because the role of universities, in the lives of future global citizens, is not limited
to the educational/vocational sphere. Universities are also the place where consolidation of social values takes place. Authors such as Katili¯ ut˙ e and Staniškis (2017)
argue that the duty of HEIs is not only to train their students, but also to encourage
the commitment of the academic community to sustainability and, this way, universities are able to offer students learning and awareness, contributing to what can be
described as lifelong learning.
In addition, for Thomashow (2014), when the ecological potential of a university
campus is recognized, the first step towards understanding and practicing sustainability is taken, and at this point the university campus becomes a green campus—an
educational and scientific space where the problems of the world are discussed at the
same time as the search for solutions is encouraged. It can be said, therefore, that
L. L. Brandli et al.
root retention (World Bank 2017). In contrast, replacing these areas with paved areas
may contribute to flooding and the effect of heat islands in cities (Melo et al. 2015).
Besides that, the decline of these spaces in urban environment limits the opportunities of experiences and exchange of knowledge between the new generations
and the nature (Speake et al. 2013). Given that promoting sustainability by encouraging people’s contact with nature is easier than motivating them to behave in an
ecologically sustainable way (Nisbet and Zelenski 2011), the phenomenon of green
areas decrease in the urban environment is becoming problematic. The projections
of the World Urbanization Prospects report show that by the year 2050, 66% of the
world population will be living in the cities (United Nation 2015d) and to meet the
challenges of world population growth, an adoption of a sustainable way of living is
urgent.
Sustainability is defined by Moore (2005) as a concept that permeates the spheres
of social justice along with ecological integrity, considering the well-being of all
living systems on the planet. Another definition found is the one of applied sustainability, given by Leal Filho (2011), who sees sustainability as a way to approach and
guide actions in real contexts and situations applying the principles of “Sustainable
Development”. This term was conceived in 1987 by the United Nations’ (UN) World
Commission on Environment and Development and means “to meet the needs of the
present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own
needs” (UN 1987). These concepts converge to the central idea that everyone has the
right to live in an ecologically balanced environment (the right of the latter, which is
provided for the Constitution of the Federative Republic of Brazil of 1988), and for
that, conscious use of the natural resources of the planet is necessary, avoiding its
capacity of support to be exceeded and ensuring that the next generations also have
right to its use.
In “Higher Education in a Warming World” of Eagan et al. (2008), the role of
universities as propellers of actions aimed at a sustainable world is highlighted and
emphasized by the fact that these institutions will form the leaders of future societies. These spaces are people-trainers, disseminators of values and knowledge, who
can convert a theoretical concept of sustainability into real behaviour through the
promotion of actions (Finlay and Massey 2012). In this context, Higher Education
Institutions (HEIs) are at a unique position on promoting sustainable development,
because the role of universities, in the lives of future global citizens, is not limited
to the educational/vocational sphere. Universities are also the place where consolidation of social values takes place. Authors such as Katili¯ ut˙ e and Staniškis (2017)
argue that the duty of HEIs is not only to train their students, but also to encourage
the commitment of the academic community to sustainability and, this way, universities are able to offer students learning and awareness, contributing to what can be
described as lifelong learning.
In addition, for Thomashow (2014), when the ecological potential of a university
campus is recognized, the first step towards understanding and practicing sustainability is taken, and at this point the university campus becomes a green campus—an
educational and scientific space where the problems of the world are discussed at the
same time as the search for solutions is encouraged. It can be said, therefore, that