Global Sustainable Development hosts an annual competition for Year 12 students across the country, encouraging students to think creatively and gain valuable research skills as they learn more about global sustainable development.

This is an exciting opportunity for students to express their creativity on cutting edge and vitally important topics. This year, entrants addressed the following questions:

1. 'Single-use’ has been named Word of the Year 2018. Why is the banning of ‘single-use’ plastics relevant to sustainable development?

2. A recent study reported that, at current rates of progress, it may take more than 100 years to close the gender pay gap globally. How does narrowing this gap contribute to establishing more sustainable societies?

3. Many countries have recently pledged to reduce their emissions in order to stay within a 1.5 degree rise in global warming. Is this target achievable?

We were very impressed with the quality of submissions this year, which were very well researched and well presented. The shortlisted entrants were invited to a Campus Day at Warwick on 29th June, to have a feel of what it means to be a GSD student at Warwick. The day ended with the prize giving, where the following prizes were awarded:

Best Essay: James Rennie

Best Video: Finn Deacon

Other commended essays:

• Issy Edwards
• Freddie Seagrave

The two winners received a £50 prize and – along with the commended participants – earned the possibility to publish their work in GLOBUS, the School for Cross-faculty Studies’ student-run sustainability journal. We look forward to seeing their work published in GLOBUS soon.

Many congratulations to the winners and all shortlisted entrants!