Case Studies - Sustainability at Warwick

As Warwick Students' Union's Ethics and Environment Officer, Helena has played a leading role in engaging students with sustainability and empowering them to take positive environmental action at the University of Warwick.

The first moth survey of the year recorded several new species for our campus records a Peppered Moth. Famous as a textbook example of evolution in action, this species adapted to changing environmental conditions during and after the Industrial Revolution, and we were delighted to find a classic light-coloured individual with its distinctive black-speckled wings.

Plant pests and diseases are spreading faster than ever, driven by a warming climate and an ever-connected world. This poses a growing economic and environmental threat. As the risks escalate, researchers at the University of Warwick are helping to reshape how outbreaks are predicted and managed.

With increased global trade and travel, it’s not only people who are moving around the world more and more. Plants are too. And with that comes the increased spread of pests and diseases.

University of Warwick leads European consortium to build the first platform capable of coordinating Europe's response to devastating agricultural and forest pest invasions.

A new social enterprise spinout from the University of Warwick, EcoTransform, has launched 9 June 2026, offering a pioneering consultancy that helps organisations design environmental policies that work for both nature and communities. EcoTransform closes the gap between sector-leading research and real-world policy design, working with organisations to understand how environmental interventions affect people.

Bioscientists at the University of Warwick’s Crop Centre have successfully translated advanced diagnostics research into an innovative practical tool for the horticulture sector. Onions are one of the UK’s most popular vegetables, with the average person eating around 10kg each year. Around 60% of onions consumed in the UK are home-grown, so protecting yields from disease is critical not only for growers, but for the wider food supply chain.

Warwick Medical School has been awarded an A+ in the 2026 Planetary Health Report Card (PHRC) – one of just two medical schools worldwide to achieve this distinction.

A study led by Thijs van Rens, Professor of Economics at the University of Warwick, shows that offering product swaps that include financial incentives of up to £1 off the price while online shopping can significantly shift consumer behaviour towards healthier and more environmentally sustainable food choices.

Dr Jake Locke recently won the Institute of Refrigeration's Ted Perry National Award for his doctoral research into low-carbon thermal technologies. During his PhD, Jake devised a new testing methodology as well as novel materials that can enhance thermally-driven heat pumps.