The varied landscape, stunning coastline and rich culture make Sussex a unique county – but there are threats to its beauty and biodiversity. 

We are working with a number of innovative projects right here on our doorstep to help make our county a healthier, happier place to live and thrive alongside nature. Our academics, alumni and students are involved in ground-breaking schemes to boost biodiversity, protect our seas and even helping to decarbonise our busiest ports. 

At the heart of this work is the Sussex Sustainability Research Programme (SSRP), one of our Centres of Excellence. Established in 2016, the programme is a partnership between the University of Sussex and the Institute of Development Studies. Its mission? To be a hub for delivering research to local, national and international stakeholders to enable efficient responses to achieving the UN Sustainable Development Goals.

Their local research focuses on the rapidly changing environments in and around our region and how they can become more sustainable. And you can find out more about this at an upcoming exhibition, Visualising South Coast Sustainability, which will run from Wednesday, 12 March, until Saturday, 12 April, in the Fulton Building foyer on our campus in Falmer.

"We have a clear vision for a more just and sustainable future both for people and planet, and that begins right here on our doorstep," says Joe Alcamo, co-director of the SSRP. "Through photography, video and art, this exhibition illustrates how our research is helping to protect and preserve our beautiful South Coast home, as well as imagining sustainable futures for the region."

How research is tackling sustainability challenges

Alumni and local stakeholders, as well as staff and students, are welcome to attend the launch event on Wednesday, 12 March, from midday until 2pm when researchers behind this vital work will be giving short introductions to their projects, from tackling river pollution to designing educational posters about South Coast nature sites.

To find out more about the SSRP and see some of its fellows talking about how their research is tackling sustainability challenges from the South Coast of the UK to South America, you can watch this video of their recent symposium.

This work supports a number of the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals including: SDG 13 (climate action), SDG 14 (life below water) and SDG 15 (life on land). You can read more about our work on the SDGs here.