As an institution of higher education and research, ENS de Lyon aims to strengthen its contributions to the global effort to address the major challenges of the socio-ecological transition.
The creation of the Institut des Mondes Durables is part of this initiative.
Institut des Mondes Durables
The Institut des Mondes Durables at ENS de Lyon aims to support reflective processes and facilitate initiatives for socio-ecological transition within the school and among its partners.
For more information, visit the Institut des Mondes Durables website.
Missions of the Institut des Mondes Durables
Educating Students
ENS de Lyon educates all of its students on the challenges of the ecological transition. A 30-hour core curriculum is provided by the Institut des Mondes Durables, which also supports the School’s departments in integrating these topics into their disciplinary curricula.
Supporting Research on Ecological Transition
Numerous research projects are being conducted at ENS de Lyon on the challenges of socio-ecological transition, across all disciplines.
The Institut des Mondes Durables encourages the development of interdisciplinary research on socio-environmental issues through an annual call for proposals.
It also supports efforts to reduce the environmental footprint of research as part of the development of an environmental charter for laboratories.
Supporting Administrative Transformation
ENS de Lyon is committed to reducing the environmental footprint of its operations. The Institut des Mondes Durables supports administrative transformation by providing training to all staff and facilitating the transformation of professional practices.
Contributing to the dissemination of knowledge on the socio-ecological transition
The Institut des Mondes Durables organizes awareness-raising initiatives for members of ENS de Lyon and the general public.
- Throughout the year, once a month, the “Sustainable Worlds Lectures” provide an opportunity to learn about the work of specialist researchers and individuals committed to the socio-ecological transition.
- Film screenings, followed by a discussion with the protagonists or directors, are also organized (Bigger Than Us, Goliath, La Théorie du boxeur, etc.)
- Finally, awareness-raising workshops featuring serious games designed to help participants understand socio-environmental issues (Climate Mural, 2-Ton Workshop, Digital Mural, etc.) are offered at the start of each academic year.
All of these initiatives are part of ENS de Lyon’s Sustainable Development & Social Responsibility (DD&RS) master plan.
ENS de Lyon's carbon footprint
A carbon footprint assessment is a method for calculating the impact of an organization’s activities on climate change. It specifically measures the amount of greenhouse gases emitted by the organization, broken down by different emission sources.
Far from being merely a measurement and evaluation tool, the carbon footprint assessment serves as a compass that helps identify priority areas in which to take action to reduce the organization’s carbon footprint.
Since 2019, ENS de Lyon has been calculating its carbon footprint every two years. It includes the activities of administrative services, academic departments, and research laboratories funded through ENS de Lyon appropriations.
The assessment of ENS de Lyon’s carbon footprint identifies several priority areas for implementing carbon footprint reduction measures:
- purchases of goods and services,
- energy consumption,
- business travel,
- commuting,
- and food.
These issues are incorporated into ENS de Lyon’s 2025–2028 Sustainable Development and Social Responsibility Master Plan.
As an institution of higher education and research, ENS de Lyon aims to strengthen its contribution to the global effort to address the major challenges of the socio-ecological transition while reaffirming its commitment to improving the societal issues of our time. The Sustainable Development and Social Responsibility Master Plan sets out the School’s key objectives in these areas through 2028. It aims to ensure the long-term sustainability of ecological and societal transition initiatives, as well as to define new projects.
The School is committed to raising awareness among staff who work with and around digital technology.
As users, each of us can take action to help minimize the impacts of digital technology. That is why the Responsible Digital Technology Working Group has published a guide to best practices for all users at ENS de Lyon (staff, researchers, and students).
Discussions and initiatives are underway, aimed at:
- extending the lifespan of equipment: 80% of the greenhouse gases produced by the digital sector are caused by the manufacturing of devices. Using equipment for as long as possible is therefore the measure with the greatest impact. The lifespan of desktop and laptop computers—as defined by the scope of ENS de Lyon Information Systems Department—has consequently been extended from 4 to 5 years in 2022, and from 5 to 7 years in 2023.
- refurbishing end-of-life equipment for reuse (agreement signed with an organization in 2023);
- sharing equipment: using multi-service printers rather than individual printers;
- streamlining the number of devices (limiting the number of monitors where possible, etc.);
- repurposing equipment for other uses (for example, high-performance servers used in production environments can be repurposed, in a second phase, for testing environments).
In addition, experiments are currently being conducted at the Blaise Pascal Center, involving the immersion of computer equipment in oil to cool it.
Discussions are also underway to reduce energy consumption and reuse the heat generated.
campus life
For several years now, ENS de Lyon has been implementing a policy to promote bicycle use by installing bike racks and shelters on both campuses. Since 2022, the School has been actively participating in various initiatives to raise awareness about cycling (Mobility Challenge) and has been organizing specific events for staff and students (repair workshops, get-back-on-the-bike workshops, and distribution of safety kits).
To encourage sustainable transportation, bike shelters have been installed on both the Monod and Descartes campuses.
A total of 219 bikes can now be parked on campus.
The School has also set up three bike repair stations: one in the Descartes courtyard, another behind the M4 building on the Monod campus, and the third on the IGFL site. These stations allow users to inflate bike tires and perform minor repairs using built-in tools (screwdrivers and adjustable wrenches). They are freely accessible to all students and staff.
As part of its commitment to environmental sustainability and workplace well-being, ENS de Lyon was awarded the “Employeur Pro-Vélo” certification at the gold level in October 2023, following more than a year and a half of work.
The Sustainable Mobility Allowance is intended to cover all or part of the expenses incurred by ENS de Lyon staff for commuting between their permanent residence and their workplace using an alternative and sustainable mode of transportation.
The modes of transportation now eligible are:
- a personal bicycle or electrically-assisted bicycle;
- carpooling (as a driver or passenger);
- motorized personal mobility devices: scooters, monowheels, Segways, hoverboards, etc.;
- mopeds, motorcycles, bicycles, or pedal-assisted bicycles, and motorized or non-motorized personal mobility devices that are rented or made available through self-service. When these vehicles are motorized, the engine or power assistance must be non-internal combustion.
- low-emission vehicles (electric, plug-in hybrid, or hydrogen vehicles) used in car-sharing services.
The amount of the sustainable mobility allowance depends on the number of days the sustainable mode of transportation is used.