"Promoting economic growth whilst responding to climate change and the depletion of natural resources."

Welcome to the Environment Key Theme pages, where you will find information about the theme, what it means to the Institution and the activities in which we are engaged.

The environment field is a broad subject area and means many things to many different groups of people. The Institution is concerned with elements of that field which are relevant to the mechanical engineering profession and to which the profession is itself relevant.  These include:

- minimising pollution, waste and other environmental impacts of mechanical engineering technology.
- recognising that the world's resources are limited and we need to use them more efficiently.
- modification of mechanical systems and machines to cope with a changing climate.
- recognition that there are other solutions to global warming in addition to that of reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

Since the days of our founding president George Stephenson, mechanical engineers have worked at the very core of economic growth, be it in the generation and distribution of energy, the transport and built infrastructure that supports developed and developing nations, or the design and manufacture of consumer goods. In today's world these activities face significant challenges around environmental and sustainability issues and the profession is continuously engaged in finding solutions to society's concerns in these areas.  On the left you'll find links to information about the Institution's thoughts, policies and activities in the environment field, including position statements, details of special projects and copies of consultation responses.

NEW! Pilot of 'Our World in 2050' climate change adaptation competition
Imagine the world 40 years from now. That was the task set for 240 12 -13 year old pupils at Penair School, Cornwall, in a recent pilot of an IMechE schools initiative.  Click here to see a 2 minute news report on the event.

NEW! The Great Environment Briefing, Reading Town Hall
The Institution recently organised, in association with IET, IChemE and ICE, a public briefing on the major environmental issues of relevance to society today. The briefing panel was composed of Professor Sir Brian Hoskins, Dist. Professor Roland Clift, Dr Tim Chatterton, Professor John Twidell, Professor Peter Matthews and Jeff Cooper.  Click here to view the webcast of the event.

NEW! Environment Theme Position Statement
The key messages IMechE will communicate to our target audiences in support of the environment theme headline statement, quoted above, are available by clicking here.

NEW!  IMechE Position Statement on Sustainable Development