Ambiente e Sustentabilidade | Comunicações em congressos, conferências e seminários / Communications in congresses, conferences and seminars
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- Teachers’ inner changes for sustainabilityPublication . Ossmane, Elis; Simão, João; Caeiro, Sandra
- Sustainability and social security futures: the case of Guinea BissauPublication . Bá, Mamadu Udi; Jacquinet, Marc; Sucuma, Arnaldo; Martins, António Eduardo Pais Falcão BarbosaGuinea-Bissau (GB) faces significant challenges in maintaining and developing a sustainable social security system over the next two to three decades. This analysis explores for future scenarios and their implications for the country's social protection framework, considering multiple interacting factors. Besides demographic and macroeconomic indicators, the present paper tackles the issues of the structure of the population, the main categories of vulnerable people, climate change, the technological change and practices and advance the idea of social security for vulnerable people and times of multidimensional change
- Ecological footprint assessment as a pathway to sustainabin the OpenEU AlliancePublication . Nicolau, Paula Bacelar; Martins, Rute; Caeiro, Sandra; Mapar, Mahsa; Casanova, DiogoThe integration of sustainable practices into the daily operations and infrastructure of HigherEducation Institutions (HEIs) plays a vital role in advancing the Sustainable Development Goals(SDGs) (Purcell et al., 2019; Žalėnienė & Pereira, 2021). Developing action-oriented competenceswithin HEIs, such as collaborative sustainability governance strategies and actions, is a key inthis process (Mapar & Caeiro, 2024; Saleem & Dare, 2023). As part of this effort, assessing andreducing the Ecological Footprint (EF) has become a priority in many HEIs, with EF monitoringserving as an essential decision-making tool to encourage more responsible resource use withinthe institution (Valls-Val & Bovea, 2021). The OpenEU Alliance, coordinated by the Universitat Oberta de Catalunya, brings together tenEuropean HEIs — including both Distance Teaching and face-to-face HEIs — in a joint effort todrive digital transformation in higher education and establish a pan-European, student-centred,inclusive, digital, and green Distance Teaching university. As a part of this broader initiative, aspecific task has been set to reduce the Alliance EF by 5% over four years (2024–2028). To thatend, the adopted tool was the University Footprint Calculator (Mancini et al., 2022), an open-access digital tool, developed under the EEUSTEPs Erasmus project (EUSTEPs, n.d.), that allowsHEIs to evaluate and keep records of consumption of natural resources and ecosystem serviceswithin their activities and operations. The methodology involved: (i) establishing the baseline EFfor each university in Year 1, and propose a set of recommendations to reduce the EF based onthe most impactful categories; and (ii) monitoring the changes over the following three years, totrack the progress towards the overall OpenEU EF reduction by Year 4. This study presents the outcomes of the first year of OpenEU Alliance EF assessment, in whichkey initial milestones were achieved, including the establishment of a Community of Practice inEcological Footprint, with representatives from all partner universities. Activities comprised twointroductory meetings and a training session to explain the EUSTEPs calculator and the datacollection process, followed by regular meetings to share the efforts and challenges within theprocess. Based on that, each partner university collected its data on infrastructure and utilitycategories (e.g., energy use, buildings) and community-related activities (such as mobility foracademic purposes or food services). The achieved results provide a solid foundation fordeveloping the recommendations and implementing future actions. The collaborative framework, fostered within the OpenEU Alliance and supported by its baselineassessment, not only enhances data transparency but also builds institutional capacity toimplement targeted, impactful measures for reducing the EF. Through continued monitoringand shared learning, the Alliance will achieve its ultimate EF reduction target by 2028,contributing tangibly to the broader goals of the OpenEU Alliance on digital transformation,inclusivity, and green higher education.
- Exploring environmental literacy in online education at Universidade AbertaPublication . Martins, Rute; Caeiro, Sandra; Guimarães, David; Mapar, Mahsa; Nicolau, Paula BacelarThe implementation of Environmental Literacy in university curricula, together with the development of an environmental culture, emerges as a necessity given the current challenges faced by society, namely climate change, biodiversity loss, among others. Universities that are committed to implementing and developing sustainability practices include teaching as one of their key areas of action, through the creation of sustainability courses and/or curricular units as part of their academic offerings, among others (Caeiro et al., 2020; Farinha et al., 2019). Environmental Literacy incorporates the cognitive, attitudinal, and behavioural perspectives, encompassing knowledge, attitudes, and environmentally responsible behaviour, which can be interrelated (Kaya & Elster, 2019; Maurer & Bogner, 2020; Teksoz et al., 2012). Additionally, faculty support also plays a role in Environmental Literacy implementation (Vallée, 2024). Limited research has examined the development of environmental literacy among adult learners or how comprehensively higher education integrate sustainability across academic programs. Thus, this study aims to: (i) characterize the environmental literacy profiles of undergraduate students and faculty members at Universidade Aberta; and (ii) provide a preliminary assessment of the extent to which environmental sustainability is integrated into undergraduate curricula. This study is part of the APECHE (Assessing and Promoting Environmental Culture in Portuguese Higher Education) project, which involves eight Portuguese universities. This study is contextualized within Universidade Aberta, a public distance-learning university whose primary target audience is adults actively engaged in the workforce. The study adopts a mixed-method approach, incorporating a: (i) quantitative analysis to characterize environmental literacy, applying an online survey to 480 students (1st year) and 95 faculty members from the same undergraduate programs in the first data collection phase and 177 students (2nd year) in the second phase. The survey covered the three core domains of environmental literacy (knowledge, attitudes, and behaviours); and (ii) qualitative analysis to evaluate the extent to which environmental sustainability is integrated into the curricula. Therefore, a content analysis to the undergraduate programmes was conducted using the Curriculum Assessment System for Sustainability (CASS) model (De Oliveira et al., 2025). The categories of analysis included the course synopsis, keywords, competencies, content, bibliography, teaching methods, and assessment strategies. The findings reveal that the Environmental Literacy profile of 1st- and 2nd-year students and faculty members show that most already engage in individual environmental practices and have a solid environmental knowledge and attitude although revealing an attitude-behaviour gap regarding meat consumption and transportation habits. Furthermore, preliminary results from content analysis suggest the scant implementation of environmental topics into the content of the undergraduate programs and related pedagogical strategies. This study offers a characterization of the environmental literacy levels of adult students at the point of entry into higher education in Portugal and throughout their academic journey, as well as faculty members, supporting reflection on strategies to develop Environmental Literacy. This study fosters the Sustainable Development Goal 4 as it highlights the vital role of higher education institutions in cultivating environmentally responsible citizens.
- Assessing portuguese healthcare professionals' perspectives on climate change-related health policies and national health service readiness: a qualitative studyPublication . Ponte, Nidia; Alves, Fátima; Vidal, Diogo GuedesO resumo enquadra-se na necessidade de reforçar a preparação do setor da saúde perante os impactos das alterações climáticas, da perda de biodiversidade e de tensões sociopolíticas. O estudo analisa as perceções de médicos em Portugal sobre as políticas de saúde relacionadas com as alterações climáticas e sobre o grau de preparação do Serviço Nacional de Saúde para responder a esses impactos. Recorreu-se a metodologia qualitativa, com 13 entrevistas semiestruturadas a médicos de várias especialidades (28–73 anos). Conclui-se que as políticas existentes são ainda incipientes e exigem medidas mais proativas e articuladas, destacando-se a necessidade de comunicação mais consistente e de orientações clínicas mais claras para lidar com efeitos das alterações climáticas na saúde pública.
- Caminhos regeneradores para Tocar-no-Mundo: vivências transformadoras da relação com a NaturezaPublication . Moreira, Jorge; Alves, Fátima; Castro, Paula Cristina de Oliveira; Mendes, José Manuel; Crespo Aznar, Pablo; Echavarren, José Manuel; Figueiredo, Elisabete; Guerra, João; Mañas Navarro, José Javier; Vidal, Diogo GuedesEsta comunicação refletiu sobre as práticas e experiências regeneradoras que aprofundam a relação sensível e transformadora com o mundo natural — um contributo inspirador para repensar o nosso lugar na teia da vida.
- A thermodynamic journey: unlocking cold thermal energy storage with phase equilibrium studiesPublication . Sequeira, Maria Carolina; Nikitin, Timur; Caetano, Fernando J. P.; Diogo, Herminio; Fareleira, João; Fausto, RuiAs the urgent demand for sustainable energy solutions increase, thermal energy storage (TES) systems have become crucial in improving energy efficiency and ensuring supply-demand balance1. In low-temperature sectors such as refrigeration, cold-chain logistics, and medical applications, phase change materials (PCM) are particularly valuable due to their high latent heat capacity and reversible phase transitions1,2. However, finding PCM that are not only efficient and reliable, but also environmentally safe, remains a challenge. Over the last few years, our research has focused on phase equilibrium studies of potential organic PCM, providing valuable experimental data and thermodynamic insights for designing low-temperature TES systems. This work began with the study of binary systems of di-n-alkyl adipates, specifically diethyl/dibutyl adipates, which revealed eutectic behaviour with a eutectic point at -33 ºC. Expanding on this, we investigated n-alkane systems, including n-octane/n-decane and n-decane/n-dodecane, both of which exhibited eutectic transitions at sub-zero temperatures. Recently, efforts focused on n-alkanes, namely n-nonane/n-decane and n-nonane/n-undecane, paying special attention to odd–even carbon chain effects on the phase diagrams. These studies uncovered new low-temperature PCM potential candidates and clarified phase change behaviours for this kind of systems. The latest work on adipates, particularly dimethyl and dipropyl, revealed a eutectic behaviour near -20 ºC, showing great suitability as low-temperature PCM. Those studies significantly expand the database of viable PCM, enhancing our understanding of low-temperature phase behaviour. This work brings together four years of contributions to the rapidly advancing field of sustainable low-temperature TES, offering both practical and theoretical insights.
- O caminho da sustentabilidade numa universidade a distância: o caso da Universidade Aberta, PortugalPublication . Caeiro, Sandra; Mapar, Mahsa; Nicolau, Paula Bacelar; Ferreira, Célia; Guimarães, David; Rute Martins; Martinho, Ana Paula; Pereira, Pedro; Simão, João; Teixeira, Teresa; Trindade, Jorge; Fernandes, Ana Paula; Oliveira, Carla Padrel deAs Institui es de Ensino Superior (IES) t m um papel essencial na implementa o de iniciativas e pr ticas de Educa o para o Desenvolvimento Sustent vel e no mbito dos Objetivos do Desenvolvimento Sustent vel (ODS) das Nações Unidas, sendo importantes agentes de mudan a. Considerando uma abordagem de whole-institution, que inclua toda a comunidade académica e a sua ligação com a sociedade, e no contexto das orientações do Programa Ambiente das Nações Unidas (UNEP), permanecem ainda várias lacunas na integração da sustentabilidade nas diversas áreas de atividade das IES, em particular nas IES vocacionadas para o ensino da distância. O objetivo deste trabalho apresentar as atuais iniciativas de implementa o da Sustentabilidade na Universidade Aberta (UAb), nas suas várias dimensões, seguindo as orientações da UNEP. Pretende-se efetuar um balan o das vantagens e desafios dessa implementação além de sugerir desenvolvimentos futuros com base no trabalho do Grupo Campus Sustentável, criado em 2021, na dependência direta da Reitoria. A UAb uma universidade p blica portuguesa de ensino a dist ncia, com cerca de 10000 estudantes espalhados por 23 pa ses, em particular no espa o lus fono. Tem a sua sede em Lisboa, uma Delega ão no Porto e outra em Coimbra e 18 Centros Locais de Aprendizagem espalhados pelo continente e ilhas. A UAb, institui o europeia de refer ncia no dom nio avan ado do e-learning, disponibiliza toda a sua oferta pedagógica em regime de e-learning, através do seu Modelo Pedag gico Virtual®. Nos últimos anos, a UAb tem vindo a desenvolver diversas iniciativas da sustentabilidade nas quatro dimensões da UNEP (algumas de forma integrada), das quais se destacam: a) desenvolvimento de uma microcredencial sobre os ODS, oferecida gratuitamente a toda a comunidade UAb e à sociedade em geral; b) participação em projetos nacionais e internacionais de investigação e desenvolvimento com o objetivo de promover a implementação da sustentabilidade nas IES potenciando a interdisciplinaridade; c) integração, desde 2019, dos ODS no plano estratégico e nos planos de atividades, com a correspondente definição e monitorização de indicadores; d) implementação de um programa de eficiência de recursos (água, energia, GEE e resíduos); e) aplicação anual de ferramentas de avaliação e de reporte, nomeadamente o Times Higher Education Impact Ranking para os ODS 4, 5, 6, 8, 10 e 17, e avaliação do impacto ambiental da UAb através da calculadora da Pegada Ecológica (uma ferramenta de autoavaliação online para medir o consumo de recursos naturais e o serviço dos ecossistemas), levando em consideração as especificidades do ensino a distância, f) avaliação da literacia de sustentabilidade dos estudantes e professores. No âmbito do atual Plano Estratégico pretende-se disponibilizar o Portal de Sustentabilidade da UAb, que integrará o relatório de sustentabilidade como instrumento de divulgação e monitorização das várias iniciativas de sustentabilidade levadas a cabo pela UAb em articulação com a sua comunidade. Pretende-se desta forma partilhar a experiência da UAb e contribuir para os desafios da implementação da sustentabilidade nas IES.
- A thermodynamic journey: unlocking cold thermal energy storage with phase equilibrium studiesPublication . Sequeira, Maria Carolina; Nikitin, Timur; Caetano, Fernando J. P.; Diogo, Herminio; Fareleira, João; Fausto, RuiAs the urgent demand for sustainable energy solutions increase, thermal energy storage (TES) systems have become crucial in improving energy efficiency and ensuring supply-demand balance. For low-temperature areas such as refrigeration, cold-chain logistics, and specific medical applications, phase change materials (PCM) are particularly valuable due to their high latent heat capacity and reversible phase transitions. However, finding PCM that are not only efficient and reliable, but also environmentally safe, remains a challenge. In this work we present the work done with several adipates and alkanes towards their use as PCM for low-temperature thermal energy storage.
- Tuning thermal performance: the role of molecular asymmetry in di-n-alkyl adipates for efficient low-temperature thermal energy storagePublication . Sequeira, Maria Carolina; Nikitin, Timur; Caetano, Fernando J. P.; Diogo, Herminio; Fareleira, João; Fausto, RuiThe development of efficient and sustainable thermal energy storage (TES) systems is crucial for improving energy efficiency in various applications, especially at low temperatures, such as cryogenic cooling, cold storage, logistics and transportation. Phase change materials (PCM) play a key role in TES, as they allow the storage and release of significant amounts of latent heat during phase transitions. In this context, our research group has been working on new materials, particularly binary systems, with potential application as PCM for efficient low-temperature TES1. As a result, di-n-alkyl adipates have recently emerged as promising candidates due to their favorable thermal properties, chemical stability, and phase change behavior2. Our previous work2 focused on the binary system of diethyl and dibutyl adipates, highlighted the potential of adipates as low-temperature PCM, motivating further research into their solid-liquid phase change behavior and structure-property relationships. Building upon this initial study, we have expanded our research into a broader range of di-n-alkyl adipates. One of the key aspects of our current research is the identification of eutectic compositions within adipate-based binary systems. Eutectic mixtures are particularly attractive as PCM enabling tunable phase transition temperatures to match specific TES requirements. Through the careful combination of results obtained from Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC), Hot-Stage Microscopy (HSM), and Raman Spectroscopy, a detailed phase diagram was methodically crafted to highlight the intricate eutectic behavior of these systems, identifying compositions that optimize thermal performance. In this study, the interplay between alkyl chain length and thermal behavior, particularly the influence of odd–even effects in binary systems is also approached. By selecting mixtures that combine odd-odd, even-odd or even-even substituent arrangements, we have explored how molecular asymmetry impacts solid-liquid phase change behavior. Our results reveal distinct trends, demonstrating how subtle structural variations can be leveraged to fine-tune the thermophysical properties of these materials. Our findings contribute to the growing field of organic PCM, demonstrating that di-n-alkyl adipates are viable candidates for low-temperature TES applications. By elucidating their phase change behavior, we provide a foundation for the innovative development of next-generation thermal storage materials, paving the way for more advanced and efficient solutions.