Climate change group and students call on universities to do more to reduce emissions

Universities and higher education institutes emit 3.2 million tonnes of carbon dioxide every year – the equivalent of heating over one million average households a year. An increasing number of them are keen to prove that they are taking action on climate change, but the Carbon Trust says more needs to be done.

At the same time, a survey by the independent climate change body shows that 74 per cent of students would like their university to have the Carbon Trust Standard to prove it has taken action on climate change, while almost half of all students say they would like their university to do more to help them to reduce their own carbon footprint.

“Climate change is one of the great challenges for modern society and students clearly want universities to be part of the solution,” said Harry Morrison of the Carbon Trust Standard.

Morrison said the universities and higher education colleges should have year on year targets to ensure they had defined pathway towards achieving the UK target of an 80 per cent reduction in emissions by 2050. 

“Every sector can help lessen the impact that climate change will have on people both in the UK and around the globe by measuring, managing and reducing their carbon footprint,” he said.

Some universities are taking a lead with five – University of Manchester, University of Edinburgh, King’s College London, University of Central Lancashire and Keele University – having been awarded the Carbon Trust Standard since its launch in June of this year. The certifications have been awarded because they have collectively reduced their carbon footprint by six per cent, achieving with annual savings of over 12,000 tonnes of CO2.

The CarbonTrust said further universities are also applying for the standard, which is awarded to any organization, from either the public or private sector, that can prove year on year reductions in its carbon footprint.

The higher education sector spends more than £200 million on energy every year, which represents around 2.5 per cent of the average university’s annual budget.

Professor Alan Gilbert, president and vice-chancellor of The University of Manchester said the institution had reduced its carbon footprint by 8.4 per cent in the past two years.

“We would welcome higher education targets that would see all universities achieving year on year reductions in emissions,” he added.

 “Being able to prove that your university is acting on climate change and delivering high quality education in a sustainable manner is a reputational issue that should concern the HE sector,” said Jenny Tucker, Keele University’s director of Commercial and Facilities Management. “At Keele, we’re proud to have been certified with the Carbon Trust Standard and will continue to work towards year on year reductions in emissions on an ongoing basis.”