The latest University Emissions report shows that our overall greenhouse gas emissions (GHGs) increased by 12% from 2018/19 to 2021/22 largely due to gas use returning to normal levels and growth in post-COVID supply chain emissions. However, within this Scope 1* and Scope 2* emissions (key performance indicators for the Sustainability Strategic Plan) have reduced by 20% since 2018/19.
A substantial proportion of this reduction was due to our switch to a renewable electricity tariff (Scope 2). Reductions in emissions from gas use (Scope 1) are dependent on the future investments laid out in our Estates and Infrastructure Strategic Plan.
GHG emissions are driving climate change, leading to dangerous social, economic, environmental and health impacts. Reducing the emissions we produce as part of running our University is a critical part of our Sustainability Strategic Plan, to be delivered by the University’s Sustainability Implementation Group (SIG).
Net zero means not adding to the amount of GHGs in the atmosphere. Achieving it means reducing emissions as much as possible and balancing out any that remain by removing an equivalent amount from the atmosphere. This is known as offsetting and there are a range of ways this can be done.
Ben Anderson, Principal Research Fellow, Energy and Climate Change Division, School of Engineering, FEPS, who led on the emissions report says:
“Our emissions are grouped into 3 different Scopes (1, 2 and 3) and they all come under Goal 1 or Goal 2 of our Sustainability Strategic Plan. The University aims to achieve net zero Scope 1 & 2 emissions by 2030. This means we have to reduce our emissions from heating, hot water, university vehicles, refrigerant leaks and heat and steam use as much as possible by 2030. It is unlikely they will ever be completely zero so we are likely to need to invest in some form of offsetting to reach net zero each year after that.”
Scope 1 emissions from gas use remain a significant challenge and the University will be closely monitoring its milestones for all Sustainability Strategic Plan goals as new post-COVID norms of commuting and space use are established.
The report also shows that while emissions from Scope 3 Purchased Goods & Services (supply chain) have increased, there have been substantial falls in other Scope 3 categories:
- Emissions from waste (-56% since 2018-19);
- Business Travel emissions (-76%) although these are expected to rebound in 2022/23;
- Staff commuting (-71%) largely as a result of increased remote working.
SIG also has plans in place to further reduce Scope 3 emissions with a focus on managing our service usage and procurement as well as working with our suppliers to reduce their own emissions.
The information about our emissions is published in the second of our annual Greenhouse Gas Emissions Reports which is now available from the Goal 2 page of the Sustainability Implementation Group’s website. The link to a detailed technical report is also on the same page and a dashboard showing our emissions trends over time is also available.
The report, which will also be published on our Sustainability website, will be important in letting the wider University community and external entities, including potential future students, see how we are doing.
If you have any comments, please feel free to post in the Sustainability Strategic Plan Yammer group or contact the team via [email protected].
The Sustainability Implementation Group is working with all parts of our University to help them with the challenge of growing and developing whilst keeping our emissions as low as possible.
Join our Summer 2023 update of the Sustainability Strategic Plan on Thursday 13 July from 11:00-13:00 either face to face to face in Building 58, Lecture Theatre 1067 or by Microsoft Teams. Please register on Eventbrite.
Glossary
Scope 1 covers emissions from sources that the University owns or controls directly, such as fuel for our petrol and diesel vehicles.
Scope 2 covers emissions that the University indirectly causes or emissions from where the energy it uses is produced.
Scope 3 covers all emissions not included in Scopes 1 and 2, such as from the manufacture and disposal of items the University buys from suppliers.
