Carbon Reduction Targets
The University declared a Climate Emergency in July 2019. In September 2020 the University Executive approved a new Sustainability Strategy 2020 - 2030 which reviewed the carbon journey since 2008/9 baseline – pages 14 &15- and projected based on a 1.5-degree warming scenario the university aims to reduce its direct and indirect GHGe emissions to be net zero by 2030 from a new baseline year 2018/19, pages 16-19.
Carbon Reduction SMART Targets
The University intends to achieve:
- 5% p.a. reduction in carbon emissions in Scopes 1, 2 & 3, against a 2018-19 baseline, from 2020 to 2030;
These targets will secure a 50% reduction in emissions from the 2018-19 baseline in a 1.5 degree warming scenario. To achieve net zero emissions by 2030, the remaining emissions will need to be balanced by carbon removals, such as tree planting in managed woodlands, managing university land for maximum soil health and carbon sequestration. We will contribute to a sector owned carbon offset scheme.
Annual quantitative and qualitative targets are set, and the sustainability, digital infrastructure, and estates and facilities budgets identifiy specific projects to be achieved throughout the year, the projects managed by the various steering groups and Energy Committee.. Please see our Sustainability Targets 2026-2027.
Watch a short film about our carbon journey so far.
Current projects include the expansion of the University’s Building Management System and optimising our St John’s Campus heat network, which supplies heat to 6 buildings with a combined area of over 19,000m2 and contributing to a citywide heat network plan. Investments also include digital infrastructure, space management and room occupancy sensors. A £16,000 grant is helping the university review its decarbonisation plan, following a recent full stock condition survey. The university measures the carbon for Scopes 1 and 2 and attributes these across our entire estate. 27.6% of our carbon is attributed to our residential accommodation, and 72.4% to our academic estate.
Progress
Progress against 2025-2026 targets and historical data:
Targets for all areas
2025/26 Carbon Emissions Target Progress Summary
Direct emissions (Scopes 1 & 2) continued to decline, falling by 7% compared with 2024/25 to 1,969 tCO₂e, representing a 39% reduction from the 2018/19 baseline. Significant reductions in purchased electricity emissions (-20% year-on-year) drove this improvement, although overall performance remains slightly behind the trajectory required to achieve the University's 2030 net zero target.
Indirect emissions (Scope 3) decreased by 1% compared with 2024/25 to 23,524 tCO₂e, driven by reductions in business travel, water, wastewater, and electricity transmission emissions. However, Scope 3 emissions remain 26% above the baseline, primarily due to expanded reporting boundaries and ongoing challenges associated with procurement, commuting, student travel and homeworking, which remain the University's largest sources of indirect emissions.
Overall, the University achieved further reductions in both direct and indirect emissions during 2025/26, demonstrating continued progress towards net-zero, with the strongest gains in energy-related emissions and ongoing opportunities for improvement in procurement- and travel-related emissions. Scope 3 emissions remain the principal challenge and require accelerated action to achieve overall net-zero ambitions. Current progress is positive, but further reductions in indirect emissions will be needed to fully align with the University's net-zero trajectory.