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 with 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 budget identifies specific projects to be achieved throughout the year. Please see our Sustainability Targets 2025-2026.

Watch a short film about our carbon journey so far.

Current projects include the expansion of the University’s BMS to a further 3 buildings and lighting upgrades in our Riverside Building, totalling £57,000 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 detailed project development plan. The university measures the carbon for Scopes 1 and 2 attributes these across all our estate. 27.6% of our carbon is attributed to our residential accommodation, and 72.4% to our academic estate.

Progress

Progress against 2024-2025 targets and historical data:

Targets for all areas

Direct Emissions (Scopes 1 and 2)

Direct emissions include Scope 1 (gas, fuel in fleet vehicles, refrigerant leaks, and other on-site fuels) and Scope 2 (purchased electricity). The University prioritizes emissions from gas and electricity for monitoring and reporting.

Absolute Carbon Emissions

  • 2018/19: 3,230 tCO2e (Baseline)
  • 2022/23: 2,409 tCO2e
  • 2023/24: 2,241 tCO2e (31% reduction from baseline)
  • 2024/25: 2,107 tCO2e (35% reduction from baseline)

Gas and Electricity Emissions

  • 2024/25: Gas (62%), Electricity (36%)
  • Reduction targets: 8.4% annually
  • Achievements: The University has not achieved the targeted 8.4% per annum reduction in gas emissions between the 2023/24 and 2024/25 periods. The University has also not achieved the required overall reduction of 50.4% from the baseline year.

  • Between 2023/24 and 2024/25, the University reduced electricity-related emissions by 164 tCO2e (18%)

Indirect Emissions (Scope 3)

Scope 3 emissions include purchased goods and services, student travel, and employee commuting. The University aims for a 5% annual reduction from the 2018/19 baseline.

Scope 3 Emissions

  • 2018/19: 18,701 tCO2e (Baseline)

  • 2022/23: 29,673 tCO2e
  • 2023/24: 28,479 tCO2e (52% increase from baseline)

Key Achievements

  • Direct emissions (Scopes 1&2) decreased by 6% between 2023/24 and 2024/25 (2,241 to 2,107 tCO2e).
  • Direct emissions are down 35% from the 2018/19 baseline (3,230 to 2,107 tCO2e).
  • Electricity-related emissions reduced by 18% year-on-year (driven by a lower grid conversion factor and on-site operational/efficiency improvements such as building performance fixes, HVAC optimisation and lighting upgrades).
  • Carbon intensity improvements continued despite modest growth: emissions per FTE reduced by 38% since 2018/19 (0.35 to 0.22 tCO2e/FTE).
  • Estate efficiency improved: emissions per m² reduced by 37% since 2018/19 (0.040 to 0.025 tCO2e/m²), reflecting delivery of energy efficiency projects (e.g., BMS expansion, and LED upgrades).
  • Scope 3 emissions decreased by 17% between 2023/24 and 2024/25 (28,479 to 23,776 tCO2e).

Key Challenges

  • Gas emissions increased by 10% between 2023/24 and 2024/25 (linked to colder weather, a Sports Centre heating system fault over the Christmas shutdown, and changes to hot water provision at Bishop Bosel Hall) and did not achieve the targeted 8.4% per annum reduction in gas emissions.
  • The University has not yet achieved the overall reduction pathway required (including the stated 50.4% reduction requirement from the baseline year).
  • Electricity decarbonisation targets are harder to interpret because grid conversion factors change substantially over time (e.g., falling from 0.41 kg CO2e/kWh in 2014 to 0.18 kg CO2e/kWh in 2025), potentially obscuring operational progress, combined with expansion to include new all-electric heated Duke’s Building.
  • Scope 3 emissions remain higher than the 2018/19 baseline (+27%) despite the recent year-on-year reduction, partly due to scope expansion following the 2023 SCEF framework (e.g., inclusion of additional student travel and downstream leased assets) and spikes linked to major capital projects.
  • Indirect (Scope 3) targets and pathways have been reviewed to reflect the expanded reporting boundary and evolving category trends.

Full details are in the above links.