Search for:

Site index

You are in :

• Leadership, governance & management
  • > Sustainable development
    • > Reducing carbon emissions

Reducing carbon emissions

In 2006 the higher education (HE) sector in the UK emitted 3.4 million tonnes of carbon dioxide. Our sustainable development strategy and action plan includes actions to support the sector in reducing its emissions.

These actions aim to ensure that the HE sector meets, and if possible exceeds, the Government’s general target to reduce carbon emissions by 80 per cent against 1990 levels by 2050.

Carbon reduction strategy for HE in England

With Universities UK (UUK) and GuildHE, we have published a revised strategy for carbon reductions in English higher education following feedback received through consultation on a carbon reduction target and strategy. This follows from widespread support for this aim in our consultation on the sustainable development action plan.

This strategy comprises:

• a sector-level target for carbon reductions that is in line with UK targets
• a requirement for institutions to set their own targets and develop carbon-management plans
• a commitment from institutions to achieve actual improvements through actions that are appropriate for their institution, recognising the diversity of the sector
• support from HEFCE, UUK and GuildHE for institutions to achieve carbon reductions
• funding incentives (in particular we will link capital funding to performance against carbon management plans)
• plans for annual monitoring and reporting on progress against the sector-level target
• a method of regularly evaluating the approach and taking action to learn from progress to date.

We have published good practice guidance on producing institutional carbon reduction strategies, targets and associated carbon management plans. SQW Consulting are preparing institutional baselines for 1990 and 2005 for most institutions (to be published in March 2010).

Consultation

Two seminars in September 2009 formed part of the consultation process.

• Seminar details and outputs
• Report on the consultation seminars
• Summary of the written responses

Research report

A research report into a carbon reduction target and strategy for higher education in England informed the consultation. SQW Consulting with the support of Universities UK and GuildHE carried out this work.

'Research into a carbon reduction target and strategy for Higher Education in England'

Revolving Green Fund

As part of our commitment to helping the sector reduce carbon emissions we have set up a partnership fund with Salix Finance Ltd. The Revolving Green Fund provides recoverable grants to institutions for projects that reduce their emissions.

Background

The 2008 grant letter from the Secretary of State contained specific requirements relating to climate change. It stated that:

'...while higher education institutions have made some progress in reducing their carbon emissions, more needs to be done if the 2050 commitment to reduce emissions by 60% is to be achieved. I expect HEFCE to work with the sector to ensure these targets are met. Over the spending review, all institutions in receipt of capital funding should have plans to reduce carbon emissions, and performance against these plans should be a factor in future capital allocations.'

Circular letter 09/2008 notified institutions of this forthcoming requirement and advised them to consider energy performance and efficiency when determining how capital funding is applied. Our 2009 grant letter increased the target for reducing carbon emissions to 80 per cent by 2050 in line with revised government targets.

Our plans for meeting the grant letter requirement are set out in our response to the Secretary of State.

Sector impact assessments

In developing our policy towards carbon reduction, we have formally assessed its impact on the HE sector in terms of regulatory burden, equality and diversity, and sustainable development.

Sector impact assessment of carbon reduction in HE: initial thinking

[ Adobe PDF 34K | MS Word 105K ]

Sector impact assessment of carbon reduction in HE: post consultation

[ Adobe PDF 43K | MS Word 96K ]

Further information

For more information on sustainable development contact Joanna Simpson, tel 0117 931 7411, e-mail j.simpson@hefce.ac.uk.

Last updated 28 January 2010