Sustainability

Climate change

The United Kingdom, along with more than 170 other countries, officially signed the Paris Agreement in 2016. The agreement sets out a global target to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and a decisive call to action to mitigate dangerous climate change caused by human activity.

UN Sustainable Development Goals: Affordable and clean energy, Climate action

Climate Strategy

To meet this challenge, and to support Scotland's and the world's transition to a low carbon economy, the University has committed to reduce its carbon emissions per £ million turnover by 50% from a 2007/08 baseline, and become a net zero carbon university by 2040. 

A Renewable Energy and Low Carbon Options Review Group has been established to review what further investments in renewable technologies, such as solar and wind, could be made. Building on investments of more than £30 million in low carbon and renewable technology on campus. A decision is pending for 2018.

Zero by 2040

Carbon emissions 

Absolute carbon emissions

As low carbon programmes, such as the Sustainable Campus Fund are implemented, the University expects to see a reduction in its emissions in the coming years. The increase in overall carbon emissions can be attributed to downtime with the University's Combined Heat and Power Energy Centres, resulting in the need for more electricity from the national grid. The quality of business travel data is improving, resulting in more sources of carbon emissions being reported.

The scope of this chart has been presented according to the our Zero by 2040 climate strategy.

Absolute carbon emissions

As low carbon programmes, such as the Sustainable Campus Fund are implemented, the University expects to see a reduction in its emissions in the coming years. The increase in overall carbon emissions can be attributed to downtime with the University's Combined Heat and Power Energy Centres, resulting in the need for more electricity from the national grid. The quality of business travel data is improving, resulting in more sources of carbon emissions being reported.

The scope of this chart has been presented according to our Zero by 2040 climate strategy.

  Scope 1 Scope 2 Scope 3
Description Direct emissions from activities owned or controlled by the University Indirect emissions from electricity consumed by the University that we do not own or control Other indirect emissions that occur upstream and downstream, associated with the University’s activities
Included in target
  • University controlled energy (gas used for the CHP and gas boilers)
  • University vehicles and the fuel they use
  • Electricity (excluding University owned electricity generation)
  • Waste
  • Water
  • Business travel
Measured but not used in target setting    
  • Staff/student commuting
  • Procurement (particularly capital goods and ICT)

Sustainable Campus Fund

The last year has seen the University make progress in implementing its ambitious Climate Strategy, first announced in November 2016. The Sustainable Campus Fund, open to all staff and students with ideas to reduce energy consumption and carbon emissions, has allocated total spending of over £800,000 in its first year to support 27 projects. These projects will deliver carbon efficiencies of over 1,200 tonnes of CO2e and financial savings of approximately £250,000. In addition, the University has identified opportunities to support a low carbon economy through securing low carbon contracts with suppliers for energy provision through the national procurement process. 

Sustainable Campus Fund

Edinburgh experts establish low-carbon college in Shanghai

China’s first college for the study of low-carbon technology opened in 2017 in a partnership involving world-leading experts from the United Kingdom. 

This initiative is part of a wider commitment between the University of Edinburgh and Shanghai Jiao Tong University to work together. The agreement is the first of its kind between the two institutions.

The relationship will create opportunities for partnerships drawing on the research expertise and innovation of Edinburgh’s School of Geosciences and the Edinburgh Centre for Carbon Innovation (ECCI). Experts from China and the UK will collaborate on research projects including sustainable construction, air quality, energy efficiency and smarter cities.

Courses at the college in Shanghai include carbon finance and management, carbon capture and storage and environmental sustainability. The institutions will also explore opportunities for joint undergraduate and PhD education programmes and will operate an exchange programme for faculty members, support staff and graduate students.

The ECCI will provide a conduit for Scottish businesses and organisations aiming to create local partnerships and introduce low-carbon products and services to Shanghai. The agreement extends ECCI’s activities in China following the opening of its Hong Kong office by Scotland’s First Minister in 2016.

China - UK Low Carbon College

Related links

Sustainable Development Goals Index