Targets and performance
Our sustainability targets are ambitious and wide-ranging. Read about them in our Climate Strategy, or find out about our performance in our annual reports.
Climate strategy
The University of Edinburgh is working to become net zero carbon by 2040.
- We will reduce our emissions of carbon per £ million turnover by 50% from a 2007/8 baseline year by 2025 (achieved)
- We will return our carbon emissions to 2007/08 baseline year levels by 2025 (achieved)
- We will become a net zero carbon university by 2040
A refreshed version of the strategy is currently under development.
UK leader for sustainability
We are 3rd in the UK, 6th in Europe and 15th globally out of a total 1,397 institutions in the QS World University Rankings: Sustainability.
Global leader for innovation
We have again been ranked among the world’s top universities by the Times Higher Education Impact Rankings 2024 for our contribution to the UN Sustainable Development Goals, achieving joint 1st place globally for Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure.
Fossil free investments
We have actively removed all direct and pooled investments in companies that extract and produce fossil fuels such as coal, tar sands, oil and gas from our portfolio.
Our dashboard shows our progress towards key targets. For a full breakdown for previous years, visit 'our performance' pages.
We were proud to be recognised as the most sustainable university in Europe in the 2023 QS rankings.
We are transparent about decision-making and oversight. See who sits on our committees and read meeting notes.
Sustainability guidance, frameworks, policies, plans and strategies. These include our Sustainable Travel Policy, Good Food Policy and Responsible Investment Policy.
Oversight on ethical matters across the institution is shared across several University departments covering academic research, learning and teaching, operations and investments.
A strong student voice in decision making is important to progress climate, sustainability and social responsibility here at the University of Edinburgh.