Universities & Colleges Climate Commitment for Scotland
We recognise the challenge:
- We recognise the scale and speed of climate change, and the likely effect on Scotland’s people and places, impacting adversely on our economy, society and environment
- We consider that early action to address the expected changes will create long-term economic, health, social and environmental benefits
- We acknowledge the Scottish Government objective – to reduce emissions by 80% by 2050 – to avert the worst impacts of climate change; and realise we have a role to play in this.
We welcome the opportunities:
- To harness our academic talents and expand Scotland's ability – through our research capacity, knowledge exchange activity and the provision of skills, modules and courses – to create solutions to the challenges posed by climate change
- To demonstrate practical leadership in tackling climate change – by containing growing energy use and costs, protecting estates and buildings and promoting sustainability and social responsibility
- To engage our students, staff, alumni and local communities with the challenge of climate change.
Consistent with sustainable development principles, we commit our institution to:
- Support the national Climate Change programmes, reducing our greenhouse gas emissions and implementing adaptation measures for future climate change scenarios
- Allocate time and resources to implementing measures to reduce our overall carbon footprint and engage in the community planning process to deliver low-carbon solutions (‘mitigation’) by preparing and, within a year, publishing a five-year climate action plan with targets and time scales to achieve a significant reduction in emissions from all our activities, including:
- energy consumption and source
- waste reduction, recycling and responsible disposal
- sustainable estate development
- sustainable travel planning
- responsible procurement of goods and services
- Assess the risks to the institution identified in projected climate change scenarios and ensure safeguarding measures are incorporated into our strategic planning, including each estates strategy review (‘adaptation’)
- Work in partnership with others to implement measures to reduce emissions and engage in neighbourhood mechanisms, particularly through the community planning process
- Collaborate within the sector and with other public and private organisations, both academically and practically, to share good practice on climate change mitigation and adaptation
- Incorporate our work on climate change into established improvement processes and publish results on progress of our response annually, with outcomes achieved / further actions required
- Contribute to the cooperative work, supported by relevant sector bodies, in monitoring progress and promoting best practice.
Signed by the Principal of the University of Dundee
Statement of Support by Scottish Ministers
Scottish Ministers welcome this timely and proactive initiative by Scotland’s universities and colleges to tackle climate change. Delivering these commitments will lead to positive benefits, as well as raising Scotland’s profile as a leading, learning nation, determined to make a positive contribution to one of the greatest global challenges.
Fiona Hyslop, Cabinet Secretary for Education and Lifelong Learning, January 2009
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