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Climate Action
Our work and activity in relation to 'Climate Action', one of the UN's Sustainable Development Goals.
2019 was the second warmest year on record and the end of the warmest decade (2010- 2019) ever recorded.
Carbon dioxide (CO2) levels and other greenhouse gases in the atmosphere rose to new records in 2019.
Climate change is affecting every country on every continent. It is disrupting national economies and affecting lives. Weather patterns are changing, sea levels are rising, and weather events are becoming more extreme.
Although greenhouse gas emissions are projected to drop about 6 per cent in 2020 due to travel bans and economic slowdowns resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic, this improvement is only temporary. Climate change is not on pause. Once the global economy begins to recover from the pandemic, emissions are expected to return to higher levels.
Saving lives and livelihoods requires urgent action to address both the pandemic and the climate emergency.
The Paris Agreement, adopted in 2015, aims to strengthen the global response to the threat of climate change by keeping a global temperature rise this century well below 2 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels. The agreement also aims to strengthen the ability of countries to deal with the impacts of climate change, through appropriate financial flows, a new technology framework and an enhanced capacity building framework.
Stories
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Strawberry fields forever? Scientists to study how crops remember environmental stress
University of Dundee experts will harvest knowledge from some of our favourite fruits to learn more about how plants remember and respond to extreme heat.
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University projects nominated for prestigious prizes
Two University of Dundee projects have been shortlisted as finalists in this year’s Scottish Knowledge Exchange Awards.
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More fatal floods caused by melting glaciers are on the way, warn experts
Dangerous floods caused by meltwater from glaciers are happening far more often than initially thought, new research has revealed.
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Need to rekindle spirit of Glasgow COP, says head of new sustainability institute
The era of “COP tourism” must end and concerted efforts made to address climate change, the head of a new Scottish environmental centre has demanded.
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A dram good idea – turning whisky waste into sustainable packaging
University researchers will help turn whisky production leftovers into compostable packaging in a newly funded collaboration
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£2.5 million project to advance Scotland’s offshore wind sector launched
Accelerating Innovation in the Forth and Tay Offshore Wind Cluster programme officially launched by the universities of Dundee and Edinburgh, and Forth & Tay Offshore
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Dundee academics and PhD students in new Scottish climate science podcast
Dundee academics and PhD students feature in a new podcast produced by the Scottish Alliance for Geoscience, Environment, and Society (SAGES)
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New sustainability focused journal launched by Botanic Gardens
A sustainability journal bringing together research and new ideas has been launched by the University of Dundee
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Funding boost from UKRI for Scottish offshore wind sector
A pioneering partnership between the University of Edinburgh, the University of Dundee and the Forth and Tay Offshore (FTO) cluster has been boosted by a £2.5 million innovation funding award from UK Research and Innovation (UKRI)
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Climate expert calls for ‘less talk more action’ from COP29
A University of Dundee academic is calling for ‘less talk and more action’ from COP29, as he prepares to attend the global climate change conference as a negotiator later this month
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Dundee’s rich woodland areas are underused by schools, report shows
Green spaces created as part of flagship environmental project to encourage communities to interact with nature are being vastly underused
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Anchor concept could mark sea change for wave power generation
Engineering experts at the University of Dundee are preparing to make waves in the ocean energy industry with new anchoring technology for the next generation of offshore power generating devices
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Greenspaces conference to take root in Dundee
The relationship between cityscapes and so-called “urban forests” is to receive a root and branch review as part of major conference hosted by the University of Dundee
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New guide on how to create 20-minute neighbourhood launched
A new guide outlining how the concept of a 20-minute neighbourhood can be applied in practice has been created by an urban design expert at the University of Dundee
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Dundee to welcome disruptive thinkers in battle to save the planet
The University of Dundee will welcome the “thinkers and change-makers of the future” as part of a new, multi-million pound initiative.
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Air pollution prompts spikes in child hospital admissions, study finds
Elevated levels of air pollution cause more children to be admitted to hospital with respiratory problems, a new study has found.
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Student demand turns careers event green
Companies that can prove their environmental credentials have the potential to appear more attractive to the workforce of tomorrow, a careers expert has said.
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Angus Rural Mobility Hub awarded funding to explore the development of green hydrogen
A University-backed study has been awarded £10,000 of funding by the Energy Technology Partnership (ETP) to explore the development of green hydrogen for use in the heavy-duty vehicle sector.
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New study could sow seeds of change for barley
It may be known as the basis of whisky but scientists at two of Scotland’s leading scientific institutions have been tasked with distilling a new future for barley.
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University to establish new Binks Institute for Sustainability
The University of Dundee is creating a new Sustainability Institute which will attend to the critical need for contemporary societies to confront the climate crisis and to facilitate ways of living in environmentally sustainable ways.
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Trees to celebrate graduates and offset environmental costs of research
The University of Dundee will this month begin work on a new sustainability project that will ultimately create a forest celebrating its postgraduate researchers while offsetting carbon emissions.
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International experts convene for major Dundee energy summit
Thursday will see the University of Dundee host the first event of its kind, bringing together leading experts to discuss the transition to a low carbon economy.
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‘Trees of Hope’ symbolises Dundee’s Africa commitment
The planting of two ‘Trees of Hope’ symbolises the University of Dundee’s commitment to equitable working with partners in Africa.
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Climate expert to launch new lecture series
One of Africa’s leading academics will address the University of Dundee at the launch of a major new series of lectures.
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COP27: New coal mine would “seriously damage” UK’s credibility
The opening of a new coal mine in the UK would undermine the government’s international credibility in tackling climate change, a leading expert has warned.
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Planet “doomed” if politics reign supreme at COP27
The planet is “doomed” if political differences brought to light by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine cannot be put aside by global leaders at next week’s COP27 summit.
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Design for Environmental Monitoring
Widespread citizen engagement leads to Europe-wide action on climate change.
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Climate change transforming famous Scots village
It is known around the world as a location for the TV series Outlander, but the landscape around the picturesque village of Falkland is being permanently altered by weather events influenced by climate change.
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Millions of futures threatened by melting Himalayan glaciers
The water supply of hundreds of millions of people in Asia is under threat from the accelerating melt of the Himalayan glaciers, a University of Dundee expert has warned.
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Icelandic glacier melting faster than it can recover
Dramatic footage captured by a University of Dundee expert has shown how climate change is melting Iceland’s glaciers.
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Listen to poor countries or face COP26 failure
COP26 is doomed to failure unless the richest countries on the planet stop ignoring those from the developing world, a University of Dundee energy expert has said.
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Power of one key to tackling climate crisis
Empowering individuals and communities could be key to addressing the climate crisis, a University of Dundee expert says.
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Funding award for project that helps the world go green
A University of Dundee project that assists developing countries with the transition to green energy has received a funding award from the Royal Society of Edinburgh.
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Dundee’s creative responses to climate change
An upcoming University of Dundee event will showcase the work of those who are connecting the power of the visual arts to enhance our understanding of climate change
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The art using climate change to challenge perceptions
A University of Dundee student is using art to question how the people of Scotland respond to the societal issues generated by climate change.
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Event to focus on the future of energy
The drive towards renewable energy sources is to be examined at a special event hosted by the University of Dundee.
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Courts could hold power to climate change action
Courtrooms could become crucial in tackling climate change by ensuring large companies commit to cutting carbon emissions, a University of Dundee expert has said.
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Food for thought: climate crisis threatens Scotland’s larders
Climate change has the potential to disrupt food supplies to Scotland, a University of Dundee expert has warned.
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University completes divestment from fossil fuels
The University of Dundee has announced the completion of its divestment from fossil fuels – less than 12 months after stating its intention to do so.
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Water, water everywhere but not a drop to drink, expert warns
Climate change jeopardises the future of some of Scotland’s most notable industries, a University of Dundee expert has warned.
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Ice Age secrets of Dundee revealed thanks to pandemic project
A surprise lockdown in Scotland led to a US-based academic teaming up with an animation expert from the University of Dundee to create a film depicting the landscape of the city during the last Ice Age.
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Going against the grain: University and brewer combine upcycling efforts
The University of Dundee is teaming up with a local microbrewery to explore ways of creating novel food products from leftover ‘spent grain’ to reduce waste and ensure a more sustainable brewing process.
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Parliamentary praise for University’s environmental accolade
The University of Dundee has been hailed in the Scottish Parliament after being ranked top in the UK for climate action
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Dundee ranked top in UK for climate action
The University of Dundee has been ranked top in the UK for climate action in the 2021 edition of the Times Higher Education University Impact Rankings.
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Dam disaster prompts questions over energy in a changing climate
A Himalayan landslide caused a debris flow so large it destroyed two hydropower stations and claimed dozens of lives, a study into the disaster has concluded
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Cold hard facts: Award-winning film highlights plight of world’s glaciers
Highlighting the diminishing state of the world’s glaciers to younger generations is critical in the fight against climate change, a University of Dundee expert has said.
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Sustainable transport success for local universities
Dundee’s two universities have been named in the top tier of UK higher education institutions for their commitment to sustainable transportation and electric vehicle infrastructure.
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New film charts “unprecedented” decline of Iceland’s glaciers
The dramatic effects of climate change on Iceland’s glaciers have been highlighted as a part of a new documentary produced by a University of Dundee expert.
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First study of Scotland’s ‘volcanic weather’ published
Researchers at the University of Dundee have published the first study looking at how Scotland was affected by one of the most important climatic events of the last millennium.
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Like father, like son: Images reveal a generation of climate change
A University of Dundee researcher has followed in the footsteps of his famous father to reveal a generation of dramatic change to Iceland’s glaciers.
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Design concepts could signal sea change in offshore construction
Engineering experts at the University of Dundee are helping to silence the sound of offshore construction projects and preserve fragile underwater ecosystems.
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New research demonstrates reforestation benefits
Actively restored tropical forests recover above ground biomass faster than areas left to regenerate naturally after being logged, according to new research led by the Universities of Dundee and Aberdeen and ETH Zürich.
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Eco-burial project helps deceased ‘Return to Earth’
A University of Dundee student has devised a range of burial clothes made from materials such as linen, cotton, bamboo and silk to help people ensure their last act is an environmentally sustainable one.
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Dundee investment helps reduce economic and ecological cost of research
Investment from the University of Dundee is helping to reduce the environmental and financial cost of carrying out vital medical research.
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Revealed: How Scotland’s glaciers shaped the nation
Research from the University of Dundee has revealed the secret behind some of Scotland’s most dramatic scenery – climate.
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Drones help map Iceland’s disappearing glaciers
A new 3D process which involves old aerial photos and modern-day drone photography has shed light on accelerated ice loss from some of Iceland’s largest glaciers
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Dundee team ensure power station is built to last
Concrete experts from the University of Dundee have cemented their status among the world’s best engineers by working on one of Europe’s biggest infrastructure projects.
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Paris Agreement withdrawal could isolate “freeriding” US
President Trump’s decision to withdraw the United States from the Paris Agreement on climate change could make it an international pariah, a University of Dundee expert believes
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University’s coloured concrete set to make world greener
Would the Sydney Opera House be considered as timeless if it was turquoise, or the vast wall of the Hoover Dam as robust in red? Would Rome’s Pantheon still be regarded as resplendent if its iconic dome had been completed in pink?
Our policies related to climate action
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Sustainable food policy
Find out how the Hospitality Services and the University are working towards sustainable food
