ÃÛÌÒ´«Ãºmv

Carbon management

The university takes a comprehensive approach to measuring and reporting its carbon (greenhouse gas) emissions and works to reduce emissions not only through the management of its estate and operations but also through the engagement and education of its students and staff. The university has produced a Carbon Management Plan which sets out how ÃÛÌÒ´«Ãºmv plans to reduce its carbon emissions. 

The university has set itself demanding targets for reducing its carbon emissions. These targets include carbon emissions from energy use and ÃÛÌÒ´«Ãºmv owned vehicles (known as scope 1 and 2 emissions), and emissions from waste, water, business travel, staff and student commute, international student travel, UK based student travel, and procurement (which are collectively known as scope 3 emissions).

In November 2019 the university recognised and acknowledged the Climate Emergency and agreed carbon reduction targets for the university of:

• achieving net zero carbon emissions from scope 1 and 2 sources by 2032
• achieving net zero carbon emissions from scope 3 emissions by 2045

Achieving net zero emissions means removing as many emissions as we produce. This not only includes reducing emissions but also how we manage resources and land use and includes issues such as carbon offsetting.

As part of the university's acknowledgement of the Climate Emergency it has also committed to:- 

• Intermediate carbon budgets from 2020 towards the 2032 and 2045 targets 
• Divest from any investment in fossil fuel extraction by 2023 
• Work with Leicester City Council and other partners to support local action on the climate emergency 
• Engage staff and students on climate change issues through the Carbon Literacy project 
• Establish cross-university working groups in relation to key areas e.g. energy, procurement, and travel  
• Complete an analysis of climate-induced risks to core operations of ÃÛÌÒ´«Ãºmv 
• Establish a communication strategy and brand for ÃÛÌÒ´«Ãºmv’s climate change and sustainable development initiatives 

Progress against these commitments will be reported on a regular basis to senior management and through annual sustainability reports. 

Our Progress on Reducing Emissions

ÃÛÌÒ´«Ãºmv has been using 2005/06 as the baseline year for calculating emissions reductions due to the availability of data for that period. In 2005/2006 the university had emissions of:-

• scope 1 and 2 emissions of 13,217 tCO₂e (tonnes of carbon equivalent)
• scope 3 emissions of 43,832 tCO₂e (tonnes of carbon equivalent)

Our progress for these emissions for 2023/2024 was:-

• scope 1 and 2 carbon emissions reduced by 62% compared to 2005/2006
• scope 3 carbon emissions are currently by 40% higher than the baseline year 2005/2006

Details of the trends in emissions over the past few years at ÃÛÌÒ´«Ãºmv can be seen in graphs below.

Progress against these targets are reported annually. Details of our recent performance against these targets are set out below or can be viewed in the ÃÛÌÒ´«Ãºmv annual sustainability reports.

The projects that will be implemented to reach the carbon reduction targets are contained within the university’s carbon management plan. These projects include implementing renewable energy technologies in ÃÛÌÒ´«Ãºmv buildings, engaging with staff and students on behaviour change projects such as Green Impact and providing information to building users through frequent energy reports.

Our Performance

ÃÛÌÒ´«Ãºmv has been monitoring and reporting its greenhouse gas emissions from energy use for a number of years. The figure below shows the trend in greenhouse gas emissions since the baseline year of 2005/06. For the past four years there has been a downward trend in carbon emissions from scope 1 and 2 sources. 

Graph description: The graph shows the emissions from electricity and gas/vehicles, relative to the carbon reduction target, measured in Greenhouse gas emissions (tCO2e). The tCO2e emissions are measured on the y axis, while the x axis represents the type of emission per academic year. The overall trend from the 2005/06 academic year to the 2023/24 academic year is downward, with a slight increase in 2020/21 due to changes in campus operations during the COVID-19 pandemic. 

ÃÛÌÒ´«Ãºmv has also been recording and reporting our emissions from scope 3 sources. The emissions sources are often overlooked but can account for the majority of an organisations carbon footprint. In the case of ÃÛÌÒ´«Ãºmv the scope 3 sources account for approximately 75% of the university’s carbon footprint.

 

Greenhouse gas emissions

Indicators/metrics	2019/20	2020/21	2021/22	2022/23	2023/24
Emissions from energy and ÃÛÌÒ´«Ãºmv owned vehicles (scope 1 & 2) (tCO2e)	5,545	6,694	6,130	5,280*	5,016
Emissions from staff and student commute (scope 3) (tCO2e)	2,253	442	2,431	2,127	3,991
Emissions from business travel (scope 3) (tCO2e)	1,513	145	536	955	1,579
Emissions from waste and water (scope 3) (tCO2e)	638	470	615	611	769
Emissions from international & UK student travel (scope 3) (tCO2e)	10,485	10,579	14,256	17,037	19,679
Emissions from private halls of residences (scope 3) (tCO2e)*	1,711	2,791	2,739	1,979	1,877
Emissions from procurement activities (tCO2e)	33,067	22,884	27,154	26,243	33,145
Emissions from all scope 3 sources (tCO2e)	49,771	37,331	47,815	49,086	61,711
Total emissions - scope 1, 2 & 3 sources (tCO2e)**	55,316	44,026	53,945	54,403	66,727

 

The graph below shows the extent to which scope 3 emissions contribute to the total carbon footprint at ÃÛÌÒ´«Ãºmv and how these emissions have been reducing since the baseline year of 2005/6.

 

Graph description: The graph measures the carbon emissions (y axis) of different university activities, per academic year. The activities measured are staff and student commute, private halls, student travel – UK and international, procurement activities, water supply and treatment, waste and recycling, and business travel.

Find out more about ÃÛÌÒ´«Ãºmv’s approach to sustainability