Thursday 3 July 2008

People & Planet's Green League 2008, which won best campaign in the British Environment and Media Awards last year, is the only league table showing the environmental performance of Britain's universities.

Published in the Times Higher Education Supplement by People & Planet, the UK student campaign network, the Green League reveals that more than half of Britain's universities are achieving good environmental results.

Nearly three quarters of universities in the league have progressed towards cutting carbon emissions, 66 are now buying renewable energy and 73 have completed a comprehensive environmental audit.

Gloucestershire, Plymouth and the University of the West of England top the league, which was published for the first time in 2007. A total of 121 universities were awarded either a first, 2:1, 2:2, third, or fail based on nine environmental criteria, both policy and performance related. They are assessed on data obtained through the Freedom of Information Act, including the percentage of waste recycled and CO₂ emissions for each individual institution.

Dramatic improvements

WWF-UK director of campaigns, David Norman, said: "The dramatic improvements in the league after only one year should be celebrated.

"With many UK universities leading the research on the environmental threats facing our planet, it's common sense that they also lead in environmental performance.

"These advances are a welcome response to the urgency of tackling the threats to people and nature."

Action needed

People & Planet is calling upon universities to improve the accuracy, transparency and reliability of monitoring to further improve environmental standards. It says the Green League exposes the need for a comprehensive carbon reduction strategy to drive down carbon emissions year-on-year.

The Green League briefing report states: "The results of the Green League suggest that the HE sector is ready to change. It needs leadership and drive from the government and the full-blown support of all sector stakeholders.

"If we can demonstrate that the HE sector can Go Green, our experience could stimulate change in the health sector and other elements of the public sector."


Key findings from the Green League 2008

• 97% of universities have publicly available environmental policies


• 18 universities created full-time environmental officers/managers posts over the last year


• 25 universities have increased the proportion of renewable energy in their overall energy consumption


• 86 universities reduced their reported carbon emissions from energy consumption over the last year


• 12 universities picked up full marks for regularly reviewing policy with specific time-bound targets in nine areas of environmental management