Our climate commitment
We acknowledge the Scottish Government’s climate emergency declaration in May 2019, and welcomes the changes set out in the Climate Change (Duties of Public Bodies: Reporting Requirements) (Scotland) Amendment Order 2020.
Each public body within the UHI partnership has individual responsibility for collating and submitting their own return (published on the Sustainable Scotland Network website), and through 2020 we have worked with EAUC Scotland to develop emissions data for the academic partners that are not public bodies.
In 2020 the UHI partnership published our first partnership carbon management and sustainability plan, covering 2020-2023. The plan outlined four key workstreams for the partnership, with the workstreams ‘regional carbon footprint’ and ‘awareness raising and shaping pro-environment behaviour’ having direct links with the new Scottish Government reporting requirements. To oversee this work a new cross-partnership group, the carbon management and sustainability project board, has been created comprising estates, facilities and finance practitioners. In addition to the partnership-wide work several academic partners have their own carbon management plans which focus on local work and targets.
Building on progress to date, and illustrating our ongoing commitment to contributing to the achievement of a zero carbon world, we are now seeking to take forward a range of other initiatives such as the creation of an academic-led carbon management and sustainability group to focus on the curriculum and research aspects of our work.
Pledges
Sustainable Development Goals accord
By signing the Sustainable Development Goals Accord our principal and vice-chancellor has committed to do more to deliver the sustainable development goals, and to report annually on our progress, sharing our learning with each other both nationally and internationally.
Race to Net Zero
By signing the Universities and Colleges Race to Zero pledge our principal and vice-chancellor has committed to reach (net) zero greenhouse gases as soon as possible, and by mid-century at the latest, in line with global efforts to limit warming to 1.5C.