Advancing Sector Emissions' Alignment Project

Update

This work is now part of the Queen's Jubilee Challenge. You can see further information on this here.

Context and Objective

The profile of universities and colleges committing to emissions reduction and net-zero has never been higher. While this is very encouraging, it highlights the inconsistent approach to scope setting, measurement and reporting across our sector. Not only does this impede institution comparison and collective progress, but we at EAUC see it as a risk to sector credibility and reputation. The programme will address this risk by compiling examples of good practices that will enable the sector to develop a common reporting approach that supports several GHG reporting requirements and climate commitments. It will also provide a framework to enable peer and/or student verification of GHG inventories, carbon abatement/offsetting targets and neutrality claims.

UPDATE: Interviews and an Opinion Piece have been requested from THE and University Business Magazine. Plus the UUK Roundtable has expressed praise and support for this work. The project is relevant to the future of HESA’s Estates Management Report and EAUC’s forthcoming Science-Based Target Framework development project.

Programme Steering Group Invitation

Reflecting sector diversity and previous Fellow engagement, we seek to appoint an Advancing Sector Emissions Alignment Steering Group comprising primarily of EAUC Fellows, Board and staff. Their initial role will be to provide insight and guidance on what they think would be useful in broad and specific terms. This group will help define what the programme outputs are, but initially we anticipate will be guidance, examples of good practice, methodologies, a sector GHG reference tool to help compare performance and a checklist to assist with peer validation. We aim to make aware/test out draft programme outputs on key stakeholder groups including students, professional, funding and regulatory bodies.

UPDATE: To date 15 Fellows have submitted an Expression of Interest to join the Steering Group which will be Chaired by Paulo Cruz of Glasgow Caledonian University. Two consultancies have been approached to consider pro bono support and we seek further suggestions of emissions academics who can support the project. To ensure connectivity between this and the forthcoming SBT project, John French will represent the Board on the Steering Group.

Emission Categories in FHE GHG Inventories Survey

While assembling the Steering Group we will be surveying members. We wish to understand what emission categories/sources institutions include in their GHG inventories. We appreciate that several factors influence what institutions include and exclude and will potentially consider these at a future opportunity. 

UPDATE: To date 36 institutions have completed the survey providing very insightful data.

Good Practice Institution Group

Identified through the survey will be a group of institutions with comprehensive GHG inventories and/or who have included un-common sources of emissions (e.g. investments). This group will contribute data, methodologies and insights into how these developed in their institutions. This group is drawn upon primarily when data/good practice is required by the Steering Group.

Independent Validation Group

A small independent validation group will be formed from institutions without advanced GHG inventories with the purpose to test the output(s) of the project and provide feedback about its usefulness. Ideally, this group will include institutions that are keen to improve their reporting practices. This group provides feedback to the steering group.

For further information regarding this Project, please contact Iain Patton - CEO at EAUC.