EAUC Scotland 2022/23 College and University Emissions Analysis & Recommendations

November 2023 was the eighth year for Scottish colleges and universities to submit their Public Bodies Climate Change Duties (PBCCD) reports as named 'major players' within the public sector.

EAUC Scotland, as part of the Outcome Agreement with the Scottish Funding Council, has produced an annual report analysing and recommending areas for improvement and action for November 2024's submissions. The report for the 2023 submissions, as well as separate reports for the college and university education sectors, are available to download at the bottom of this page.

Key trends include:

Increased total reported emissions on the backdrop of improving reporting quality and increased business travel:
Whilst there has been a 26% increase in reported emissions in 2022/23 compared to 2021/22, this is primarily due to increased quality of reporting by institutions and an increase in business travel flights by the sector. Previous reporting years, particularly for Scope 3 emissions, should be viewed as significantly under-reporting sector emissions.
Overall sector operational emissions have reduced 25% between 2015/16 and 2022/23:
Operational emissions have been defined by EAUC Scotland as all scope 1 and 2 emissions, and scope 3 emissions from transmission & distribution, water supply and treatment, waste, business travel, hotel stays and homeworking. The college and university sector's operational emissions have reduced by 36% and 24%, respectively, over the past 8 years.
Reducing natural gas use remains a challenge:
The sector has made limited progress historically in reducing absolute emissions from natural gas. Over the past 8 years emissions from natural gas have reduced by 6%. However, with the Scottish Government expectation of zero direct emissions from public body estate buildings by 2038, the sector must focus efforts to understand, reduce and decarbonise heating emissions. Institutions can apply for grant funding through the Scottish Green Public Sector Estate Decarbonisation scheme (GPSEDs).
Business travel emissions have rebounded:
There has been a 206% increase in reported business travel between 2021/22 and 2022/23 reporting periods. This has been caused by a return to in-person international work, as shown by 87% of business travel emissions coming from international flights, and increasing domestic flight use (7% of business travel emissions). Since 2015/16 reported business travel emissions have reduced 38%. In particular, the university sector and supporting sector agencies should look to lock-in changed travel habits and processes developed during Covid restrictions and ensure emissions from business travel do not continue to rise in future reporting years.
Significant reduction in fleet vehicle emissions:
Since 2015/16 reported fleet vehicle emissions have reduced 73%. It is expected that the majority of the observed reduction is from demand reduction and a significant increase in sector electric fleet vehicle.

Table: Comparison of reported Scottish college & university emissions between reporting periods 2015/16 - 2022/23 (source: EAUC Scotland analysis report):

EAUC Scotland has been collaborating with sector partners in order to provide Scottish colleges and universities with support for reporting. Over the next 6 months we will be developing and launching guidance on collecting commuting emissions and a learning pack focussed on institutional emissions reporting. In addition, if there is any training that you feel your institution could benefit from please get in touch with the EAUC Scotland team via scotland@eauc.org.uk.

For more support, resources and analysis visit our Public Bodies Climate Change Duties - Reporting Tools & Resources page.