EAUC Declares a Climate Emergency

1st May 2019

EAUC are today declaring a Climate Emergency

We are calling for all post-16 education institutions and support bodies in the UK and Ireland to declare a Climate Emergency and to commit to the Committee on Climate Change’s recommendation to adopt as a minimum a 2050 net zero emissions target. We will collate the education sectors response to this and send to UK and Ireland Governments to lobby them to act and show the impact and leadership of our sector on this crucial agenda.

To reach net zero by 2050, it is critical the Government invests in the enabling infrastructure and skilled people required to ensure a low carbon society. Higher and Further Education is in a prime position to undertake much of the Research and Development needed to achieve net zero emissions as soon as possible and has a big role to play in educating and upskilling young people and those already in the workforce on decarbonisation.

Universities and colleges are working hard towards incredibly ambitious carbon reduction targets, with 80 UK institutions committed to divesting from fossil fuels already. We will continue to work with institutions to ensure they fulfil their potential on this topic. As we have seen from the recent Youth Strikes and Academic support for Extinction Rebellion, the time is right to make a stand and show the education sector is an integral part of the solution. We will support our members on this journey.

We are asking institutions and sector agencies to:

• Declare a climate emergency (watch this webinar if you want to know how others have achieved this)
• Pledge net zero emissions
• Divest from fossil fuels
• Create a cross departmental steering group within your institution to engage staff, academics and students to form real actions and change
• Undertake a climate change risk analysis for your institution and work out your action plan

We are supporting members by:

• Running a webinar with University of Bristol and Newcastle University to show how they have achieved this
• Hosting a pledge page to show institutions that have declared a climate emergency and committed to zero carbon emissions by 2050 aimed at Vice Chancellors/Principals
• Highlighting resources and case studies to help support you
• Supporting you to create a bespoke institutional action plan through the Sustainability Leadership Scorecard and gain recognition in the Sustainability Leadership Scorecard Annual Report
• Working with sector and student bodies and agencies to ensure you continue to have the tools needed to have impact
• Lobbying the Government on your behalf to get the sector voice heard on Climate Change

Does your institution plan to declare a Climate Emergency?
Let us know at info@eauc.org.uk.

ENDS

Notes to the Editor
Media contact: Rosie Saban, rsaban@eauc.org.uk, 01242 714321

About the EAUC: EAUC is the Alliance for Sustainability Leadership in Education. EAUC represents over 200 institutions with a combined total of 2 million students and nearly 400,000 staff with a spending budget of over £25 billion. We help leaders, academics and professionals to drive sustainability to the heart of their post-16 education institutions.

The declaration of a climate emergency was approved by the EAUC Board of Trustees on 1 May 2019. For more information, visit www.eauc.org.uk.