EAUC Scotland launch university carbon management plan project

3rd February 2015

EAUC-Scotland are pleased to announce the launch of a new project to review Scottish university carbon management plans (CMPs) to assess if they are likely to meet their targets outlined until 2020 and is funded by the Scottish Funding Council (SFC).

The objective of this project is to provide information which will enable the SFC to assess where Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) are in terms of implementing their own carbon management plans and setting their own targets. EAUC-Scotland will provide SFC and institutions with an analysis report on where the sector currently is, where they are likely to be by 2020 and with recommendations of where investment should be made for maximum impact of carbon reduction. The report will also provide an overall assessment of whether the HE sector is likely to meet the legislative requirements under the Climate Change Act.

Working in partnership with Resource Efficient Scotland (Zero Waste Scotland), the Scottish Association of University Directors of Estates (SAUDE), and consultants URS (AECOM) and JC Carbon Consulting, the short project will run until June 2015 and will:

• Review all Scottish HEIs Climate Change Action Plans/CMPs to provide a carbon footprint for Scottish universities consistent with the college sector
• Establish what individual institution carbon reduction targets from current until 2020 are via an updated project register
• What progress has been made against these targets
• What key actions and technologies are for reaching targets – large and small scale
• Which actions and/or technologies will have the most impact in reaching those targets
• Provide an analysis report with further recommendations to the Scottish Funding Council which will inform the key investment opportunities for the SFC and institutions to focus on, to help the sector move towards its legislative carbon reduction targets.

EAUC-Scotland Manager, Sarah Lee stated “I welcome the opportunity to work closely with the universities and our partners and thank the SFC for funding this project. It will be a challenge given the timescales but will ultimately put us in a better position of knowing where we can assist and support institutions in reaching their carbon reduction targets across Scotland.”

To find out updates on this project or wider Scotland activity, visit www.eauc.org.uk/ucccfs