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We don’t just teach sustainability. We’re embedding sustainability in our operations with a vision to show what’s possible when a university comes together to change the way it uses resources.
UCL has a sector-leading strategy sustainability strategy called Change Possible to keep us on track with achieving our sustainability goals.
By 2024 UCL is committed to:
- Give every student the opportunity to study and be involved in sustainability.
- Increase our sustainability research, with increased focus on the Sustainable Development Goals.
- Net zero carbon buildings, and by 2030 our institution will be net zero carbon.
- Be a single-use-plastic free campus.
- Reduce waste per person by 20%.
- Create 10,000m2 of more biodiverse green space on campus.
What does it look like to study at a university with bold sustainability commitments?
Check out this video of our student and staff explaining all things sustainable at UCL.
Sustainability in our department
By its nature, all our teaching and research is sustainability focussed. We are also doing our part to change our operations and make ‘Change Possible’ at UCL by engaging in a number of initiatives.
We are proud to offer 100% vegetarian catering across our meetings and events. If every UCL department became 'Powered by Plants', our food emissions would be reduced by 40%, saving ~5,000 tonnes CO2 p/a, equivalent to taking 1,000 cars off the road.
Our 'Green Champions' have won a Gold Award in the Sustainable UCL Green Impact scheme for the last two years running. The champions have introduced new initiatives to reduce our carbon impact such as vegetarian catering, and more recently a 'No Fly Policy' where staff and students should take rail options for UK and easily accessible European destinations.
The new Laboratory Efficiency Assessment Framework (LEAF) template set up by Sustainable UCL allowed us to quantify our carbon savings and see a further reduction in the carbon footprint of both of Heritage and Environmental Design and Engineering labs.
Our Heritage Science Lab holds a Gold Sustainable Labs Award recognising sustainable practices that allow research to be conducted in a resource efficient and sustainable way.