University of Lincoln gets a 2:2 in sustainability league table

The University of Lincoln has scored a 2:2 in an in-depth sustainability league table.

The People & Planet’s University League is the only comprehensive and independent league table of UK universities ranked by environmental and ethical performance.

In the 2019 league table, which was released on July 16, the University of Lincoln ranked 80th out of 154 universities.

In May, broadcaster and visiting professor Chris Packham praised “top work” from the university in declaring a climate emergency.

The University of Lincoln is 80th in the league table. Photo: People & Planet

In the findings from the People & Planet the University of Lincoln was found to be working towards targets in the following areas: Waste management, Transport, Sustainable Procurement, Water, Construction and Refurbishment, Emissions and Discharges and Biodiversity.

To compile the league information was taken from the following places:

• 50% from information made public on the university website
• 50% from information published within the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA) Estates Management Record (EMR) and other independent and external verification agencies.

Click here for more information about the University of Lincoln’s latest score.

At the top of the league table was the University of Gloucestershire with a score of 80.6% of targets met.

A University of Lincoln spokesperson said: “The University of Lincoln is working to continually improve environmental management and embed sustainability across its operations.

“We are currently working towards the ISO14001 accreditation and in January 2019, achieved the EcoCampus Silver Award for environmental management.

“Good progress has already been made at the University to reduce environmental impact, including an absolute reduction in carbon emissions of 20% against a baseline of 2005/6 and the backdrop of a growing estate; the procurement of 100% renewable electricity for our estate; the specification of a new medical school with an aspiration to be carbon neutral in operation; the Principles of Responsible Management in Education (PRME) programme in the Business School; and leading research on climate change within the School of Geography.

The university is currently developing a new sustainability and carbon management strategy, which sets out the university’s plan for a lower carbon campus, a campus less dependent on carbon-intensive energy. The aim of this is to reduce the university’s carbon emissions and energy demand in absolute terms, in line with guidelines issued by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, aiming to limit global warming to a maximum of 1.5OC, and set out a pathway to achieving a carbon neutral campus within a generation.

“As well as carbon reduction, the new strategy will encompass all elements of environmental sustainability; including biodiversity enhancement, resource conservation, sustainable procurement and local collaboration.”