Universities and Colleges Climate Commitment for Scotland

“Scottish Ministers welcome this timely and proactive initiative by Scotland’s universities and colleges to tackle climate change. Delivering these commitments will lead to positive benefits, as well as raising Scotland’s profile as a leading, learning nation, determined to make a positive contribution to one of the greatest global challenges”. Fiona Hyslop MSP, Cabinet Secretary of Education and Lifelong Learning
 

Universities and colleges have a key role to play in improving Scotland’s natural and built environment:

• through their primary role as educators, skills trainers and researchers, institutions have the potential to make an invaluable contribution to the UN Decade of Education for Sustainable Development;

• as owners and operators of large and complex estates, universities and colleges can lead on the delivery of sustainable low carbon 21st century campuses; and

• as the focus of many local communities, institutions can influence and lead on wider community and social initiatives.

Scotland’s universities and colleges have publicly declared their intention to address the challenges of climate change and reduce their carbon footprints by signing the Universities and Colleges Climate Commitment for Scotland (UCCCfS).

To date, 60 universities and colleges in Scotland have signed the commitment. Signatories are committed to producing and publishing a 5-year Climate Change Action Plan (CCAP) which will be incorporated into established improvement processes, with the aim to achieve a significant reduction in emissions from all business operations and activities.

Underpinning the UCCCfS is a package of support facilitated by the EAUC, which includes our ongoing Continual Professional Development (CPD) programme, our Sustainability Leaders Programme, the Campus Sustainability Programme (CaSPr) and our Topic Support Networks, all of which provide CPD and networking opportunities for institutions plus opportunities for sharing good and best practice.

The UCCCfS was developed with financial support from the Scottish Funding Council and through collaboration between the following organisations:

UCCCfS Advisory Board

 

Environmental Association for Universities & CollegesNUS-Scotland
Scottish Association of University Directors of Estates
Scottish Climate Change Impacts Partnership
Scottish Colleges
Scottish Environment Protection Agency
Scottish Funding Council
Scottish Further Education Unit
Scottish Government (Climate Change Policy)
Scottish Government (Higher Education & Learner Support)
Scottish Trades Union Congress
Universities Scotland


For further information please contact Sarah Lee, UCCCfS Programme Manager, Tel: 0131 474 0000, email: slee@eauc.org.uk.