ABSTRACT

Scope 3 emissions from the UK higher education sector are globally significant, and long-distance air travel and catering are particularly emissions-intensive aspects of workplace routine. They each present complex problems, as transition to low-carbon alternatives requires the reconfiguration of professional practices. This paper examines the sustainability policies of 66 UK universities to establish the extent to which planning and action in these areas are commensurate with climate emergency declarations. The findings indicate that universities recognize their role in creating demand for long-distance travel and sustaining high-carbon diets. However, few have specific emissions reduction targets or action plans that would rapidly and substantially reduce emissions in these areas. Discussion focuses on two core points; first, how greater cohesion in reporting and target-setting can be achieved across the sector to raise the ambition of targets and intervention; and second to identify opportunities for institutions to disrupt and reshape professional practices to reduce emissions in these areas.

Key Policy Insights

• Reducing emissions in the higher education sector requires organizations to foster low-carbon academic practices by engaging with the systemic cultural and material conditions that support high-carbon academic practices.

• The establishment of robust targets, action plans and monitoring processes would further support sector-wide decarbonization, and require consensus across HE institutions and governing bodies.

• Sector-wide agreement on the level and pace of emissions reduction will help to accelerate ambition regarding Scope 3 emissions reduction and determining the appropriate contribution of different institutions will help identify where action is most urgently required.

• Findings suggest a need for absolute targets for emissions reduction associated with long-distance travel, and that food policies focus on achieving a volumetric reduction in the weight of meat served so that absolute levels of greenhouse gas emissions are reduced.

• Travel and food provision are complex aspects of university emissions, but a climate emergency framing requires all organizations to use their full range of influence to rapidly and substantially reduce emissions.

摘要

英国高等教育部门的范围 3 排放具有全球意义，长途航空旅行和餐饮是工作场所日常工作中排放密集型的方面。它们都存在复杂的问题，因为向低碳替代方案的过渡需要重新配置专业实践。本文研究了 66 所英国大学的可持续发展政策，以确定这些领域的规划和行动在多大程度上与气候紧急情况声明相称。调查结果表明，大学认识到他们在创造长途旅行需求和维持高碳饮食方面的作用。然而，很少有具体的减排目标或行动计划可以迅速和大幅减少这些领域的排放。讨论集中在两个核心点；第一的，如何在整个部门实现报告和目标设定的更大凝聚力，以提高目标和干预的雄心；其次，确定机构有机会颠覆和重塑专业实践，以减少这些领域的排放。

关键政策见解

• 减少高等教育部门的排放需要组织通过参与支持高碳学术实践的系统性文化和物质条件来促进低碳学术实践。

• 制定强有力的目标、行动计划和监测流程将进一步支持全部门脱碳，并需要高等教育机构和理事机构达成共识。

• 关于减排水平和速度的全行业协议将有助于加快范围 3 减排的雄心，确定不同机构的适当贡献将有助于确定最迫切需要采取行动的领域。

• 调查结果表明，需要制定与长途旅行相关的绝对减排目标，食品政策的重点是实现肉类重量的显着减少，从而降低温室气体排放的绝对水平。

• 旅行和食物供应是大学排放的复杂方面，但气候紧急情况框架要求所有组织利用其全部影响力迅速并大幅减少排放。