Carbon Management
The Director of Property and Campus Services is responsible for the built estate, with the Deputy Vice-Chancellor leading the University with its carbon reduction plan and delivery of a net-zero future. The Sustainability Strategy Group, chaired by the Deputy Vice-Chancellor annually monitors Carbon Plans and Targets.
As a University, we understand that our use of fossil-fuel derived energy is contributing to global climate change. In 2019, the University declared a Climate Emergency and in 2020 approved a target to reach net-zero Scope 1 and 2 carbon by 2030, and eliminate any Scope 1 and 2 carbon offsetting by 2050. Our 2005 Scope 1 and 2 baseline emission rate was calculated as 13,850 tonnes CO2e, and we have already achieved a significant reduction in energy usage, down 42% per m2 in 2020/21.
We invest many hundreds of thousands of pounds in carbon reduction, with a dedicated annual budget of 5% (circa £120,000) of our energy bills set aside for specific projects and initiatives each year, for items not addressed through the maintenance budget for replacing assets due to normal wear and tear. Between 2018 and 2019, Bangor University invested £2.5 million in energy efficiency improvements as part of the Welsh Government’s ReFit Cymru scheme. In total, the scheme is projected to reduce the University’s energy consumption by around 12%. For more information, see the ReFit Case Study page.
Our Annual Environment Report, part of the University’s Environmental Management System, includes information on our annual carbon emissions. These reports are all available online.
For the 2020/21 academic year, the University’s carbon emissions were calculated to be 6,904.88 tonnes CO2e*. This is a reduction of 16.67% in absolute terms, compared to 2018/19.
We will make information about our carbon management and reduction work and progress openly available in these pages as and when it becomes available. We would welcome staff and students' feedback, suggestions and opinions on our plans for working toward carbon reductions, just email environment@bangor.ac.uk. We are also currently developing student internship opportunities for the academic year, to progress some carbon reduction projects.
Strategies
The following documents detail the strategic principles and plans for the delivery of a net-zero carbon footprint.
*CO2e: Carbon Dioxide Equivalent. Click here for a definition.