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Sustainability at York

Posted on 26 October 2021

Sustainability is at the heart of our strategic aims and is of crucial importance to our future.

Tuesday 26 October sees the launch of the University of York 2021 Sustainability Plan. The ambitious plan comprehensively sets out how we will tackle the current and future challenges we face in order to become a more sustainable community, and play a part in creating a more sustainable world. 

As an institution we will focus our efforts on a number of United Nations Sustainability Goals (SDGs) within which we can make the greatest impact; Quality Education, Sustainable Research, Climate Action, Sustainable Cities and Communities, Responsible Consumption and Production, Good Health and Wellbeing.

As we face an urgent carbon crisis, the University of York is also making a bold commitment to achieving net zero carbon emissions on campus by 2030. The program to cut carbon emissions, detailed in the 2021 Sustainability Plan, sets out how we will pursue carbon neutrality by 2030 (scope 1 & 2, direct emissions and indirect emissions) through the management of our campus, and complete carbon neutrality by 2050 (scope 1, 2 & 3) all other indirect emissions.

The carbon neutral target, alongside all of the strategic goals throughout the plan, is of fundamental importance to all of us and central to creating a sustainable future. 

To find out more about what the plan entails visit our sustainability webpage or read about our sustainability journey so far.