Greener

Sustainability is at the core of who we are, and we’re proud to be ranked among the UK’s top universities for our environmental and ethical commitments. We scored 100% for Environmental Management and excelled in areas like Sustainable Food and Education. Climbing 12 places to ninth in the 2024/25 People & Planet University League, we are now the highest-ranked Russell Group university.
 
The climate emergency and ecological crisis is central to our Strategy 2030, and we are committed to reducing our carbon footprint, enhancing biodiversity, and driving global climate action. With over 1,400 researchers tackling climate challenges, we’re committed to shaping a greener, fairer future.
 
View the People & Planet University League Table.

As part of our commitment to a greener future, we are proud to announce that we have signed a voluntary environmental sustainability concordat co-developed by the UK research and innovation sector. Signed by President and Vice-Chancellor Professor Lisa Roberts, the concordat reflects our ambition to deliver world-leading research in an environmentally responsible way.

The concordat commits us to reducing negative environmental impacts, transitioning to sustainable practices, and promoting solutions to protect our planet. This collective effort across universities, research institutes, and funding organisations ensures that research and innovation continue to play a vital role in addressing global environmental challenges.

Read about our commitments to sustainability.

We know that the commitment to tackle the climate and ecological crisis begins with us and that’s why our Sustainability team has been developing new strategies to help us fight climate change and become nature positive; to halt and reverse nature loss caused by our activities. Our Nature Positive Strategy promotes a policy of environmental net gain and uses our research and education to deliver this within the region, nationally and across the globe. This is achieved through a variety of policies across our campuses, including protecting existing habitats and restoring lost or degraded environments, reducing pollution and waste, improving water quality and carbon storage, and understanding the impact of our use of goods and services on biodiversity and ecosystem services. Nature underpins our communities, our societies and businesses, and these are strengthened through our local partnerships, defining clear net gain metrics and delivering world-leading research and education in this field.  

Find out more about our Nature Positive Strategy

We have played a key role in monitoring the success of a pioneering river restoration project on the National Trust’s Holnicote Estate in Somerset. The site has transformed into a thriving seven-hectare wetland after the first large-scale attempt to reset a UK river to fully reconnect its waters with the surrounding floodplain was successful.

Early results reveal reduced downstream flooding, improved water quality, and increased biodiversity, including a growing water vole population. By working together in pursuit of new knowledge, opportunities and impact we are striving to overcome some of the big challenges of the twenty-first century.  

Learn more about the Riverlands project

We have received £3.3 million from André and Rosalie Hoffmann, as a philanthropic gift to fund a new project to mobilise action on the climate and ecological crisis. The Hoffmann Impact Team for Accelerating Action on Nature and Climate will utilize our expertise to combat climate change and nature loss in collaboration with business leaders, policy-makers, consumers and the public. The team will develop and implement ‘impact pathways’ for the practical application of research on climate and environment in business and policy settings, to protect our planet for future generations and create a greener, healthier future for all.

Find out more about Hoffman Impact Team

We continue to take an active role in meaningful action on climate change to ensure that science sits at the centre of global decision making. Our experts took part in multiple events at Climate Week New York City (NYC), including the launch of new report on positive tipping points.  Every year Climate Week NYC brings together business leaders, political change makers, local decision takers and civil society representatives of all ages and backgrounds, from all over the world, to help accelerate the green transition. From podcasts and conferences to alumni events, keynote speeches and even street food, our experts delivered the latest research on climate action.

Find out more about the events of Climate Week NYC

We’re leading meaningful action against the climate emergency and we know that sustainable thinking starts at home. In 2023 we installed 120 kW of solar panels on the roof of Pennsylvania Court and the Tennis Centre on Streatham Campus. We have increased our overall solar generated energy supply to 1.4 megawatts and reduced our reliance on fossil fuels, to support our target of be Carbon Net Zero by 2030. A further 2000 solar panels are currently being installed on our land near Duryard Halls of Residence and more roof mounted solar panels are planned for the coming years.

Find out more about our Capital Plans.

The annual Global Carbon Budget was published in December 2023 at COP28 in the United Arab Emirates. It found that global carbon emissions from fossil fuels rose again in 2023 – reaching record levels. The report projected fossil carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions of 36.8 billion tonnes in 2023, up 1.1% from 2022. It found fossil CO2 emissions were falling in some regions, including Europe and the USA, but rising overall. The scientists say global action to cut fossil fuels is not happening fast enough to prevent dangerous climate change. Emissions from land-use change, such as deforestation, were projected to decrease slightly but are still too high to be offset by current levels of reforestation and afforestation (new forests).

Read the full report here.

We are proud to have retained our position as number one in the world for our pivotal research, actions and commitment towards clean water and better sanitation in The Times Higher Education Impact Rankings 2024. The rankings measure universities’ overall impact through their work towards meeting the United Nations’ 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDG). We are ranked first in the world for the second year running in the Clean Water and Sanitation category and have also ranked tenth globally and second in the UK for our steadfast commitment to sustainability, improving health and tackling inequality. 

Find out more about the Impact Rankings.

The first ever Global Tipping Points Report was published in December 2023, at COP28 in the United Arab Emirates. The report was produced by an international team of more than 200 researchers, coordinated by our University, in partnership with Bezos Earth Fund. The team assessed of 26 negative Earth system tipping points, and found that “business as usual” is no longer possible – with rapid changes to nature and societies already happening, and more coming. Without urgent action to halt the climate and ecological crisis, societies will be overwhelmed as the natural world comes apart. Alternatively, emergency global action can harness positive tipping points and steer us towards a thriving, sustainable future.

Find out more here.

Image by Prashanth Vishwanathan

We’re striving for a socially just and fair society that collectively tackles some of the biggest challenges of the century, including climate change. We have joined forces with the Private Infrastructure Development Group (PIDG) and researchers across Africa to ensure that major new investments in Africa effectively tackle climate change and support communities to seize the opportunities ahead in the global green economy. This science-based investment approach aims to make a difference to hundreds of millions of lives, and the partnership between scientists, investors and local communities will provide unique opportunities for African communities.

Find out more about this partnership

As part of our commitment to lead meaningful action against the climate emergency and ecological crisis we have launched a new business support initiative to help companies reach their net zero goals and seize green economy opportunities. Green Futures Solutions will provide businesses with access to our global climate and environment expertise, including our pioneering research. This will also boost the local economy by delivering much needed jobs, skills and other opportunities to the region, ensuring that the UK becomes a clean energy superpower.

Find out more about Green Futures Solutions

Launched in 2022, Future 17 is a groundbreaking experiential learning programme created in partnership with education analyst QS. It aims to empower and enable the next generation of students to answer the questions that will shape today, tomorrow and the future for us all. Future17 brings together students from universities across the world to work in teams to develop actionable solutions to real-world challenges, set by international organisations and aligned with the 17 UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Students are challenged to develop cultural competencies and valuable employability skills, such as critical problem-solving. The Future17 consortium now includes 12 partner universities across six continents. In the most recent round, 31 organisations provided a choice of 44 challenges, including multinational technology services company CapGemini, who set a challenge around climate change adaptation, and Sri Lankan firm T-Hues with a project on recycling tea waste into fabric dyes.

Find out more about Future17 projects

We are proud to put the climate emergency and ecological crisis at the heart of our strategy. With more than 1,400 researchers working on the environment and climate, and collaborating with partners in the UK and worldwide, we are answering the call to action in this crucial decade for our planet. In December 2022 our progress in this area was recognised when we were awarded sixth place in the 2022/23 People & Planet University League, which ranks UK universities on sustainability and ethics. The league requires a target of reducing direct carbon emissions by 43% between 2005/6 and 2020/21. We exceeded this target, cutting carbon emissions by 45% and will continue towards our goal of reaching net zero by 2030.

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We are committed to decarbonising our supply chain as part of our drive for net zero by 2030 and are working with suppliers to support and monitor decarbonisation. The 2030 target includes direct and indirect emissions caused by the University's procurement of goods and services.

Read more about how we’re decarbonising our supply chain

Our first partnership with the World Economic Forum will help develop a new project in support of the Arctic and Antarctic biospheres. The successful Hoffmann Fellow will help to develop an integrated approach to tackling the common threats these areas face, and the implications for the rest of the world affected by polar tipping points. Professor Alexandra Gerbasi, Deputy Pro-Vice-Chancellor and Dean of the Business School, said: “This Fellowship inside the World Economic Forum places Exeter at the cutting edge of global discussions on nature and climate as a key part of a new international initiative with transformative potential.”

Find out more about the Hoffmann Fellowship and how to apply

In September 2022 we hosted the ‘Tipping Points from climate crisis to positive transformation’ conference. A tipping point occurs when a small change sparks a rapid, often irreversible transformation, the programme covered the latest developments in both negative and positive tipping points. In collaboration with Systemiq, and the Director of Economics for UNFCCC Climate Champions, our team at the University is at the forefront of research into identifying these points and tackling climate change factors. We are committed to leading meaningful action against the climate emergency and ecological crisis and understanding how to engineer positive tipping points which could help us slow climate change and highlight new opportunities for the decarbonisation of the global economy.

Find out more about the conference

We have been instrumental in the science underpinning a global network of marine protected areas (MPAs) known as the 30x30 campaign. Our researchers use a range of technologies and innovative methods to fill data gaps and characterise the spatial ecology, distribution, population status and threats to marine vertebrates. We are not only looking at the source and scale of plastic pollution worldwide and in specific regions, but also at the damage being done at a cellular level. We’re not just focussed on the problem, we’re actively seeking ways to make things better.

Find out more about how our impact-driven research is creating healthier oceans and a healthier planet for all

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We have one of the world’s largest marine science teams: a group that includes researchers recognised in the top 1% of their field, all of whom are dedicated to addressing and overcoming the threats our planet faces. Our researchers specialise in marine conservation, ecotoxicology, marine governance, ocean systems and technology and are interdisciplinary in their approach, working closely with medical colleagues and partners from a variety of organisations. The focus is not only on the problems we are facing in our oceans, but around actively seeking ways to make things better and having a long-term impact. 

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