Last week HEFCE released their strategy and targets for carbon-reduction across the sector, with financial implications for universities. The strategy is the result of several years of consultations, and challenges the sector to meet and exceed wider government targets on national carbon-emission reductions.
The sector-level targets are set at a reduction in scope 1 and 2 carbon emissions (direct emissions through fuel use as well as the use of electricity) of 34 per cent by 2020 and 80 per cent by 2050 against a 1990 baseline. Universities' plans in meeting these targets will be used to assess the distribution of funding from this years' Capital Investment Framework (CIF2).
The strategy paper also contains details of finance available through the Revolving Green Fund (RGF) and the obligations of some larger universities to take part in the Carbon Reduction Commitment scheme (CRCEES) to monitor and and reduce their own energy usage.
You can download the full policy development paper from the HEFCE website.