On climate, universities are leading where others are trailing. But where does Comms fit in?

Universities are uniquely placed to lead on climate solutions. That opinion seemed to be shared by every panellist at University UK’s conference on universities, sustainability and the climate crisis last week.

But while this may be true, the political context is getting tougher in the UK. We are facing both a government which is rowing back on climate policies and a growing culture of climate scepticism among young people. So given this, what is the role now for universities in responding to the climate crisis? And how do their Comms teams fit in?

The case couldn’t be clearer that universities must continue to do their utmost. Not just because, after record temperatures and intensifying extreme weather events, climate change has become palpable.  But also because students expect their universities to do more on climate change.  A 2020 survey of 16-18 year olds by Winchester University showed that fewer than half (46%) rated universities as doing a good job on addressing the climate crisis.

We know that students are not shy if they feel their universities are slacking; a spate of UK institutions were spray-painted orange last Autumn by Just Stop Oil protesters.

And it’s not just students holding universities to account.  At last week’s UUK conference, Labour’s Kerry McCarthy, who is the Shadow Minister for Climate Change, referred to news reports that UK universities had taken £40 million from the fossil fuel industry since 2022. McCarthy gently said she hoped that these universities “were on a journey to finding other sponsorship sources”.  (McCarthy also confirmed that Labour is standing by its £28 billion pledge on green policies – let’s hope that remains the case.)

The truth is that, despite a sprinkling of negative news stories, universities and their scientists have long been at the vanguard of responding to the climate crisis – whether through their research, teaching, or sustainability policies.

UUK reports that many of its 142 university members are aiming to beat the UK government in the race to Net Zero.  Nearly nine in ten (86%) member institutions have Net Zero targets for scope 1 and 2 emissions (ie, for their own estates and activities) and 65% have targets for scope 3 emissions (ie, from procurement and travel etc).

Some universities are shining lights. The University of Reading topped the current People and Planet University League table with its plethora of nitty gritty policies on all sorts of not-very-glamorous topics like estates and catering. 

In 2021, LSE became the first UK university to be verified as carbon neutral. 

Last year, the University of Sussex announced it would set aside 42% of its campus for nature, with its VC, Prof Sasha Roseneil writing: “Now is the time for all universities that have stewardship of significant areas of land to extend their sustainability focus and commit to increasing biodiversity on their home territory.”  

Goldsmiths announced a climate-inspired beef ban as early as 2019.  Student bodies from eight universities have now voted for entirely plant-based campus menus (they are: Warwick, Stirling, Cambridge, Birmingham, London Met, Queen Mary, UCL, and Kent).

And what else can universities do?  Well, perhaps the subject most dear to my heart as a climate science communicator: they can promote the hell out of their research. 

The folks at the University of Reading are really savvy at this. They are the home of the now-ubiquitous climate stripes which visually demonstrate the pace of warming. They also produced a tantalisingly simple video showing the link between heatwaves and flash-flooding, which went viral.

Exeter launched reports on the carbon budget and global tipping points from COP28, collaborating with the UK’s Science Media Centre to land decent coverage amid a very competitive media landscape. (I know from having been on the ground at COP28 promoting ocean science…)

LSE is lucky to house the Grantham Research Institute on Climate Change and the Environment whose team publish globally authoritative research and are particularly adept at reacting quickly to climate news with informed commentary.

Imperial’s climate change poster competition for young people will see billboards displaying winning artwork by an 11 year old. It’s a smart campaign which deftly engages young people as creators but will also no doubt open hearts and minds across the UK.

Less charmingly, Surrey pulled off a feat just last week by finding a way to engage Daily Mail readers on climate change with research linking the risk of a warming UK with more tummy bug outbreaks…  And in my view, if that’s what it takes to get the general public to pay attention, so be it!

So, UK universities know what to do on climate. Perhaps the task now is to pull together, share best practice and to challenge each other to do better through events like the UUK’s last week and initiatives like the UK Universities Climate Network.

As Dustin Benton of the Green Alliance said at the UUK conference: “The UK’s university sector stands out as a leader globally even as the UK is stepping away from leadership – so please, please do carry on.” 

Student doctor Amit Singh of Mock COP, who also spoke at the conference, agreed: “The UK university sector has a very strong role to play in being a change-making voice as compared to the UK government. And in showing what we can do, we can push other countries to start making changes.”