Durham University

Turning sustainability ambition into action

Durham University adopted a new Sustainability Ambition Statement in the summer of 2023 setting out our targets for Net Zero (2035) and Biodiversity Net Gain (2032).

In the year following, the University community has begun in turning ambition into action, with progress on reducing emissions, delivering on our biodiversity strategy, and engaging our staff and student community.

There is a long way to go to reach our targets but actions from across our community means that we are having impact throughout the institution as we work to embed sustainability in everything we do.

Top 3 Learnings

1. The challenge cannot be met by one team or one leader but needs shared responsibility.
2. ‘Sustainability’ means different things to different people, clarity on communication is key.
3. Net Zero and Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) are transformative; celebrate progress, even if it is slow.