Submitted by Jessica Haskell on Wed, 2020-10-28 12:22
Back in February 2019, Cambridge City Council declared a climate emergency in response to the rapidly changing global climate. Hot on the heels of this announcement, the Cambridge Climate Change Charter was established in September to support local organisations, businesses and individuals in reducing their carbon footprint.
Many of you will know that the University has committed to reducing its energy-related carbon emissions (scope 1 and 2) to absolute zero by 2048, with a steep 75% decrease on 2015 emissions by 2030. As of October, the University has also signed up to the Cambridge Climate Change Charter and pledged to take action to reduce its carbon emissions. We are proud to not only be creating a more sustainable University, but to be joining others in working towards the aspiration of Cambridge reaching 'net zero' carbon status by 2050.
The climate emergency is a challenge to us all and we encourage our staff and students to explore the support offered to individuals through the Cambridge Climate Change Charter. In order to meet the Council's goal of a net-zero Cambridge, the average individual's carbon footprint will need to reduce from 9 tonnes to 1.5. Once individuals have signed up to the Charter, they have access to online advice for not only measuring their footprint, but for reducing it too.
Written by Jess Haskell