Celebrations are underway at the University of Bedfordshire after it was announced that the institution was awarded second place in the UK in the People & Planet 2022/23 University Green League, putting it in the top spot for England overall.
The University has appeared in the League’s top ten since 2018 and this latest achievement of scoring 81.3% reinforces its commitment to sustainable education and influence. Areas which the University scored highly in include carbon management, ethical careers and recruitment, energy sources, waste and recycling, and water reduction.
People & Planet is the largest student network in the UK which campaigns for social and environmental justice. Each year, the People & Planet University League measures a number of environmental areas including carbon and water reduction, use of alternative energy sources, sustainable food and recycling.
Professor Andrew Church, Pro Vice Chancellor and sustainability lead for the University, commented: “It’s very pleasing to be placed first out of 125 institutions in England as it really hones in on our student and staff willingness and commitment to living and learning sustainably. Universities and other educational outlets play a key role in influencing change and community mind set around important issues such as the environment, climate change and sustainability.”
J Clarke, Co-Director of Climate Campaigns at People & Planet, added: “The University of Bedfordshire ranked top in England in the People & Planet University League and second in the whole of the UK. This fantastic achievement clearly displays that bold climate leadership in universities must include breaking ties with the fossil fuel industries driving the climate crisis. People & Planet hope many more universities will follow their shining example.”
As well as achieving Platinum EcoCampus status for the fourth year running earlier this year, some of the ways Bedfordshire has continued to successfully implement sustainability across its campuses include generating almost one million kwh’s of renewable energy, introducing bee hives to encourage biodiversity, harvesting rainwater to flush toilets, and the use of cross-campus electric vehicles. Alongside this, the University has invested £5m in the last decade in retrofitting buildings to reduce annual emissions of carbon dioxide.
Adam Higgin, Head of Sustainability at the University of Bedfordshire, said: “This year’s league table position is the culmination of more than ten years’ work. It’s what we’ve been working towards as an institution.”
For further information on how the University of Bedfordshire is committed to sustainability, visit: www.beds.ac.uk/sustainability
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