Warwick lags in green league

Warwick University has placed 100th in The People & Planet Green League’s latest report into the greenest universities in Britain. Despite reducing its carbon emissions since 2005 by 4.49 percent, according to the study Warwick’s levels of CO2 per head is still missing government targets.

The annual report revealed the majority of universities are not meeting the government’s 34 percent reduction target. Between 2005 and 2010 the carbon emissions of 139 universities rose overall by 3.9 percent, above the higher education carbon reduction strategy target, which allows for a one percent increase.

People & Planet’s Green climate campaigns and communications manager, Louise Hazan commented: “The staff and students [at] Warwick University should be congratulated for making significant progress in several key areas … including a strong commitment to pro-active student and staff engagement.”

However, Hazan also stated that: “Warwick is simply not improving fast enough in comparison to the rest of the sector,” citing water management as key.

After Warwick University, now 100th, dropped from 65th in 2010, Hazan praised Warwick’s environment manager Nick Hillard: “It is disappointing to see the university drop so many places, especially given the concerted efforts of Nick Hillard, who does a fantastic job.”

Hillard commented on the results, claiming that the data does not correlate with the feedback he has received from “performance measures such as Universities that Count and polls such as the International Student Barometer,” stating that the “P&P Green league is a ‘tick-box’ assessment largely based on EMS statistics.”

Warwick has instead “focused on trying to find sustainable environmental solutions that manage financial and reputational risks.”

Citing as a flaw, Hillard said: “How can generating 25 million kWh of low carbon electricity be scored equal to sourcing eggs from free range sources?” In response, Hazan stated that the comparison is incorrect – “free-range eggs are equivalent to 0.25 of a point”, whereas “two points are available for the percentage of electricity generated from low or zero carbon energy sources.”

Hazan said People & Planet “have always taken a dual approach to measuring sustainability, using thirteen separate criteria to assess both universities’ commitment to systemic improvement and their actual performance.”

Hillard stressed: “We have reduced carbon emissions and waste produced, we are working hard on the procurement side and will be developing our biodiversity strategy over the coming year.”

Hillard is currently asking for suggestions on how to improve Warwick’s environmental performance. Details are on the Warwick website.