SDG13 Climate Action FAQs
We are committed to delivering education for sustainable development and ensure that our programmes and research programmes explore world challenges and seek sustainable solutions to the climate emergency. The following pages outline Northumbria’s policies and practices in support of SDG13 Climate Action.
Measuring Low Carbon Energy Use
51 is committed to cutting carbon emissions and driving the transition to renewable energy. We generate electricity onsite from a number PV panel arrays, and our purchased energy is provided through a green tariff whereby all electricity comes from low carbon renewable sources. We measure the amount of low carbon energy used across the university, which is tracked via our publicly available , with totals reported in our Annual Carbon Management Report.
Our campuses are powered in part by Solar Photovoltaic (PV) arrays which we monitor to track progress in reducing emissions. In 2023/24, generated 795GJ of renewable electricity from our solar arrays, saving more than 80 tonnes of CO₂. You can explore the details of our solar energy systems on our Energy from Sunlight pages.
We are continually improving the carbon efficiency of our buildings by installing LED lighting, replacing gas boilers with air source heat pumps, retrofitting facilities and enhancing our Building Management Systems.
Northumbria is also one of Europe’s leading centres for solar research. Our scientists are currently working on a £2 million project to develop new raw materials for solar panels—reducing costs, enabling mass production and making solar energy more accessible.
Local Education Programmes on Climate
Northumbria provides and delivers local education programmes and campaigns that raise awareness of climate issues and encourage sustainable action. Through outreach, schools engagement and public events, we help young people and communities understand the risks of climate change and its impacts, along with strategies for mitigation and adaptation.
We host free public seminars throughout the year on climate change, energy efficiency and clean energy. We hosted on campus, an event focused on how students can take part in climate action and mitigation.
Our aimed to harness the power of the UK’s design and business communities to create ways out of the climate crisis, with more than 60 guest speakers from disciplines including energy, food waste, biodiversity, supply chains and design sharing ways that participants could take action as individuals.
In August 2024, Northumbria hosted the International Symposium on Verification and Validation of Cryospheric Models, in conjunction with , which shared and evaluated projections of global sea levels change to 2300. Cryospheric models simulate how ice, snow, and frozen ground behave and are now widely used to study Earth’s frozen regions on land and at sea. When combined with real-world observations, these models provide a powerful, physics-based way to understand how the frozen parts of our planet have changed in the past, what they look like today, and how they might evolve in the future. They are essential tools for predicting sea-level rise, estimating freshwater resources from glaciers and snow, and linking the cryosphere with other parts of the global climate system, providing a potential early warning system that can be linked to impact reduction measures.
We also provide Continued Professional Development courses to support professionals in understanding environmental management and carbon reduction. Examples include our IESP certified Carbon Footprinting (GHG Accounting), Net Zero Targets and Carbon Reduction Planning and the IEMA Foundation Certificate in Environmental Management.
Net Zero Targets
Our Carbon Management Strategy 2020–2030 sets out our 2030 commitment to reduce emissions by 80% compared to a 2014/15 baseline, and to achieve Net Zero by 2040 at the latest. Progress is reported annually in our Annual Carbon Management Report.
Scope 3 emissions, including procurement, travel, waste, investments and energy use outside campus, are a major focus for improvement. Work is underway to refine reporting accuracy and shape a pathway to Net Zero
Climate Action Plan
Northumbria’s Climate Action Plan is part of our Environmental Sustainability Strategy and is set out in our Carbon Management Strategy 2020-2030. It provides a structured framework for measuring, planning and reducing greenhouse gas emissions. As part of our publicly available Strategy, we produce a detailed and strategic framework for measuring, planning and reducing our greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and related climatic impacts each year, which is shared with local government and community groups.
We share our Carbon Management Strategy with local government, including Newcastle City Council and the North East Combined Authority, in addition to local hospitals and local community groups via the . As an Anchor Institution of the Group, we actively contribute to the city-wide climate action plan, and are committed to the city’s decarbonisation goals set out in the . The plan is aligned with Newcastle City Council and regional goals for a Net Zero North East, ensuring our research and innovation contribute directly to city-wide climate change resilience.
Northumbria maintains a number of ongoing collaboration programmes that serve as key mechanisms for engagement with the local community on climate matters. Through these initiatives, the University both shares its expertise and gains valuable insights from local residents, local government and civil society representatives. Northumbria actively participates in strategic partnerships that influence regional climate policy and decision-making. As a key partner in the Collaborative Newcastle Universities Agreement (CNUA), Northumbria works alongside Newcastle University and Newcastle City Council to address city-wide issues like sustainable transport, biodiversity and climate change mitigation. Through the programme, Northumbria is working closely with local government on our climate change action plan and decision making on our carbon reduction measures
Co-Operative Planning for Climate Change Disasters and Climate Resilience
Northumbria works with government and community partners planning for climate resilience at regional and international levels. Our researchers support projects on climate adaptation, sustainable cities and green infrastructure, working with local communities and participating in co-operative planning for climate change disasters, such as flooding and heatwaves.
Regionally, we hosted EcoMat, a conference connecting academia, industry and Government policymakers to explore renewable energy, circular economy solutions and sustainable futures. Discussions included catalysis, energy storage, thermal, wind, solar and hydrogen energy, as well as smart materials for environmental applications.
Internationally, our Living Deltas Hub is working with delta-dwellers and policymakers planning for climate change disasters, such as flooding risks in Vietnam, Bangladesh and India, which could result in the displacement of millions of people. River deltas comprise only 1% of global landscapes but support more than half a billion people. Deltas are integral to global food supplies, fish stocks, water supply, industry, trade and culture, however, they are under threat from climate change, heatwaves, rising sea levels, industrial farming techniques and pollutants, potentially displacing millions of people both within a country and across borders. The Living Deltas Hub is a leading delta science and research partnership, researching ways to mitigate and adapt the effects of climate change by understanding what sustainable delta livelihoods look like.
Inform and Support Government
Northumbria informs and supports regional and local government, providing expertise in monitoring, planning and responding to climate change through a variety of programmes.. Locally, Northumbria supports climate action across the region by working with key stakeholders, including Newcastle City Council, North East Combined Authority and other agencies to design evidence-based adaptation strategies. As an anchor institution of the , we actively contribute to the city-wide climate action plan, and are actively supporting to the city’s decarbonisation goals set out in the . The plan is aligned with Newcastle City Council and regional goals for a Net Zero North East, ensuring our research and innovation contribute directly to city-wide climate change resilience.
Our Visualisation and Virtual Reality group use innovative 3D survey and analysis to transform decision making in built and natural environments. It collaborates with national agencies, regional government and industry to provide tailored solutions to challenges arising from climate change, including climate related disaster risks, such as flooding and heatwaves. Their early warning work on slope visualisation and change detection data with Forestry Enterprise Scotland recommended planting of tree species to improve slope stability. Internationally, the group work with Natural Resources Canada monitoring and addressing the key risks to infrastructure and communities posed by permafrost cliff erosion and their early warning systems helped to prevent a potentially fatal landslide arising from excess precipitation.
Environmental Collaboration with NGOs
Northumbria partners with a range of NGOs and community groups to advance climate adaptation and sustainability. Locally, we work closely with Business in the Community (BITC), a major UK-based NGO, on a number of climate-focused projects relevant to education and practice. In 2023/4, Northumbria was appointed as research partner on the BITC’s Green Skills Lab project which aims to equip businesses and public sector organisations across the UK with the knowledge and capabilities to address climate risks and transition to net-zero operations. Our work with BITC includes climate adaptation and resilience as strategic themes, particularly in the context of skills development and local economic inclusion.
Our researchers are also working with the Natural Environment Research Council to develop new sensor technologies that monitor carbon emissions from peatlands. These ecosystems store one-third of the world’s soil carbon, but release greenhouse gases when drained or cultivated. The project will improve UK carbon release estimates and test monitoring solutions in extreme locations such as Arctic Canada and Finland.
