Carbon neutral by 2027

Our home.
Our responsibility.

Climate change is a manmade disaster on a global scale.

If we all keep living and working the way we do now, it will lead to devastation for our families, our homes, our businesses and our entire way of life.

The planet is warming at an unprecedented rate and our region is increasingly unlikely to survive the impact of rising temperatures. The Humber region is one of the coastal regions around the world officially listed as at high risk due to rising sea levels and increasing flood threat.

At the University of Hull, colleagues and students are uniting in action towards becoming carbon neutral. We’re rising to the challenge, leading the way to help to solve some of these complex problems. Not just for our region, but for the world beyond our shores.

Here on campus, we have made an ambitious commitment to be carbon neutral by 2027, which sets our centenary as a target date and reaffirms our commitment to contribute towards the urgent action needed to reverse global heating and the climate crisis.

The future depends on us. Let’s get on with it.

You can make a difference by studying with us

Find out how

Our plan is to be carbon neutral by 2027. Here's how.

We have made good progress having already reduced our carbon emissions by 31%. We still have a lot to do and problems to solve, but as climate impacts become more severe, standing still is not an option for us.

The majority of our carbon emissions are from our production and consumption of energy.

The top two things that we are doing towards becoming carbon neutral are:

Transitioning to renewable sources of energy to fuel the campus
Making further energy efficiencies through optimising our estate and campus infrastructure

We will also continue to focus on:

Improving our recycling rate and waste management
Reducing single-use plastics
Reducing our water consumption
Embed sustainable procurement
Enhance the levels of biodiversity on campus
Support colleagues in considering sustainability when making travel choices

Find out how we’re becoming carbon neutral

Our research

Our researchers are working tirelessly to drive innovation to solve some of these complex problems. Here’s just a flavour of research underway.

Tackling environmental resilience and energy sustainability

Founded just over 2 years ago, our Energy & Environment Institute has grown from an initial team of 2 to over 80 people in just two years, leading efforts to tackle global environmental resilience and energy sustainability.

Next gen energy station will transform the way we power communities

A ‘next generation’ energy station which aims to transform the way we power communities is being developed at the University of Hull. The unique concept will see multiple renewable fuel inputs, including industry and household waste, earth and water, solar and hydro power, wind and bio fuels, feed into a number of local community stations, where they will be converted to energy and distributed across the region.

Shortlisted for a £36m funding bid to develop low carbon technologies

The University of Hull has led a bid from 40 regional organisations for £36m of government funding to transform the Humber economy and help fight global climate change. If successful, the funding would be used to leverage the latest research to drive innovations in the production of clean energy.

We’re helping to sustain the Humber, and the UK, as a leader in the offshore wind industry

Aura Innovation Centre helps businesses to innovate by shaping promising ideas into practical solutions.

A £3.4m innovation centre to significantly reduce the Humber’s long term flood risk.

We have established a Flood Resilience Innovation Centre to enable businesses to develop innovative solutions to mitigate flood risk, improve response to flood events and increase resilience where complete flood prevention is impossible.

Reducing our reliance on fossil resources

We’re collaborating on a project to develop the bioeconomy – using renewable, biological resources from the land and sea such as plants, such as crops, forests, fish, animals and micro-organisms – to produce food, materials and energy.

Our teaching

As the need to take action to help our environment has never been more pressing, we’re developing our programmes to prepare our graduates to take on the challenge.

Offsetting carbon emissions

Our biology students are offsetting our environmental impact by contributing over 2000 person hours a year of voluntary conservation work for local environmental organisations as part of their degree. Find out about our programmes.

Developing talent to boost skills for the offshore wind industry

More than 70 PhD students at the Aura Centre for Doctoral Training will be developing cutting-edge research, seeking solutions to the environmental and engineering challenges facing the offshore wind industry.

We’re offering the chance to gain an understanding of a range of renewable energy technologies, such as wind, tidal, solar and hydro-power, through our new MSc Renewable Energy programme. What’s more six students could be eligible for £5000 towards their studies.

Working with Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy to offer a degree apprenticeship

We have joined with Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy to offer an MSc Masters Degree Apprenticeship in Offshore Wind Energy Engineering through the University’s Department of Engineering - the first of its kind in the UK.

Engineering students develop alternatives to oil-based plastics

Our engineering students have been involved in cutting-edge work helping develop alternatives to oil-based plastics with the aim of reducing plastic waste consumption and protect our planet.

Our students get first-hand experience

Our business students carry out work placements at energy companies including Siemens Gamesa, Eon, Drax and Phillips 66.

Our students are conducting life-changing research

We have more than 50 PhD students working with the Energy and Environment Institute conducting life-changing research to help inform policies and practices. They are informing the agenda to help tackle climate change and environmental challenges.

View our courses

The Deep (Credit - Sean Spencer, Hull News & Pictures)

Plastic Pledge

Unless we take radical action, there will be more plastic than fish in our waters by 2050*.

Here at the University of Hull, we're rising to the challenge by inspiring staff, students, alumni and partners to make small everyday changes that collectively will have a huge impact on our oceans.

Find out what you can do to help.

Take the pledge