Greening Research

In 2023, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) released its Sixth Assessment Report highlighted that climate change is a worldwide challenge that requires concerted global action from all sectors of society – governments, private sector, civil society, and academia. The report also warns that the window for this action is rapidly narrowing. The academic system is contributing extensively to combating climate change by (i) research into the climate crisis and its impact; (ii) research into mitigation and adaptation strategies and technologies; (iii) education of the general public, as well as students; (iv) science-based policy advice. However, despite its positive impact – academia is also guilty of having a significant carbon footprint.  

Several global studies of universities show substantial emissions from energy use, travel, heating, laboratory consumption and procurement, with some national analyses estimating that the higher-education sector accounts for millions of tonnes of CO₂ emissions annually. As institutions that both study and shape society, research-performing and research-funding organisations have a responsibility to align their practices with the science they produce. Achieving a “greener” research ecosystem will require cultural change, new incentives, and coordinated action across researchers, administrators, funders, and policymakers. 

ALLEA’s activities on advancing climate sustainability in academia are led by the newly established Net Zero Task Force.