Top universities for climate action 2024

By seeta.bhardwa@…, 28 October, 2024

Warnings from environmentalists about the dangers of climate change have become louder and louder over the past few years. If we don’t drastically cut carbon emissions, there could be serious repercussions for the planet.

Many universities are providing great examples of how to combat climate change through pledging to hit zero carbon emissions, refitting buildings to be more energy-efficient and arming students with the knowledge and skills to make individual changes.

The United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) look to tackle some of today’s biggest global issues, and one of them, SDG 13, covers climate action.

As part of the 2024 Impact Rankings, Times Higher Education has produced a ranking focusing on how universities are contributing to climate action. Some of the measures taken into account for the ranking are low-carbon energy use, a commitment to carbon-neutrality and working with local or national governments to address climate change. You can read more about the methodology here.

Top five universities for climate action

1. University of Tasmania

The University of Tasmania scored highly in a range of metrics for the climate action ranking, including for the number of climate action papers published, low-carbon energy tracking, the number of local education programmes about climate and its commitment to carbon-neutrality.

The university’s Climate Futures Research Group works with industry and government agencies around Australia to create projections about the impact of climate change on a range of sectors including wine production and ski resorts.

2. UNSW Sydney

UNSW Sydney is the second university from Australia to feature in the top five for SDG 13.

The university has made a range of commitments to tackle climate change, including 30 per cent less emissions by 2025, 50 per cent less emissions by 2030 and to be net zero by 2050.

The Climate Change Network is a network of staff and students who hold regular events and activities to combat climate change within the university and the local community.

3. Simon Fraser University

Simon Fraser University, which is located in Canada, climbs two places this year.

The university offers more than 230 sustainability courses, and its environmental science programme has been running for more than 25 years.

In 2019, the university opened its School of Sustainable Energy Engineering.


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4. Western Sydney University

Western Sydney University has been certified carbon neutral for its business operations since 2023.

The university has a range of initiatives with a focus on sustainability, including electric vehicle charging stations on campus and regenerative agriculture practices.

The university has managed to reduce waste by 50 per cent, and all retailers on campus have halted the use of single-use plastic products.

5. University of Victoria

The University of Victoria has a strategic framework in place that outlines the measures it will take to tackle climate change.

One of the measures laid out in the framework is to ensure that students are engaged with the principles of sustainability and have the opportunity to develop their knowledge of sustainable practices.

The university is also in the process of consulting staff, students and the local community on a climate and sustainability action plan that will outline measurable outcomes for the university’s commitment to sustainability.


The top universities for climate action 2024: top 100

Climate action rank 2024UniversityCountry/region
1University of TasmaniaAustralia
2UNSW SydneyAustralia
3Simon Fraser UniversityCanada
4Western Sydney UniversityAustralia
5University of VictoriaCanada
6University of Eastern FinlandFinland
7Abdullah Gül UniversityTurkey
8Aalborg UniversityDenmark
9University of NewcastleAustralia
10Lappeenranta-Lahti University of Technology LUTFinland
11Arizona State University (Tempe)United States
12University of ExeterUnited Kingdom
13Université LavalCanada
14Delft University of TechnologyNetherlands
14University of OtagoNew Zealand
15University of Technology SydneyAustralia
16RMIT UniversityAustralia
17Wageningen University & ResearchNetherlands
18University at BuffaloUnited States
19University of ReadingUnited Kingdom
20Universidad Andrés Bello (UNAB)Chile
=21The Chinese University of Hong KongHong Kong
=21University of AucklandNew Zealand
23KTH Royal Institute of TechnologySweden
24University of the West of EnglandUnited Kingdom
25Université de MontréalCanada
26University of HelsinkiFinland
27University of East AngliaUnited Kingdom
28Australian National UniversityAustralia
=29Technological University DublinIreland
=29University of SussexUnited Kingdom
31Newcastle UniversityUnited Kingdom
32University of CanterburyNew Zealand
33Polytechnic University of ValenciaSpain
34University of GlasgowUnited Kingdom
=35Massey UniversityNew Zealand
=35Shoolini University of Biotechnology and Management SciencesIndia
=35University of LiverpoolUnited Kingdom
38Egypt-Japan University of Science and Technology (E-JUST)Egypt
39King’s College LondonUnited Kingdom
40University of YorkUnited Kingdom
41La Trobe UniversityAustralia
=42Bournemouth UniversityUnited Kingdom
=42University of BarcelonaSpain
44Macquarie UniversityAustralia
45Queen’s UniversityCanada
46Tecnológico de MonterreyMexico
47University of ManchesterUnited Kingdom
48Charles Sturt UniversityAustralia
49IMT AtlantiqueFrance
50University of LeedsUnited Kingdom
51Concordia UniversityCanada
52National Cheng Kung University (NCKU)Taiwan
53University of MinnesotaUnited States
=54Hiroshima UniversityJapan
=54University of EssexUnited Kingdom
56Lancaster UniversityUnited Kingdom
57Katholische Universität Eichstätt-IngolstadtGermany
58Universitat Politècnica de CatalunyaSpain
=59Radboud University NijmegenNetherlands
=59University of HullUnited Kingdom
=59University of ValladolidSpain
=62Northumbria UniversityUnited Kingdom
=62University of AlgarvePortugal
=62University of WollongongAustralia
=65Lakehead UniversityCanada
=65Rovira i Virgili UniversitySpain
=65The Hong Kong University of Science and TechnologyHong Kong
67Pontificia Universidad Católica de ChileChile
=68Technical University of MadridSpain
=68University of GironaSpain
70University of TurkuFinland
71Lincoln University (New Zealand)New Zealand
72University of SurreyUnited Kingdom
=73De Montfort UniversityUnited Kingdom
=73Prince Mohammad Bin Fahd UniversitySaudi Arabia
=73University of BolognaItaly
=73Victoria UniversityAustralia
=73Victoria University of WellingtonNew Zealand
=79Benha UniversityEgypt
=79SOAS University of LondonUnited Kingdom
=79University of StirlingUnited Kingdom
82University of AlbertaCanada
83Tecnológico de Costa RicaCosta Rica
84Pontifical Catholic University of PeruPeru
85Universiti Sains MalaysiaMalaysia
=86Al-Mustaqbal UniversityIraq
=86Indiana University BloomingtonUnited States
=86University of FlorenceItaly
=86University of NottinghamUnited Kingdom
=90University of AberdeenUnited Kingdom
=90University of PlymouthUnited Kingdom
=92École des Mines de Saint-ÉtienneFrance
=92University of FreiburgGermany
=94National Pingtung University of Science and TechnologyTaiwan
=94National University of Uzbekistan named after Mirzo UlugbekUzbekistan
=96Comillas Pontifical UniversitySpain
=96Pontifical Javeriana UniversityColombia
=96University of MurciaSpain
99McMaster UniversityCanada
=100Brunel University of LondonUnited Kingdom
=100Toronto Metropolitan UniversityCanada

View the full ranking for climate action here

October 2024: After the publication of the Impact Rankings 2024, we identified errors in some universities’ evidence scores. In line with our corrections policy, the affected universities’ scores were recalculated.  As per THE’s rankings correction policy, the amendments made only affect the universities in question. We do not rerun the complete ranking. All other universities maintain their original rank. This article was updated to reflect the new scores. More information on the changes can be found here. 

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Explore the top 100 universities for climate action, based on data collected as part of the Times Higher Education Impact Rankings

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