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 will 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 2026 Sustainability Impact Ratings,Times Higher Education has ranked universities according to how they 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 research on climate action. You can read more about the methodology here.
The top four universities for climate action are located in Australia, recognising the country’s commitment to tackling climate change.
Top five universities for climate action
1. University of Tasmania
The University of Tasmania retains its position as the top university for climate action. The university offers a range of courses for students in climate action such as natural environments and conservation and climate safe engineering.
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 Australian university in the top five for SDG 13.
The university has made a range of commitments to tackle climate change, including 30 per cent lower emissions by 2025, 50 per cent lower emissions by 2030 and to be carbon-neutral by 2050.
The Climate Change Network is a collective of staff and students who hold regular events and activities to combat climate change within the university and local community.
3. University of Newcastle
The University of Newcastle, located in Callaghan, Australia, is ranked third for climate action. It drops down one place from second place last year.
The university has committed to reaching net zero by 2030 and to support this same target in the city of Newcastle.
The Students’ Union promotes climate action events, demonstrations and petitions to get students involved in sustainability practices.
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 removed single-use plastic products.
=5. Arizona State University (Tempe)
Arizona State University’s College of Global Futures aims to give students the opportunity to make a long-term impact. Students can study on courses that focus on sustainability and innovation. It also partners with community businesses and organisations to provide undergraduate and graduate research opportunities and internships.
Sustainability Connect is a platform that enables students to connect with sustainability projects and internships in the university and the wider community.
The university also achieved zero greenhouse gas emissions from campus operations in 2019, six years before its promised date of 2025.
=5. Université Laval
As part of its approach to become a more sustainable institution, Université Laval has introduced several projects to increase energy efficiency and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
These include the design of the university’s new sports venue, the TELUS-Université Laval Stadium. Very little air conditioning is used because the design of the building and the large windows facilitate natural ventilation. The stadium is also connected to the university’s weather station so that windows can be closed if a storm is detected.
In some buildings such as the Adrien-Pouliot building, the heating and air conditioning systems were refitted for energy efficiency and results showed a 30 per cent reduction in energy consumption.
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