Indymedia York

York University has been ranked as “mediocre” in a league table compiled by student organisation People & Planet (P&P) and published in the Times Higher Education Supplement to coincide with World Environment Day.

People & Planet’s Green League 2007 ranks 120 universities in terms of environmental performance awarding Vice-Chancellors with a First, 2:1, 2:2, Third, or Fail. York has been awarded a 2:2. The league table incorporates data never before published in the public domain – obtained by P&P in a Freedom of Information (FoI) request – including the percentage of energy purchased from renewable sources, percentage of waste recycled, and CO2 emissions for each individual institution. York has a 2:2.

This comes after the university took part in a HE scheme run by the Carbon Trust, in 2005 and which failed to have any significant effect whatsoever. “I hope Heslington East is going to be an exemplar of how an HE institution should move and the existing campus should reflect this too,” said Pro-Vice Chancellor Janet Ford.

This result “reflects the fact that the University has been dragging its feet on environmental issues and is a measure of our complacency. The university presently does not regard environmental performance as a priority, but as new laws and taxes are introduced to deal with urgent green issues, the economic argument is irrefutable. The nearing decisions on architects and final design must take into account these factors”, according to members of York People & Planet group.

A spokesperson for York People & Planet said, “We're disappointed with the result obviously but at the same time we feel vindicated in our demand that the University must do more to tackle its environmental footprint. There has been progress in some areas but overall commitment is lacking. There is no reason why York University should not be capable of making the same environmental improvements as other institutions, notably nearby Leeds who have topped the tables.”

The Green League 2007 follows the January 2007 publication of the UCAS and Forum for the Future, 'Future Leaders Survey', which revealed that 45% of young people intending to study education, social sciences, architecture, and building and planning said a good track record on sustainable development was important or very important in choosing where to study.[1] With increasing competition in the HE marketplace, The Green League 2007 will come as a warning to institutions like York: they've got to Go Green to stay competitive.

P&P is running a national campaign to persuade Universities to clean up their act. Students across the country want their Universities to cut carbon emissions, recycle properly, purchase environmentally friendly products, protect biodiversity etc. So they are calling on their Universities to go green by gaining support from the Vice Chancellors to publish a comprehensive environmental policy, carry out a full environmental review, and employ full-time staff dedicated to environmental management. York has now introduced two of these reforms, but other institutions have cleaned up their act. Since 2003, P&P campus campaigns have resulted in several prominent Universities, e.g. LSE, Nottingham, Warwick, Portsmouth, Birmingham & Edinburgh going green by adopting P&P's four key demands.

Occupying a full 9% of all UK office space, and emitting 3 million tonnes of CO2 from energy every year – the Higher Education (HE) sector has a significant environmental footprint. A recent report by Business In The Community (BITC) found that the HE sector scored an average of only 55% on the BITC environment index, compared to the business average of 83%.[2] In contrast, opinion polls have shown that graduates and young voters are more likely to care about the environment. In a recent Guardian/ICM poll, voters were asked which two areas should be priorities for the government: 28% highlighted action to tackle climate change and 16% wanted the economy to grow faster. The signal from those aged 18-24 was clearer: 35% picked climate change and 9% the economy.[3]

ENDS

FURTHER NOTES

People & Planet is the largest UK student network campaigning to end world poverty, defend human rights and protect the environment. Our network covers 70% of Britain’s universities and 10% of Sixth Forms. For more info visit http://peopleandplanet.org.

The Green League 2007 is available online at http://peopleandplanet.org/greenleague2007.

People & Planet is a founding member of Stop Climate Chaos, the national coalition of civil society organisations campaigning on climate change http://www.stopclimatechaos.org/.

People & Planet’s Go Green campaign aims to transform the environmental performance of UK Universities. http://peopleandplanet.org/gogreen.

For inquiries and further information, please contact Robbie Blake, People & Planet - Go Green Campaign Coordinator, gogreen@peopleandplanet.org, 01865 245678.

REFERENCES

1 UCAS and Forum for the Future, ‘Future Leaders Survey’, http://www.forumforthefuture.org.uk/docs/page/165/495/Futureleaders0607....

2 BITC & EAUC, ‘Universities that Count’,
http://www.eauc.org.uk/documents/News/HE%20Benchmarking%20Project%20Repo...

3 'Most Britons willing to pay green taxes to save the environment', http://politics.guardian.co.uk/polls/story/0,,1717302,00.html