Net zero targets 2025: review for education providers

The Department for Education (DfE) has set targets of reducing the emissions produced by the education estate by three-quarters by 2037 and achieving net zero by 2050. 2025 is therefore a milestone year on the path to 2050 and the next 25 years will see the UK government work towards their target to cut greenhouse gas emissions to net zero.

As such, 2025 will be a year for schools and education providers to reflect on progress to date against climate commitments and a year to revise climate strategy as part of the ongoing transition planning process.

The Government have announced a wide range of measures and support to help academy trusts and education providers achieve this target, other than standard capital funding and a recent announcement by the newly formed Great British Energy could be a sign of further changes and support to come.

The Energy Secretary, Ed Miliband has announced the first major project for Great British Energy and hundreds of schools across the UK will benefit from new rooftop solar power and renewable schemes to save money on their energy bills.

Great British Energy will immediately begin working with schools and devolved governments to install solar panels, build local clean power, and bring down energy bills with around £80m in funding supporting around 200 schools to install rooftop solar panels that could power classrooms and operations, with the potential to sell leftover energy back to the grid.

The first panels are expected to be installed in schools by the end of this summer, to help save money for the next academic year. Currently only about 20% of schools have solar panels installed, but the technology has huge potential to save money on bills and the support will target schools with buildings that are able to accommodate solar panels in the areas of England which are most in need.

Initial estimates suggest that on average, a typical school could save up to £25,000 per year on its annual energy bill if they had solar panels with complementary technologies installed, such as batteries.

As part of the Government’s Climate and Sustainability Strategy, they aim to have all early years setting, schools, multi-academy trusts, colleges and universities implementing their own Climate Action Plans (CAPs) by the end of 2025.

A CAP is a detailed plan to enable your education setting, or trust, to progress or commence a structured and strategic route towards sustainability in a way that is unique and manageable for each individual school.

A CAP should cover how to reduce carbon emissions, improve biodiversity, climate education, and take actions to increase resilience to climate-related changes such as flooding and overheating. A well thought out CAP will help educational institutions  be confident in understanding climate change and how positive change can be achieved, prioritising sustainability, improving energy efficiency and reducing operating costs.

Education providers across the UK should also ensure they have an understanding of climate transition plans (CTPs) ahead of the upcoming Government consultations on sustainability standards, which could potentially introduce mandatory sustainability disclosure standards.

Many education providers have already published CTPs. However, for those who are still to set out and publish plans, it is important to know what CTPs involve and what must be considered in line with net zero targets.

CTPs are living documents which set out and guide an institution’s strategy to achieve its climate commitments. In comparison to CAPs, they take a more long-term strategic view and set out how providers will achieve net-zero by 2050.

Even in advance of mandatory disclosure requirements, there are several benefits to publishing a CTP. Lenders and grant funders are increasing including sustainability considerations when evaluating loan or grant applications and a CTP not only states the commitments to sustainability but also demonstrates the initiatives undertaken to decarbonise.

Given the various financial challenges that many universities face right now and at a time when the cost of borrowing and building is significantly higher than it was when many providers set their net zero commitments, there will be the need to consider whether those commitments remain deliverable.

In recent years, many education providers have published net zero commitments without undertaking a full transition planning process. However, 2025, as a milestone year, will shine a spotlight on gaps between ambition and reality and providers will need to consider whether they maintain their ambitious targets or if they perhaps proceed at a slower pace in line with government policy.

The UK’s dependency on global fossil fuel markets has meant that schools have been hit with rocketing energy bills in recent years, costing taxpayers millions of pounds and eating into budgets. Cuts in school funding since 2014 have made it unrealistic for schools to also fund projects to help the transition to net-zero and the lack of available capital combined with increasing running costs have further depleted schools’ budgets ,so Government assistance and funding is welcomed if targets are to be achieved.

Further support and guidance are available for education providers and is provided by the DfE through:

·       Sustainability Support for Education: which provides resources, services and tools to help identify appropriate action to develop or build on existing CAPs.

·       Climate Ambassador Programme: provides access to on-the-ground volunteer climate ambassadors and regional networks to support the development and delivery of impactful CAPs, working in partnership with Let’s Go Zero Climate Action Advisors