$3 million worth of campus energy upgrades, including enough energy savings to power more than 260 houses in a year, are just some of the achievements outlined in the University of Melbourne’s 2023 Sustainability Report, released today and available to view here.
The report, which is set against ambitious targets announced in the University’s Sustainability Plan 2030, details progress made towards achieving institutional targets of carbon neutrality by 2025, and climate positive status by 2030.
University of Melbourne's Acting Chief Operating Officer Ms Katerina Kapobassis said the University was committed to embedding sustainability across all aspects of the institution.
“We know that reducing our carbon footprint is a top priority for many of our staff and students,” Ms Kapobassis said.
“We are proud to say that our onsite solar generation increased by seven per cent in 2023 and that, in line with a state-wide shift, we are developing a long-term program to replace gas infrastructure with electric alternatives, powered by renewable energy.”
The report also highlights the University’s impact and ambitions in sustainability and climate action through its core teaching and learning and research activities, including the launch of the Biodiversity Institute, a collective dedicated to addressing Earth’s biodiversity crisis.
“The 2023 Sustainability Report outlines the strong foundation we have built at the University of Melbourne and, while there is plenty of work still ahead of us, we expect to see these initiatives and opportunities yield many more positive results as we head into 2025,” Ms Kapobassis said.
“It is our responsibility as a university to be championing sustainable operations, leading sustainability research and teaching sustainability to our students.”
The University of Melbourne ranked ninth best in the world in the latest Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) Sustainability Rankings, demonstrating the positive results of sustainability efforts to date.
The full 2023 Sustainability Report is now available online here.
