Cardiff University has been ranked 85th in the UK for environmental performance, scoring 32 points out of a possible 70. The green league, published in July by student campaign group People and Planet, scores universities on policy, auditing, staff dedication, investment and resource management.
Cardiff was awarded a ÔÇÿ2:2ÔÇÖ for environmental credentials, which a Cardiff People & Planet spokesperson called ÔÇÿdisappointingÔÇÖ, indicating ÔÇÿa clear call for further action to back up the Vice-ChancellorÔÇÖs environmental commitmentsÔÇÖ.
This year Cardiff fell ten places to joint 85th in the national university environmental rankings. This fall is due to a failure to fulfil criteria which the university has previously fulfilled, as well as scoring poorly on new criteria. Cardiff scored well on areas such as environmental impact auditing; but scored poorly on ethical investment, carbon reduction, renewable energy and water consumption.
Currently Cardiff University has no specific carbon emissions reduction plan or plans to source renewable energy. However, following a recent history of controversy concerning investment in the arms trader as ethical investment policy may be implemented later this year.
Last year, Cardiff UniversityÔÇÖs Vice-Chancellor signed the Green Education Declaration, expressing a commitment to pushing sustainability. Cardiff has some good overall commitments to being green, but these are not carried through into policy specifics. The university carries out a range of environmental impact audits, but these have not yet led to much action.
Cardiff has had successes with initiatives such as Go Green Week, which runs every February, and energy-saving and recycling pushes in halls. Cardiff performs well in terms of integrating sustainability into the curriculum. The university also managed to score well in the food section by using free range eggs.
There are areas in which Cardiff has taken positive environmental action, which are not measured by the rankings.┬á Green improvements to the StudentsÔÇÖ Union building spearheaded by former Welfare Officer Megan David could earn points after changes to the Green League this year. DavidÔÇÖs policy will bring in up-to-date technology for lighting and refrigeration of food, as well as other measures.
The society People and Planet is amongst several within the university that students can get involved in which work on a range of green issues to improve environmental performance.
Wendy Maden
– President of People and Planet
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