Goal 13: Climate action

Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts.

Working in partnership both locally and globally, we are tackling each of the UN Sustainable Development Goals through our research and knowledge exchange, education and student experience, and through our operations. Discover how our unique commitments align with and support Sustainable Development Goal 13: Climate action.

Research and knowledge exchange

The University of Liverpool’s newly established Interdisciplinary Centre for Sustainability Research (ICSR), brings together researchers from diverse fields to address the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). With an initial focus on climate-related SDGs, the Centre drives innovative collaboration and interdisciplinary research, leveraging the University’s expertise in digital solutions and innovation. ICSR aims to produce world-leading research outputs and foster global impact through partnerships with national and international experts, as well as external funders. Its Climate Futures research theme tackles the global climate crisis through high-quality, multidisciplinary efforts in climate science, emissions reduction, energy transition, food sustainability, air quality, materials discovery, behavioural insights, and sustainable technology development. Collaborating with partners across all scales, the Centre works to understand climate impacts, create solutions for environmental challenges, and support the transition to a low-carbon society. Through funded research, policy engagement, and contributions to international climate negotiations, ICSR provides thought leadership and evidence-based strategies to inform the public and policymakers on addressing climate change.

Operations

The University of Liverpool is actively supporting SDG 13 through comprehensive energy and carbon monitoring across its entire estate, as part of our Climate Plan and Sustainability Strategy, aligned with the Liverpool 2031 net zero targets. In January 2024, we adopted the sector-specific Standardised Carbon Reporting Framework (SCEF) to establish baselines and track carbon emissions across all three scopes. Our scope 1 and 2 emissions are being addressed through a new Energy Strategy, informed by internal energy audits and an external review by Ramboll as part of our decarbonisation programme. Additionally, we are working to reduce scope 3 emissions, which include those from commuter and business travel, waste, water usage, and procured goods and services. In line with our Ethical Investment Policy, we have implemented a full fossil fuel exclusion to support our broader sustainability efforts. These actions contribute directly to our commitment to mitigating climate change.

Education and student experience

The University of Liverpool supports SDG 13 by equipping students with knowledge and opportunities to address climate change, fostering research, education, and student-led initiatives that promote sustainable actions and climate resilience. The School of Environmental Sciences examines the planet from its atmosphere to its deep Earth, exploring how societies, communities, and ecosystems respond to environmental, economic, and social change. Our curriculum equips students with essential knowledge on climate change impacts and policy decisions, through modules like Climate Change – A Critical Review and Ecology and Conservation. Students are also encouraged to contribute to SDG 13 through the Student Sustainability Network, which plays an active role in raising awareness and promoting sustainable actions. During Sustainability Week 2024, students participated in a guided tour of the University’s Energy Centre, gaining a deeper understanding of the challenges universities face in adapting to future energy needs, climate change resilience, and achieving net zero carbon. Additionally, our academics delivered an insightful lecture on the science of climate change. The Guild of Students supports climate action through its Climate Action Network, connecting students passionate about climate change.

Case studies

Liverpool shapes UN climate-migration report

Staff and students from the University’s Department of Geography & Planning have significantly contributed to a UN report on climate change and human mobility, which was launched at COP28. This achievement followed their participation in two hackathons organised by the International Organization for Migration (IOM). A Liverpool student team, joined by peers from the London School of Economics, secured second place in a UK hackathon by analysing climate-driven migration in East and Horn of Africa through an innovative network approach. Their findings, later presented at an IOM hackathon in Kenya, contributed to a report on climate-induced migration. In Nairobi, Professor Francisco Rowe and Dr. Elisabetta Pietrostefani from the Geographic Data Science Lab collaborated with 50 international experts to model the complex links between climate drivers and migration, using technologies like telecom data and machine learning. The insights from these events informed the IOM’s COP28 presentation, showcased through a video at the IOM pavilion and a published Medium article. Professor Rowe commended the students’ success and the collaborative effort to deepen understanding of climate-driven migration.

Scaling up green prosperity

The Heseltine Institute for Public Policy, Practice and Place collaborated with the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) for the Liverpool City Region (LCR) to develop a Net Zero Manifesto entitled Scaling Up Green Prosperity. Launched at Parliament, the manifesto presents a roadmap for achieving green growth and maximising the LCR’s potential in line with the UK government’s goal of net zero by 2050. Metro Mayor Steve Rotherham has set a more ambitious target for the LCR to become carbon neutral by 2040 or sooner. The manifesto calls for enhanced government support and local flexibility to meet the region’s energy, housing, transport, skills, and innovation needs. It emphasises the necessity for a stable national policy framework to facilitate effective local action, including investment in energy infrastructure and skills development. The research also stresses the importance of deeper devolution to grant the LCR greater policy and fiscal autonomy for a unified approach to achieving net zero. Contributing to the manifesto demonstrates the University’s important role in advancing net zero innovation. The Heseltine Institute serves as the academic partner for the Liverpool City Region APPG, providing research briefings and supporting the city-region’s voice in Westminster.

COP28 Climate summit

In November 2023, the University of Liverpool hosted a summit featuring leading UK climate experts in anticipation of the 2023 UN Climate Change Conference (COP 28). The event focused on the science and societal impacts of climate change and strategies for driving action. Key speakers included Professor Sir David King, former Government Special Representative for Climate Change and Chair of the Climate Crisis Advisory Group; Gideon Henderson, Professor of Earth Sciences at Oxford University and Chief Scientific Adviser at DEFRA; and Professor Elizabeth Robinson, Director of the Grantham Research Institute on Climate Change and the Environment. Liverpool’s own climate researchers, such as Professor Anna Slater, Dr. Raj Whitlock, Professor Alex Cowan, and others, also contributed, discussing topics ranging from Arctic ocean changes to sustainable chemistry. Professor King introduced the Climate Crisis Advisory Group’s '4R' planet strategy, while Professor Robinson addressed the intersection of climate change and health, and Professor Henderson covered DEFRA’s climate science approach. Vice-Chancellor, Professor Tim Jones praised the event for showcasing both external expert insights and internal research innovations. He emphasised the University's commitment to sustainability through its new Strategy 2031, aiming to advance environmental and social equity through education, research, and operations.