Staff Services Student Enterprise

Sustainability

The University of Edinburgh is delivering ambitious solutions to understand, effectively manage and mitigate the effects of climate change.

Led by the Edinburgh Earth Initiative and The Edinburgh Climate Change Institute we are working with our partners to secure a resilient, just and climate neutral world. Within the University, our Department for Social Responsibility and Sustainability is leading our efforts to become a net-zero institution by 2040.

We work to find and implement place-based climate solutions, such as reducing emissions, building resilience and promoting equality and justice to tackle the climate emergency.

Key areas of expertise

Climate Change

The Edinburgh Climate Change Institute is the leading climate change hub for Scotland and beyond, hosted by the University of Edinburgh. The Institute delivers ground-breaking projects and kick-starts new ideas, including the Low Carbon Innovation project, which supported more than 200 new enterprises. The Institute also initiated and launched Scotland’s first low carbon business incubator.


Climate Emergency Collaboration

The Climate Emergency Collaboration Challenge is building capacity for zero and low carbon innovation in construction and the built environment. ECCI is leading the collaboration between the University of Edinburgh and industry partners to drive forward improvements in construction delivery and building performance outcomes. Funded by the Scottish Funding Council.


Global Change

The Global Change Research Institute is a grouping of over 200 researchers whose overarching mission is to understand past, present and future changes in the Earth system, and to inform mitigation strategies for future change.


Atmospheric Chemistry and Climate of the Anthropocene

The Atmospheric Chemistry and Climate of the Anthropocene research group investigates key processes and drivers in the atmosphere and climate system, and predicts present-day and future changes in climate, atmospheric composition and air quality.


Numerical-modelling of ice-sheet and glacier melting

Our numerical-modelling researchers have been working with organisations such as the European Space Agency and the British Antarctic Survey on observing and projecting contributions from polar ice sheets and glaciers to rising sea levels.

Case Study  
Sustainable Mining
Circular economy
People, Places and Planet
Sustainability
Case Study  
Space Mining
Space and communications
Sustainability
09 Jan 2023
News  
Funding for renewable energy project Seawarm
Energy
Renewables
Sustainability
Case Study  
Planet vs Plastics
Biotechnology
Circular economy
People, Places and Planet
Sustainability
Case Study  
Carbon offsets and workable solutions for corresponding adjustments
People, Places and Planet
Sustainability
Case Study  
melted chocolate
Rheology research proves sweet for multiple industries
Food and drink
Sustainability
Case Study  
Post-pandemic business travel, commuting and home working
Business continuity
People, Places and Planet
Sustainability
Case Study  
Andrew Bissell, founder and CEO, Sunamp in a factory with heat batteries
Commercialisation of energy-efficient, sustainable and cost-effective domestic heat storage
Energy
People, Places and Planet
Startups and spinouts
Sustainability
Case Study  
Mining the scrapheap
People, Places and Planet
Sustainability
Case Study  
Solar What?!
Circular economy
Energy
People, Places and Planet
Startups and spinouts
Sustainability
Case Study  
The future of transistors, solar cells and LEDs made from whisky by-products
Circular economy
Food and drink
People, Places and Planet
Sustainability
Case Study  
Bacteria serves tasty solution to plastic crisis
Biotechnology
People, Places and Planet
Sustainability
Case Study  
Ecometrica Brazil Amazon Basin
Ecometrica: sustainability reporting and monitoring solutions
Startups and spinouts
Sustainability
Case Study  
Re-thinking the circular economy
Animals & Agriculture
People, Places and Planet
Sustainability
Case Study  
Jiangsu Dingying New Materials Co Ltd
Sustainability
Case Study  
Earth blox
Data, AI & robotics
Space and communications
Startups and spinouts
Sustainability
Case Study  
FastBlade
The world’s first rapid testing facility for tidal turbine blades
Data, AI & robotics
Energy
Sustainability
Technology  
Effective Water Desalination Using Low-Grade Heat Supply
A novel adsorption-based desalination method for water purification that efficiently works with low-grade heat.
Energy
Sustainability
Technology  
Novel ultraincompressible polymeric carbon nitride
Advanced materials
Sustainability
Technology  
Metal refining and recycling
A new separation and recovery process for refining and recycling metal
Circular economy
Sustainability
Technology  
DAINTech – formulation
A novel, stable, sustainable approach to formulation
Advanced materials
Sustainability
Technology  
DAINTech – lubricant
A new approach to liquid crystal-based lubricant systems with tunable properties
Advanced materials
Sustainability

Find out more

Charlotte Lee-Woolf

Business Development Manager
Social Responsibility and Sustainability