Universities are uniquely positioned at the heart of the climate crisis response – shaping the next generation of leaders, driving emissions reduction on and beyond campus, and influencing regional and national net zero policy.

To mark Education Day at COP30 in Brazil, the Environmental Association of Colleges and Universities (EAUC) and the International Universities Climate Alliance (IUCA) co-hosted a global webinar.  Participants discovered how universities are achieving their ambitious net zero goals and took away ideas to scale up institutional responses to climate change. 

The panel of expert speakers featured award winning and highly commended initiatives from the International Green Gown Awards - 2030 Climate Action category. Proudly supported by the IUCA as category ambassador, this award recognises and celebrates organisation-wide and innovative approaches to achieving operational net zero targets.

Insights Shared: 

• Holistic whole-institution approaches to embedding net zero across all aspects of operational delivery, from research to campus operations to teaching.
• Approaches to mobilising students, staff, partners, and local communities around a shared vision for net zero.
• Recommendations for education institutions looking to scale up their net zero ambition and delivery.
• Routes to accelerate sector-wide climate action through global multi-disciplinary knowledge exchange, collaboration and thought leadership.