It rose four places to 16th in People & Planet’s University League 2022/23, which ranked 153 universities based on their “environmental and ethical performance”.
People & Planet, a student campaign group, gave Bristol a 1st class grade – an accolade given to just 27 universities
The success came despite much of Bristol’s campus being in Victorian buildings that, although beautiful, were not built with sustainability in mind. Meanwhile, as a leading research university it must run energy-intensive machines to aid in its important discoveries.
Last year Bristol became the first university in the world to gain 100% Green Lab Certification. The award meant all 990 of its laboratories had passed a green threshold and put the University on course for its target of carbon neutrality 2030.
Agnes Nairn, the University’s Pro Vice-Chancellor for Global Engagement, said: “It is fantastic to see so many universities in the People & Planet League raising their sustainability game to meet the challenges presented by the climate crisis.
“At Bristol we are working hard to be sustainable in everything we do, from our science and our teaching to the food we serve and the accommodation we offer.”
The University is currently running a campaign called ‘Be the Change’ that helps staff and students make more sustainable choices. Its Cabot Institute for the Environment is world-leading in its environmental research and teaching.
Many Bristol students are on the frontline of the climate crisis. Earlier this year Carlos Shanka Boissy Diaz won the Student Sustainability Champion award at the Green Gown Awards, and Vivek Gurav has made global headlines for his campaigns that mix jogging and picking up litter, dubbed ‘plogging’.
Vivek Gurav, who left India for the first time to take up a scholarship at Bristol, is currently plogging in 30 UK cities in 30 days.
Vivek said: “I am delighted to see my alma mater in this list. Its efforts to inculcate sustainability in all areas of life at the University is commendable.
“It was one of the first universities in the world to declare a climate emergency, which was the reason behind me choosing this University to pursue a masters.”
The University of Bristol performed particularly highly in People & Planet’s survey in these categories: ‘Sustainability Staff’, ‘Auditing & EMS (Environment Management Systems)’, ‘Education’, ‘Workers Rights’ and ‘Sustainable Food’.
Cardiff Metropolitan University came first in the League, the University of Bedfordshire second and Manchester Metropolitan University third. Over 30 universities were given ‘fails’ by People & Planet.