Climate Action Roadmap

The Climate Action and Low Carbon Development (Amendment) Act 2021, through the Government’s Climate Action Plans, requires public sector bodies to achieve certain climate targets and undertake certain actions known as the ‘Climate Action Mandate’. The University of Galway must publish out a Climate Action Roadmap to demonstrate our vision, coordination, organisation, mobilisation and planning for these targets and actions. Click University of Galway Climate Action Roadmap 2024 to read the latest version of our Climate Action Roadmap. This document is an updated roadmap to reflect the Climate Action Mandate 2024 and focuses on these specific requirements. 

The University is strongly committed to sustainability and climate action, a core value of the University’s strategy. The University Management Team has undertaken climate action training and has adopted a policy which sets out the roles of senior management. The Deputy President & Registrar is the University’s Climate and Sustainability Champion, responsible for implementing and reporting on the Climate Action Mandate. The University has established a Sustainability Office, led by the Director of Sustainability, to implement an ambitious sustainability strategy. Our green team also includes an expert energy team in Buildings & Estates and the wider Community & University Sustainability Partnership. Significant engagement, education and training takes place with the wider University community.

The University has achieved an enormous amount through the dedication and expertise of our green team and community engagement. Since 2006, we have improved our energy efficiency by almost 50%, on the cusp of achieving the 2030 public sector target. Meanwhile, we have reduced greenhouse gas emissions by 47% since 2006 (or by 35% compared to our 2016-2018 baseline). These figures are all the more impressive considering the expansion in our student population and facilities in recent years. We aim to exceed our public sector targets in these areas and we have identified a number of carbon reduction projects and programmes; these will require funding to proceed. Our award-winning energy team has demonstrated our capacity to deliver innovative, sustainable projects and we look forward to continuing our collaborations with funding agencies in Ireland and internationally.

We have also implemented the other requirements of the Climate Action Mandate in areas such as energy management systems, digitalisation of processes, green procurement, low-carbon construction, food waste, water, waste, single-use items, sustainable transport and sustainable buildings. As we approach the end of our current University strategy and sustainability strategy, we are currently reflecting on progress and engaging the University community on our next University strategy and sustainability strategy to 2030. These strategies will be mindful of the urgency of climate action, Ireland’s climate ambitions and the leading role played by the University of Galway.

Read University of Galway Climate Action Roadmap 2024