Carbon Emissions from Schools: Where they arise and how to reduce them

The Sustainable Development Commission was commissioned by the Department forChildren, Schools and Families to understand the carbon emissions associated with the English school estate and to assess the carbon footprint of the schools...

The 2006 study estimated that the UK schools estate is responsible for 10.4 million tonnes of carbon dioxide from direct and indirect sources each year. This represents less than 2% of UK carbon emissions, but almost 15% of carbon emissions attributable to the public sector. The current study (2008) estimates that the schools estate emits 8.5 million tonnes of carbon dioxide per year. The emissions are projected to reduce by less than 20 per cent over the period to 2050, which is insufficient to play a leading role in reducing schools’ impact on potential climate change. As you all know the UK Government is currently committed to a national carbon emissions reduction of 80 percent by 2050 and the Sustainable Development Commission believes that school should be exceeding this target.

We are committed to every school in Leeds being a fully 'Sustainable School' by 2020 and the more we understand these issues the better. To read more about the analysis, for scenarios of how these emissions could be achieved and the recommendations to the DCSF, click on the following link http://www.sdcommission.org.uk/publications.php?id=765
Chris