Interim Chief Operating Officer's message
The University is continuing to progress the ambitions outlined in the Sustainability Strategy 2030– Here for good.
On campus, we are actively working to avoid and reduce greenhouse gas emissions ahead of our target of Net Zero emissions from directly controlled operations by 2025.
Initiatives include the installation of a new battery in Ingkarni Wardli to manage peak demand and support decarbonisation efforts, and the Roseworthy campus solar farm which now supports 43% of the campus’s energy needs each year. In February, the University reached a 50% landfill diversion rate for the first time.
We also recently released the University’s 2023 greenhouse gas emissions inventory, equalling 41,254 tonnes CO2-e. This represents a 6% increase from the previous calendar year, as a result of accounting changes to improve accuracy, increased post-Covid activity on campus, and staff travel.
This increase is a trend experienced by many universities across Australia. However, for 2023 we have more than halved our emissions from 83,274 tonnes CO2-e since 2018.
Pleasingly, the University decreased its energy consumption during 2023 by 5% (from 2022) despite growth in campus activity and increasing energy requirements of our buildings.
The University is a founding member of SA Zero, a cluster of South Australian business, industry, academia, and government agencies that share knowledge and collaborate to decarbonise. Last week, we hosted SA Zero and RAA on campus for a public forum about overcoming barriers to decarbonising fleet transport. It was fascinating to hear the strides that government, business, and industry are taking towards growth in electric passenger vehicle use and upcoming bidirectional charging technology.
The implementation of the Sustainability Strategy 2030 – Here for good is overseen by the Sustainability Steering Committee, and I thank all the members for their efforts and dedication to progress these initiatives.
If you would like further information on the University’s sustainability activities and targets, please visit the Sustainability website.
Peter Prest
Interim Chief Operating Officer and Chair, Sustainability Steering Committee