Thirty-nine European universities have come together to launch the Durham Declaration, which will shape our joint efforts towards sustainable development.
The Declaration sets out seven principles that all member universities of the Coimbra Group will follow on climate change and sustainability.
Founded in 1985, the Coimbra Group is an association of long-established European multi-disciplinary universities of high international standard.
The Declaration will also contribute to discussions at the upcoming COP30 Climate Conference, further enhancing the Coimbra Group's international influence.
Sustainable lives
The university partners will commit to seven key principles, including the responsibility to educate our students and prepare them with the skills needed to address the challenges of climate change. They will also ensure researchers across all universities continue and further develop vital research to help transition to more sustainable lives for all.
Universities in Europe have been at the forefront of efforts to combat climate change and embed sustainability in all areas of life. But the need for change to address climate change through research, education and policy engagement is now more urgent than ever.
Building on the outcomes of the Coimbra Group's 2021 High-Level Seminar on Research Policy held in Geneva, Switzerland, we hosted the inaugural two-day 2025 Coimbra Group (CG) Climate Symposium as part of the CG's 40th anniversary celebrations in March.
Ambitious targets
We perform strongly on sustainability, ranking 22nd in the 2025 QS World University Rankings for Sustainability. We're also ranked eighth in the UK and 12th in Europe.
They are a key indicator of how universities are tackling the world's greatest environmental, social and governance challenges.
We have ambitious targets to reduce our environmental impact, including achieving biodiversity net gain by 2032 and, net zero carbon emissions by 2035, and increasing our recycling rate to 70% by 2040.
We have an Energy and Sustainability team focused on helping the University, staff, and students minimise climate change impact.
