Goal 13: Climate action

Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts.

Working in partnership both locally and globally, we are tackling each of the UN Sustainable Development Goals through our research and knowledge exchange, education and student experience, and through our operations. Discover how our unique commitments align with and support Sustainable Development Goal 13: Climate action.

Research and impact

The University advances SDG 13 through interdisciplinary research, international partnerships, and innovation addressing climate mitigation, adaptation, and resilience (13.1, 13.2, 13.3). The Interdisciplinary Centre for Sustainability Research (ICSR), launched in February 2025 as part of Sustainability Week, unites expertise across science, technology, and policy to deliver evidence-based strategies for tackling the climate crisis (13.2, 13.3). In January 2025, the University secured £4M from NERC to improve predictions of how the Southern Ocean responds to climate change, strengthening global sea-level rise modelling (13.1, 13.2). Our researchers reported rapidly increasing surface meltwater in East Antarctica, highlighting ice-sheet vulnerability and long-term sea-level implications (13.1). Research into forest ecosystem responses to warming showed that climate change drives more frequent tree reproduction at the expense of growth, with implications for long-term carbon storage and biodiversity resilience (13.2). Beyond natural systems, our researchers are leading greener healthcare initiatives to reduce the carbon footprint of clinical practices and supply chains, aligning with NHS net-zero ambitions and supporting health system resilience (13.2, 13.3). Through multi-million-pound funded projects, high-impact publications, and policy-relevant innovation, the University demonstrates global leadership in climate action, supporting resilience, emissions reduction, and sustainable development.

Education and student experience

The University advances SDG 13 by educating and empowering students with knowledge, practical experience, and sustainability-focused learning opportunities (13.2, 13.3). The School of Environmental Sciences delivers rigorous curricula across its degree programmes, including Climate Science BSc, Environmental Science BSc, and Environment and Climate Change MSc, that cover climate systems, mitigation strategies, earth systems, policy, and environmental modelling (13.3). New for 2025 is the Sustainability in Health and Life Sciences optional module, enabling health students to learn how climate change affects healthcare delivery and imbue clinical practices with sustainable principles (13.2, 13.3). Students further engage through the Student Sustainability Network and our Living Labs programme, where students co-create solutions for low-carbon travel and campus sustainability challenges (13.2, 13.3); and the Guild’s volunteering, including the nationally recognised Hedgehog Friendly Campus scheme that links biodiversity with climate resilience (13.3). During Sustainability Week 2025, tours of the University’s Energy Centre raised awareness of campus energy transitions and net zero resilience (13.3).

Sustainable campus and operations

The University advances SDG 13 through robust climate governance, infrastructure transformation, and transparent emissions management, anchored in its Climate Plan, aligned with the Sustainability Strategy, and the Liverpool 2031 net zero targets (Scope 1 & 2 by 2035; Scope 3 by 2050) (13.2). At the heart of this approach is a clear governance model that embeds sustainability as a strategic priority, ensuring accountability for Climate Plan delivery and integration into institutional frameworks (13.2, 13.3). The Carbon Management Plan covers energy audits, building retrofitting, campus energy optimisation, and a transition pathway for the gas-fuelled district CHP network toward clean energy alternatives (e.g., hydrogen, biomethane, green gas). In line with our Ethical Investment Policy, the University has implemented a fossil fuel exclusion, supporting broader climate mitigation efforts (13.2).

Case studies

Driving a just transition to low-carbon living

In February 2025, the University of Liverpool joined the launch of the Centre for Joined Up Sustainability Transformations (JUST), an £8 million interdisciplinary research initiative funded by the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) and UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) (Liverpool news). JUST aims to accelerate understanding and delivery of a just transition to a zero-carbon economy by coordinating research and action across society (13.2), (13.3).

Focusing on five regions in the North of England, West Yorkshire, West Cumbria, Merseyside, Greater Manchester, and Tyneside, JUST co-produces solutions with governments, businesses, civil society, and communities. This place-based approach ensures that climate action is integrated into regional policy while improving quality of life (13.2).

The Centre combines data science and participatory methods to map and evaluate low-carbon initiatives, generating robust evidence about what works, where, and for whom. These insights support stronger government decision-making and demonstrate how decarbonisation linked with regeneration can deliver social benefits (13.3).

Liverpool provides two key leads: Professor Peter North (Geography and Planning), who researches grassroots social and solidarity economies, and Dr Alex Nurse, Place Lead for Liverpool, coordinating six thematic workstreams across the Liverpool City Region.

JUST’s partnerships extend nationally to Citizens UK, Local Government Associations, NHS Confederation, British Chambers of Commerce, Runnymede Trust, Scottish Sustainability Network, and the Institute for Government. These collaborations ensure impact from policy influence to community engagement (13.2).

By embedding justice and inclusivity into climate action, JUST demonstrates how a just transition can deliver scalable, community-driven innovations while ensuring no communities are left behind.

Scaling up green prosperity

The Heseltine Institute for Public Policy, Practice and Place collaborated with the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) for the Liverpool City Region (LCR) to develop a Net Zero Manifesto entitled Scaling Up Green Prosperity. Launched at Parliament, the manifesto presents a roadmap for achieving green growth and maximising the LCR’s potential in line with the UK government’s goal of net zero by 2050. Metro Mayor Steve Rotherham has set a more ambitious target for the LCR to become carbon neutral by 2040 or sooner. The manifesto calls for enhanced government support and local flexibility to meet the region’s energy, housing, transport, skills, and innovation needs. It emphasises the necessity for a stable national policy framework to facilitate effective local action, including investment in energy infrastructure and skills development. The research also stresses the importance of deeper devolution to grant the LCR greater policy and fiscal autonomy for a unified approach to achieving net zero. Contributing to the manifesto demonstrates the University’s important role in advancing net zero innovation. The Heseltine Institute serves as the academic partner for the Liverpool City Region APPG, providing research briefings and supporting the city-region’s voice in Westminster.