- Lack of a clear national picture of the sustainability position of the school estate.
- Incomplete governance and accountability arrangements for the sustainability strategy.
- Mismatch between funding allocated and the ambitions of the strategy.
- Resource constraints and staff reductions impacting delivery.
- Limited data on older schools and capacity to analyze existing data.
- Schools prioritizing building condition over sustainability improvements.
- Uncertainty around securing additional funding beyond 2025.
Department for Education
Greenhouse gas emissions & sustainability report data
Figures are as stated in the company's own report and may use different boundaries, units or methods (for example market-based vs location-based Scope 2), so compare with care.
📈 Emissions by Report Period
| Report period | Headline emissions figure reported |
|---|---|
| 2018-19 | 827.8K tonnes tCO2e/year (GGC reported); 1.8 million tonnes tCO2e/year (defence operations) |
Each row is the headline figure extracted from a different report; scope coverage and methodology can change between years.
✅ Reported Environmental Achievements
- Six net-zero schools completed, with 28 more under construction as part of the School Rebuilding Programme.
- DfE worked with DESNZ to increase funding for schools under the Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme (PSDS).
🎯 Climate & Sustainability Targets
🔜 Short-term
- Agree department-wide governance and accountability arrangements for the strategy by the end of 2023.
- Implement a plan to measure benefits from the strategy by April 2024.
- Develop a clear evidence base of what sustainability measures work in schools by the next Spending Review.
📅 Medium-term
- Set science-based emissions targets for each sector by 2025.
- Publish a decarbonisation plan to define progress towards net zero for its estates once an emissions target is in place for the education sector.
🔭 Long-term
- Achieve net zero emissions by 2050 (aligned with government target).
🌱 ESG Focus Areas
Environmental SustainabilityClimate ChangeEnergy EfficiencyClimate ResilienceGreen SkillsClimate Education