Research snapshot: EAIE Barometer: Environmental sustainability and climate action
EAIE Barometer: Environmental sustainability and climate action
Published date: 20/11/2024
This publication is a spin-off report from the EAIE Barometer: Internationalisation in Europe (third edition) report, published by the authors in March 2024. As with that main report, this spin-off drew from the responses of just over 2800 individuals working in international higher education (IHE) across the EHEA, but zeros in specifically on data collected on the topic of climate action and environmental sustainability. In collaboration with the International Education Sustainability Group (IESG), the report looks at how environmental sustainability and climate impact is perceived by professionals across the EHEA and presents some best sustainability practices from various institutions across Europe and beyond. This report is especially relevant for professionals working in international higher education in the European Higher Education Area (EHEA) and beyond, keen to understand and learn more about environmental sustainability and climate action efforts within the sector.
This report demonstrates that IHE professionals from Europe and elsewhere are slowly but surely progressing with respect to environmental sustainability, providing encouragement and inspiration for future developments in this area.
About the authors
Key findings from the research
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A total of 511 respondents (out of 2817 Barometer responses) answered questions on the topic of climate action and environmental sustainability. These responses come from 39 of the 49 European Higher Education Area countries, with the majority (41%) based in Western Europe and working at a higher education institution (79%), rather than a ministry, national agency or other organisation.
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Just over half (52%) of the approximately 500 respondents believe their institution/organisation has made progress with respect to environmental sustainability and climate action in the last 12 months.
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While in 2023, 20% of IESG’s CAB (Climate Action Barometer) respondents indicated their institution had an internal working group focused on climate action, in 2024 this percentage has already increased to 60%.
