Zoë Osmond, Director of the university’s Green Growth Platform, a network providing green businesses with growth and innovation support, said: “We’re very pleased the long-awaited strategy has been published – this is a positive move towards a clear low-carbon pathway.”
The strategy calls for changes in Stamp Duty in England to encourage people to make their homes more energy efficient and may form part of a plan by ministers to renovate a million homes a year during the next two decades.
The government will fail to meet its legally-binding climate change targets unless it can cut emissions from household heating and many other sources. The strategy defines how it aims to reduce carbon emissions across the economy and to cut CO2 emissions by 57 per cent from 1990 levels by 2050.
The university has consistently been ranked among the top universities for sustainability and its green projects. Three recently-installed solar projects alone will save the university almost £1.5m, and 3500 tonnes of CO2 over their lifetime.
Ms Osmond said: “Low carbon transition offers huge opportunities for our economy and environment. We also welcome the fact that the Strategy cuts across government departments and covers many sectors including housing and built environment, heat networks, low carbon energy, business energy efficiency and sustainable transport.