Sustainability

Facts and figures

The University monitors its environmental impact using indicators in a number of sectors.

Detailed information is available in the published reports. For further information, please to contact the UniD Coordination.

The university conducts a summary assessment of its emissions every year. Every four years, a more detailed assessment is conducted using additional surveys.
Heating and transport, particularly air travel, are the largest sources of emissions.
Between 2020 and 2022, emissions fell sharply due to disruption to the institution’s activities caused by the pandemic.
From 2023 onwards, emissions stabilized. Despite a return to normal operations, the total remains below pre-pandemic levels (-14% in 2025 compared to 2019).
In 2025, total greenhouse gas emissions decreased following an update to the air travel calculation algorithm, which took into account improvements in air transport efficiency.
In accordance with the international GHG Protocol standard, the assessment considers the institution’s direct and indirect emissions. However, due to the complexity of the process and a lack of data, not all purchases are included in the assessment at this stage. More detailed analyses would be required for this purpose.

The Buildings, Environment and Safety Department (SBES) monitors energy consumption and proposes measures to optimise it.
Most of the University’s buildings are connected to the distance heating network (CAD), which is managed by Viteos. Currently, this network is mainly powered by fossil fuels (gas).
A few small buildings are still heated directly by gas or fuel oil, but this number is decreasing due to the installation of heat pumps and connection to the CAD.
Between 2019 and 2025, total electricity consumption fell by 16%, largely thanks to optimisation projects at the UniMail site. However, electricity consumption depends on the requirements of research equipment.
Since 2021, the state has been installing solar panels on certain university buildings. The renewable electricity generated in this way is largely consumed on-site.

In 2025, the accounts department recorded 1,073 flights, corresponding to approximately 4.2 million kilometres travelled and 876 tonnes of CO₂eq.
Between 2019 and 2025, distances travelled were reduced by 16%. This reduction was particularly marked for short-haul flights (-70% for flights under 1,000 km compared to -11% for longer flights) and was linked to measures relating to air travel (the 10-hour rule and the climate levy).
During the same period (2019-25), CO₂ emissions from air travel fell by 32%. This trend can be explained, on the one hand, by the measures mentioned in the previous point (the 10-hour rule and the climate levy) and, on the other hand, by the update to the calculation algorithm, which takes into account technological progress and improved efficiency in air transport.
UniNE publishes an annual report dedicated specifically to air travel and the measures put in place to reduce its climate impact.

The University regularly conducts surveys regarding the commuting habits of its staff and students. The most recent survey was carried out in 2022.
In 2022, more than two-thirds of the community commuted by public transport, cycling, walking or other forms of low-carbon transportation. This rate is higher among students (79%) than among staff (59%).

All buildings are equipped with waste sorting stations where the most common materials can be recycled.
In 2025, approximately 14 kg of waste per person per year was generated on campus (all materials combined).
Between 2015 and 2025, the amount of waste incinerated fell by 41%, while the amount of paper disposed of decreased by 38%.
Between 2019 and 2025, the amount of electronic waste decreased by 20%. These figures fluctuate depending on the need to replace obsolete equipment.