Carbon efficiency in the Scottish public sector

Climate change is a global concern cutting across all sectors of our society. The burning of fossil fuels to create energy is the most significant contributor to human induced climate change, however fossil fuels remain the dominant of energy sources, whilst the use of renewable energy is growing at a slow rate. With pressure on organisations to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, we present findings from an exploratory study on the ongoing reliance on fossil fuels in the public sector, using a multi-method qualitative approach of literature review, case study, interviews and document review.

A baseline carbon footprint of 480513kgCO2e was established for the School of Science and Sport. 45% of emissions resulted from fossil fuel energy sources. To date, the analysis of interview responses reveals there is evidence of reliance on fossil fuels and efforts to reduce its use however; there are significant barriers to moving away from fossil fuels and a need to improve carbon reporting.