We’re one of the world’s most sustainable universities, according to a new international league table.
The 2025 QS World University Rankings for Sustainability place Durham 22nd out of 1,751 universities assessed across the globe.
We’re also ranked eighth in the UK and 12th in Europe.
The rankings judge universities against three main categories - Environmental Impact, Social Impact, and Governance.
They are a key indicator of how universities are tackling the world’s greatest environmental, social and governance (ESG) challenges.
Our research is working to improve sustainability globally, nationally and regionally.
Our geographers are working to understand the impacts of climate change on the Arctic and Antarctic and the importance of sticking to global targets to limit temperature rises.
Our earth scientists are playing a key role in the UK’s National Geothermal Centre (NGC) to bring more geothermal heat and electricity into the renewable energy mix.
Research in our interdisciplinary Centre for Environmental and Energy Economics, which runs out of our Business School, is investigating large-scale system modelling of environmental and energy issues, as well as local policy design and correction.
And our MammalWeb citizen science project – involving Biosciences, Anthropology and Computer Science – won the National Biodiversity Network Group Award 2024 for its work in gathering information on UK and European wild mammals to support their conservation.
We are working to achieve Biodiversity Net Gain by 2032 and net-zero CO2 emissions by 2035. We’re committed to being one of the most environmentally sustainable universities in the UK to benefit our students, staff, visitors, and the wider Durham community.
We were highly commended in the International Green Gown Awards for our ambitious Biodiversity Strategy.
We’re a Platinum Hedgehog Friendly Campus with initiatives including the creation of grassland and wildflower areas to increase biodiversity, the introduction of hedgehog highways, and hedgehog awareness sessions for local schools.
And we’re investing in carbon-reducing measures in our buildings including the refurbishment of Boldon House, in Durham City, where gas-fired heating is being replaced with brand new air-source heat pumps, solar panels, improved roof insulation and updated windows.
Our strengths in ESG research saw six of our researchers share their expertise with world governments at the recent UN COP29 climate change conference in Baku, Azerbaijan.
And we’re now taking our sustainability expertise into space with the launch of the Durham University Space Research Centre to support North East England’s growing space industry and lead on the sustainable exploration of the cosmos.
See the full 2025 QS World University Rankings for Sustainability.
Visit our Environmental, Social and Economic Sustainability webpages.
Discover more about our Biodiversity Strategy.
Read about our Postgraduate Sustainability Programmes.
See how Durham University’s research is changing lives around the world.
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