Commitment to Carbon Neutral University

The University of Newcastle set a target to achieve carbon neutrality by 2025 in its Environmental Sustainability Plan 2019–2025. The University’s 2025 Annual Report records that Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions were addressed through operational emissions reductions and offsets for residual emissions.

Carbon neutrality commitment and 2025 progress

The Environmental Sustainability Plan 2019–2025 set 2025 as the University’s target year for carbon neutrality. The plan combined renewable electricity procurement, greater energy efficiency, on-site energy generation and greenhouse gas accounting to support this commitment.

In its 2025 Annual Report, the University reported that it had eliminated its Scope 1 and 2 emissions while making reductions in Scope 3 emissions. As part of its treatment of remaining direct and purchased-energy emissions, the University purchased and retired Australian Carbon Credit Units equivalent to 800 tonnes of anticipated residual Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions for 2025. The report states that final emissions would be independently assessed and any variance reconciled.

Importantly, the 2025 emissions-offset boundary covered Scope 1 and Scope 2, not Scope 3. The University continues to account for wider emissions and to reduce their impact through operational and procurement decisions.

Reducing emissions through energy and campus operations

The University is committed to renewable energy sources and carbon emission reduction, including through reducing our energy consumption across our campuses.

Since 1 January 2020, the University’s Newcastle and Central Coast campuses have used 100% renewable electricity. The 2025 Annual Report confirms the continuation of this supply through a new five-year Power Purchase Agreement with Snowy Energy. University solar systems also generated 1.47 million kWh in 2025, representing around 4% of total electricity use.

The University undertakes continuous monitoring of energy consumption across our estate, including by building, campus and by energy source, to enable us to target efficiencies and consumption reductions to the highest impact facilities.

In 2025, expanded electric vehicle charging and improved waste management complemented renewable electricity procurement and other efforts to reduce the University’s emissions. These measures help translate its carbon-neutrality commitments into practical changes across campus operations.

Measuring greenhouse gas emissions

The University measures emissions using internationally recognised greenhouse gas accounting approaches. It has commissioned annual inventories since 2019 and developed a Climate Active-aligned carbon footprint covering direct emissions, purchased electricity and relevant indirect sources. Read the University’s independently prepared carbon footprint assessment

• Scope 1: All direct GHG emissions such as the use of natural gas.
• Scope 2: Indirect GHG emissions such as consumption of electricity, heat or steam.
• Scope 3: GHG emitted due to the university’s activities but emitted outside the university’s direct control such as emission from waste to landfill, staff work travel, etc.

The University publicly reports Scope 1 and 2 emissions under the National Greenhouse and Energy Reporting Scheme for the Callaghan campus and reports broader Scope 1, 2 and 3 emissions to University Council. Tracking Scope 3 sources, including travel, purchased goods and waste, informs opportunities to reduce indirect emissions; reporting these sources does not, by itself, establish that every Scope 3 category is covered by a carbon-neutrality target.

The University’s renewable electricity supply, greenhouse gas accounting and operational improvements have supported measurable progress towards its carbon-neutrality ambitions.

^{Energy-monitoring figure, 2023–2025}