Our work on SDG Goal 13: Climate Action
Learn about our recent progress and updates on how we're contributing to SDG 13: Climate Action.
The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development was adopted in 2015 by all United Nations member states. It provides a blueprint for peace and prosperity for people and the planet.
Find out more about our work across all the UN Sustainable Development Goals.
About Climate Action
Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts.
Research
Climate change and its impact on alpine ecosystems
A 2024 study by a University of Stirling researcher reveals that climate change is disrupting vital ecosystems in the Alps. Reduced snow cover and shifting vegetation patterns - both driven by climate change - are having significant combined impacts on biodiversity and ecosystem functioning in high mountain regions. Funded by the UK Natural Environment Research Council, the research shows that these ecosystems may become less capable of retaining essential nutrients needed to support plant growth and maintain biodiversity in harsh alpine environments. The findings highlight several implications for future action, including the urgent need to monitor alpine ecosystems, the importance of seasonal timing and its disruption, the value of integrated climate impact studies, and the necessity of conservation strategies to protect vulnerable habitats.
Developing the UNICEF Child Climate Risk Index
The Child Climate Risk Index (CCRI) research project funding from 2021 to 2026 highlights how climate change affects children differently across the world, measuring their exposure to climate-related hazards, vulnerability, and their country’s readiness to respond. Developed with the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and based on the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) risk framework, the CCRI identifies where children are most at risk and informs climate-resilient programmes such as social protection and nutrition. It supports SDG 13 by promoting targeted responses that protect the most vulnerable.
Peat bog recreated for pioneering climate research
A pioneering project beginning in November 2023 at the University of Stirling has recreated a peat bog on campus to study how changing water levels affect peatland restoration. Led by PhD researcher Georgina Page, the project uses satellite technology to monitor “bog breathing” and assess carbon capture potential. Peatlands store more carbon than any other vegetation type, making their restoration vital in the fight against climate change. Supported by Orbex and its carbon-neutral Sutherland Spaceport, the project aims to identify areas most in need of restoration and improve climate resilience—directly contributing to SDG 13: Climate Action. The first research article related to remote-sensing based methods of monitoring peatlands was published in 2024.
Learning and teaching
LLM Environmental Law and Climate Justice
Launched in 2024 the University of Stirling offers an LLM Environmental Law and Climate Justice, a course designed to address the urgent global challenges of climate change and environmental degradation. The course explores how growing pressure on natural resources is driving a shift in legal and policy approaches - focusing on climate mitigation, biodiversity restoration, sustainable development, and the transition from fossil fuels to renewable energy.
By equipping students with the tools to understand and influence international environmental law, the programme directly supports SDG 13 by preparing future leaders to advance climate action through legal reform and advocacy.
MSc Environmental Management
Over 100 students enrolled in the MSc Environmental Management in both 2023-24 and 2024-25. This course equips students to tackle global environmental challenges, including climate change, biodiversity loss, and sustainable energy transition. The course combines ecological, legal, economic, and policy perspectives with hands-on fieldwork and research. Students gain practical skills through residential field trips and access to world-class facilities like the Stirling Controlled Environment Facility, which supports climate impact research. With pathways in Energy, Conservation, and Informatics, the course prepares graduates to lead climate-resilient strategies across sectors.
University operations
University progress on Sustainability Plan 2022-2028
The University’s Sustainability Plan 2022-28 details the actions we seek to take as an institution to deliver a net zero carbon university by 2040, and to address the many environmental and sustainability challenges we face as a university. The plan provides an overview of our ambitious sustainability agenda, its key objectives and interim milestones.
By investing in campus energy infrastructure and upgrading the energy efficiency of buildings, the University has achieved a continuous reduction in carbon emissions. Our most recent data for the Public Bodies Climate Change report in 2023-24 indicates a reduction in Scope 1, 2 and 3 emissions since 2021-22 but it is acknowledged there is a challenging road ahead to deliver on net zero.
Climate café events
Stirling continues to raise awareness of climate change through its climate café events. In 2024 this included the Climate Café listening circle, an in-person gathering was designed to be a safe and advice-free space where participants could express their thoughts, feelings, fears, and uncertainties about the climate and ecological crisis. Two trained facilitators from the Climate Psychology Alliance co-led the session, and hot drinks and snacks were provided throughout.
The event ran alongside the 2024 exhibition This Fragile Earth, which was on display in the Pathfoot Crush Hall. The exhibition, hosted in collaboration with the Fleming-Wyfold Collection at the University of Stirling, showcased the work of six pioneering Scottish artists whose early engagement with northern landscapes, environmental history, and climate activism anticipated today’s climate crisis, aligning with the University’s 2024–25 research theme of Human Experience.
Civic engagement
Forth Climate Forest
In its 2024 report, the University of Stirling’s Forth Climate Forest initiative reveals that over 11,000 trees were planted across Clackmannanshire, and the initiative supported the creation of 1,138 hectares of new woodland equivalent to around 2 million trees alongside 507 hectares of natural regeneration near Loch Katrine and Loch Arklet. The project engaged 6 community groups, 5 secondary schools, and hosted 225 adult volunteer and 167 school children tree planting days, demonstrating strong civic participation. These efforts directly support SDG 13 by enhancing carbon sequestration, promoting climate resilience, and fostering inclusive, community-led environmental stewardship.
Young Pathfinders
The University of Stirling, through Scotland’s International Environment Centre and with Stirling Council, is leading the Young Pathfinders programme, a civic engagement initiative that in 2024 brought together 31 pupils from seven Forth Valley schools to tackle the climate crisis. By involving young people in tree planting, sustainability workshops, and science-led activities, the university is equipping future leaders with the skills, knowledge, and hope needed to address environmental challenges and support a transition to a net-zero economy.
University of the Arctic network membership
The University of Stirling is a member of a global network of organisations focused on research in the rapidly changing natural and social environment of the Arctic. The University of the Arctic (UArctic) network was set up in 2001 to address local and global challenges of relevance to Arctic peoples and societies. UArctic’s Thematic Network focuses on how communities - especially Indigenous and remote ones - plan for and adapt to climate change with emphasis on local governance, education, and community-led strategies to build resilience against rising temperatures and extreme weather. University of Stirling’s membership was confirmed at the Arctic Congress 2024, a showcase of Arctic cooperation.