Sustainability Monitor 2024: Leiden University slashes carbon emissions and strengthens role in climate transition
The Sustainability Monitor 2024 reveals that Leiden University has again taken significant steps to become a more sustainable and future-proof university. Since 1990, its carbon emissions have decreased by 50 per cent and, compared with 2019, its natural gas consumption has dropped by 32 per cent. Its total energy consumption continued to decrease, with 19 per cent of this now coming from its own renewable sources.
The university is making substantial investments to green its campuses, the Sustainability Monitor 2024 shows, with 5,532 solar panels being installed and 3,550 m² of new green spaces being created. A biodiversity vision was developed for the Leiden Bio Science Park, and five fauna studies were conducted. A rare species was even discovered : the red cabbage bug.
Embedding sustainability in research and teaching
In 2024, we took further steps to embed sustainability in our teaching. The LDE minor Co-creating Sustainable Practice in and beyond the Indonesian City started, for example, where students spend three months working with local partners in Jakarta. And in the EcoConnect project, a toolkit was developed to help teaching staff integrate climate change into their teaching.
Sustainable innovations were also apparent in our research. In Polderlab, researchers, farmers and policymakers worked together on climate-proof agriculture, and citizen science received a boost with the new Citizen Science and Sustainability chair. The university also made an important decision: fossil fuel collaborations that do not demonstrably commit to the goals of the Paris Agreement will be terminated.
Students and staff as motor for change
The Leiden University Green Office (LUGO) once again played a key role in raising awareness and increasing engagement. LUGO opened community gardens in Leiden and The Hague, launched a sustainability label for study associations and held lectures and workshops on topics including fast fashion and climate anxiety.
‘More and more students and staff are actively working to make our university more sustainable,’ said Timo Kos, Vice-President of the Executive Board. ‘Their involvement is vital to us achieving our sustainability goals.’
Collaboration and societal impact
The university strengthened its collaborations with public and private partners. In 2024, it joined the Hague Climate Agreement, comprising 38 climate deals aimed at making The Hague climate neutral by 2030. It also joined the Planetary Health Alliance, a global network that studies the effects of climate change on health.
The university climbed to fifth place in the national SustainaBul ranking, thanks in part to strong performances in sustainable research and minors focusing on sustainability.
Looking to the future
In 2025, the university continued work on a Circular Construction Policy Plan, expanding its Green Teams and implementing its Biodiversity Vision. Sustainability is also receiving a boost as an interdisciplinary theme within the university’s new positioning.
Milestone: Herta Mohr building showcases sustainable innovation
One of the highlights of the past year is the completion of the Herta Mohr building on the Humanities Campus. This gas-free building has been awarded a BREEAM score of ‘excellent’, making it an example of sustainable and future-proof construction.
The thermal energy storage system reduces the building’s annual carbon emissions by 150,000 kilos. The building is also climate adaptive and biodiverse: the courtyard is resistant to heat stress and heavy rainfall, and serves as a stepping stone for wild bees. With the underground bicycle parking facility, room has been freed up for a green meeting space for promoting well-being and building connections.
Banner: Herta Mohr building, photo taken by Eva Bloem.