The International Education Sustainability Group (IESG) has released the first ever public results from its ground-breaking Climate Action Barometer (CAB), shedding new light on how the international education sector is engaging with climate action.
The report compiles data from 22 partner institutions that participated in the CAB Global Wave in 2024. The participating institutions span 10 countries and represent more than 190,000 international student enrolments. The findings shed light on how the sector is engaging with climate action, where momentum is building and where urgent progress is still needed. Key findings include:
Climate change will disrupt higher education by 2030
More than half of the participating institutions expect climate change to impact their operations by 2030 – yet only one-third currently have emissions reduction targets in place.
Sustainability is a leadership issue – but action is lagging
While 64% of institutions highlight a commitment to climate action in their marketing, only 41% are training staff to communicate sustainability initiatives effectively.
International education’s carbon footprint is significant
Total emissions from international student and staff travel across the benchmark group reached 691,191 tCO₂-e.
'Universities have a powerful opportunity to lead the education sector's response to climate change,' says IESG Chief Executive, Ailsa Lamont. 'By embedding sustainability into strategy, operations and leadership, institutions can build resilience, align with student and stakeholder expectations and strengthen their global reputation.'
The Climate Action Barometer (CAB) is the only climate benchmark tool designed specifically for the international education sector.
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