An ecological footprint that is a quarter smaller than in 2021. When the University of Amsterdam presented its White Paper on Sustainability in 2021, that was the main sustainability target for 2026. By limiting air travel, phasing out gas, making canteen offerings more sustainable, and generating more of its own electricity, the university hoped to achieve that central goal.
Five years later, it is clear that many of the goals it set for itself proved too ambitious. Although progress has been made on nearly every concrete point outlined in the policy document and its accompanying appendices, not all of the objectives the University of Amsterdam had envisioned have ultimately been achieved.
Paris targets
To start with some good news: the university is still on track to meet the ambitions of the Paris Climate Agreement by 2040. In 2021, the UvA stated that its annual energy use would need to be reduced to around 70 kWh per square meter to achieve this. Over the past six years, that figure has already dropped significantly: from 186 kWh per square meter in 2019 to 125 kWh in 2025, a decrease of nearly 33 percent.
At the same time, it is not yet certain that the target of 70 kWh by 2040 can actually be achieved. In a draft version of the sustainability section of the 2025 annual report, the university acknowledges that reaching this goal will be “challenging”, citing “heritage buildings that are difficult to insulate, delayed renovations, budget cuts, and grid congestion,” among other factors.