2025 Sustainability Report

This report outlines the University of Melbourne's sustainability progress at the midpoint of Sustainability Plan 2030, highlighting key achievements in 2025 across education, research and operations, along with the priorities shaping the work ahead.

Infographic showing 72% of targets with a 2025 deadline have been 'met' or 'partially metInfographic showing University of Melbourne ranked equal 11th globally in the 2026 QS World University Rankings: Sustainability
Six tiles of infographics showing the following: First tile: University of Melbourne achieved 100 per cent renewable electricity (Scope 2); second tile: 26 per cent reduction in air travel emissions from 2019 baseline; third tile: Advancing Research, the University's new research strategy includes an impact accelerator on 'Climate, Sustainability and Ecosystem Health'; fourth tile: Sustainability Education: University offered new sustainability and climate-focused learning opportunities; fifth tile: Climate Resilience: University maintained a 'medium' level of climate change preparedness across the University; sixth tile: Biodiversity: results were mixed, with some net gains (canopy, fauna/fungi), but tree lossesSix tiles of infographics with the following information: First tile: 37 new research projects were awarded funding by the Melbourne Biodiversity Institute and Melbourne Climate Futures; second tile: 6,398 scholarly articles were published between 2022-2025 mapped to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals; third tile: Partnerships: strengthened sustainability-embedded partnerships in the Indo-Pacific regions; fourth tile: Waste Recovery: Expanded organic waste and soft plastics collections and improved waste tracking; fifth tile: Waste-to-landfill: remains well above target; Water: consumption above target; monitoring limitations persist

We achieved carbon neutral certification for the University’s Australian business operations for the 2025 calendar year, under the Australian Government’s Climate Active program.

How we're tracking against Sustainability Plan 2030 targets

Timeline from 2024 to 2030, showing 3 domains, 12 priority areas and 25 tasrgetsBar chart showing 52% of targets were met or exceeded; 20% were partially met and 28% were not met

How we assessed our progress Report overview

Our impact

Explore key examples of our impact in 2025, aligning to the three pillars of Strategy 2030: Resilience

A person with a ponytail in a laboratory holding up a glass beaker

Exceptional Education

Transforming Chemistry learning to embed sustainability.

Close‑up of a small black frog with bright yellow stripes sitting on a blue gloved hand, with leafy forest ground in the background.

Transformational Research

Tiny frog research with big conservation impact.

Large white wind turbines in a field of yellow and green grass

Our Resilient University

University of Melbourne achieves 100 per cent renewable electricity.

Read about our sustainability progress and stories under each Sustainability Plan 2030 domain and priority area