Abstract
<p>Objective: Universities are increasingly recognised as contributors to the climate crisis but there is little in-depth data on researchers’ understanding and practice. This project explores researcher knowledge and attitudes, barriers and drivers to embedding sustainability within research processes at a single institution, and how to improve the sustainability of research.Design: Mixed-methods case study.Setting: The University of Bristol (UoB), UK.Data collection: Online survey (n=392) and five online qualitative focus groups (n=29). Participants: Staff and students involved in conducting or supporting research at the University. Results: Survey and qualitative results showed high concern about the climate impact of research (72% very or extremely worried about climate change; 57% believe very important to consider sustainability of research). However, barriers and trade-offs preventing engagement and capacity for change, including the complexity of sustainability, reflecting interconnected systemic problems and competing priorities (potential harms to research, limited funding and time and disproportionate effect on early career researchers). The perceived lack of institutional commitment and prioritisation of sustainability was troubling for participants, with accusations of hypocrisy, greenwashing and poor transparency. Survey data show low levels of training, knowledge and support from UoB (only 4% very or extremely familiar with UoB initiatives). Focus group participants were keen to challenge and disrupt research culture to promote more sustainable research practices, and for open, honest, meaningful conversations. Conclusions: Researchers at UoB who took part in our study were keen to make their research more sustainable, but face systemic barriers and competing priorities, and a troubling lack of institutional support, including funding, time, dialogue, sharing information. These issues are likely found across the wider UK university sector, perhaps globally. To achieve universities’ climate commitments - such as net-zero by 2050 - substantial and meaningful change is required. These findings have been integrated into UoB’s University Climate Action Plan to enact this change.</p>