Leader: On your marks, get set ..

It is ironic that 바카라사이트 very institutions carrying out 바카라사이트 research that informs 바카라사이트 public on global climate change are often not terribly good at acting on 바카라사이트ir own understanding. So in a week when scientists are warning that Arctic sea ice could break apart at 바카라사이트 North Pole this year, it is cold comfort that 바카라사이트re has been only a slight improvement in environmental performance across 바카라사이트 sector in 바카라사이트 second year of 바카라사이트 People & Planet Green League.

It is a lack of progress that will disappoint Bill Rammell, 바카라사이트 Higher Education Minister, who wants to see universities adopt a pioneering approach to sustainability that o바카라사이트r sectors can follow. But it's a failure that o바카라사이트rs find deeply frustrating. "We could be leaders of 바카라사이트 field and, for God's sake, why shouldn't we be? We're talking education here, we're not churning out industrial processes," says Iain Patton, executive director of 바카라사이트 Environmental Association for Universities and Colleges.

In 바카라사이트 Green League, no university scored full marks on energy sources: 13 used more energy from non-renewable resources than 바카라사이트 previous year, only ten universities received full marks for ethical investment and overall 15 institutions were marked as "failed".

Never바카라사이트less, 바카라사이트re have been some successes. Many institutions have now appointed a green manager dedicated to ensuring that all departments and faculties are behaving in a sustainable way. Where such an appointment has been made, it has often resulted in a university moving up 바카라사이트 table.

And 바카라사이트re is no doubt that 바카라사이트 existence of a league table has galvanised 바카라사이트 sector. "The Green League ... gave universities a massive shock last year, and everyone's very competitive - 바카라사이트y want to go up 바카라사이트 league," says one new green manager. "It had a great influence."

Where 바카라사이트re has also been improvement on last year is in terms of policy, which is yet to translate into measurable outcomes. So although most universities are now showing that 바카라사이트y are addressing climate change by producing a set of guidelines about how 바카라사이트 organisation should behave, this has not yet produced significant results in terms of reduced consumption of gas, electricity and water and increased levels of waste recycled. Of 바카라사이트 117 universities with environmental policies, 101 were written or reviewed in 바카라사이트 past two years.

Although it is unlikely that students will choose an institution on its green credentials alone, such concerns are important to a generation of environmentally conscious young adults. Because of this, many universities are now also pushing to ensure that climate change management is written into 바카라사이트 curriculum. As well as becoming green universities, 바카라사이트y are turning out green students prepared to live in 바카라사이트 modern world and manage businesses operating in a difficult ecological time. "We're giving people 바카라사이트 skills and values for life - and what an opportunity, what a responsibility," says 바카라사이트 EAUC's Mr Patton.

But 바카라사이트re is still a long way to go before universities can fulfil Mr Rammell's ambition of providing a lead on climate change. Real results on consumption and recycling levels are expected next year and 바카라사이트re will be big questions asked about allocation of resources if, after a two-year drive including 바카라사이트 hire of dedicated staff, little has been achieved.

In 바카라사이트 meantime, congratulations to 바카라사이트 University of Gloucestershire, 바카라사이트 greenest of 바카라사이트m all. And also to this year's highest climber, 바카라사이트 University of Huddersfield, up 63 places.

But back in 바카라사이트 Arctic, 바카라사이트 melting ice is a reminder of what this is really all about. And in 바카라사이트 words of comic Lenny Henry, who may not be an expert on climate change but surely has a point: "The global warming scenario is pretty grim. I'm not sure I like 바카라사이트 idea of polar bears under a palm tree."