Thesearchlight.com

By Matthews Otalike, The Searchlight Editor / July 24, 2026

The University of Liverpool has been ranked among the world’s top 100 universities for sustainability, rising 14 places to 74th out of 1,603 globally in the 2026 Times Higher Education (THE) Sustainability Impact Ratings.

Published during Liverpool Climate Action Week (22-26 June), the results recognize universities making a significant contribution to society through research, education, stewardship and outreach aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

The University has climbed from 88th place in 2025, reinforcing its position as a global leader in sustainability and reflecting its continued commitment to delivering the ambitions set out in its Sustainability Strategy.

Individual SDG Performance

Formerly known as the THE Impact Rankings, the Sustainability Impact Ratings assess universities against the UN’s 17 Sustainable Development Goals, measuring how institutions contribute to addressing global challenges including climate change, inequality, health, education, biodiversity and sustainable economic development.

This year, the University achieved an overall score of 90.7 out of 100 across six SDGs, with three ranked among the global top 50.

The University’s strongest performing SDG was SDG 15: Life on Land, where it scored 91.5, ranking 25th globally. It also secured top 50 positions for SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production, ranked 24th with a score of 87.9, and SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities, ranked 24th with a score of 84.2.

In addition, the University placed within the top 100 for SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities, ranked 64th with a score of 81.5. It also achieved strong results for SDG 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions, with a score of 73.1, and SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals, with a score of 85.5.

The results reflect the University’s commitment to advancing sustainability through world-leading research, innovative teaching, responsible campus operations and strong local, national and international partnerships.

Sustainability Strategy

The result reflects another year of significant sustainability progress across the University, including the launch of the new Energy Strategy 2031+ and a new Waste and Resources Management Plan, the continued development of the Interdisciplinary Centre for Sustainability Research, and the delivery of the University’s most successful Sustainability Week to date, which achieved record levels of participation and engagement. These achievements are captured alongside other notable developments in the annual Sustainability Strategy Progress Report.