Knowledge holds key to climate action – says sustainability lead at British Library

The Decarbonisation Dialogue podcast hears how the UK's national library is tackling its own carbon footprint while helping society access trusted information on climate change

The British Library is harnessing the power of its vast collections and national influence to support climate action while reducing its own environmental impact, according to sustainability manager Catherine Ross.

Speaking in episode 50 of The Decarbonisation Dialogue podcast, Catherine Ross outlined how the iconic institution is embedding sustainability across its operations, collections and public engagement activities as it works towards a lower-carbon future.

Catherine, who joined the British Library in 2023 as its first dedicated sustainability manager, said her passion for environmental issues developed after becoming a parent and thinking about the world future generations would inherit.

She says: “The environment has always been in the background for as long as I can remember, but when I started my family, I began thinking much more seriously about the future and how I could play my part in being part of the solution.”

The British Library, which cares for more than 170 million items ranging from books and maps to sound recordings and websites, is uniquely positioned to contribute to climate understanding.

Catherine says: “Within our collections we have so much knowledge that can speak to climate change and nature loss.

“We hold scientific research, weather records, nature recordings, political documents and historical records that can help researchers, businesses, educators and communities understand environmental challenges and develop solutions.”

Alongside opening access to that knowledge, the library is also focused on reducing its own environmental footprint across its two main sites at St Pancras in London and Boston Spa in Yorkshire.

Catherine revealed that the majority of the library's direct carbon emissions stem from the energy required to heat, cool and maintain carefully controlled environments that protect its collections for future generations.

Last year, the library's direct emissions were just under 7,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent, while wider supply chain emissions exceeded 16,000 tonnes.

To address this, the organisation has invested in energy efficiency measures and renewable technologies, supported by the Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme.

She says: “We've installed one of the largest solar thermal installations in the country on the roof at St Pancras.

“We've also improved lighting, pumps and motors to make our operations more energy efficient while continuing to protect the collection.”

Before joining the British Library, Catherine played a role in the Church of England's Net Zero programme. She said one of the biggest lessons she brought to her current role was the importance of engagement.

“Writing a sustainability strategy is one challenge, embedding it is another. The key is engagement, communication, training and empowering people to take ownership.”

That approach has seen sustainability become increasingly integrated into decision-making across the organisation, supported by carbon literacy training programmes and new procurement processes.

In our podcast Catherine also highlighted the library's role in combating misinformation through information and climate literacy, helping visitors access trusted sources and better understand climate science.

Looking ahead, she said the library aims to further reduce emissions, expand access to climate-related resources and open a new highly energy-efficient collection storage facility at Boston Spa.

“We naturally think long-term because our role is to preserve knowledge for posterity.

“When you think on that timescale, you can clearly see the challenges climate change presents. Our sustainability strategy reflects our determination to play our part.”