Low carbon futures: assessing the status of decarbonisation efforts at universities within a 2050 perspective

Walter Leal Filho; Diogo Guedes Vidal; Maria Alzira Pimenta Dinis; Wim Lambrechts; Claudio R P Vasconcelos; Petra Molthan-Hill; Ismaila Rimi Abubakar; Rachel M Dunk; Amanda Lange Salvia

doi:10.1186/s13705-023-00384-6

Low carbon futures: assessing the status of decarbonisation efforts at universities within a 2050 perspective

Energy Sustain Soc. 2023;13(1):5. doi: 10.1186/s13705-023-00384-6. Epub 2023 Feb 16.

Authors

Affiliations

¹ European School of Sustainability Science and Research, Hamburg University of Applied Sciences, Ulmenliet 20, 21033 Hamburg, Germany.
² Department of Natural Sciences, Manchester Metropolitan University, Chester Street, Manchester, M11 5GD UK.
³ Department of Life Sciences, Faculty of Sciences and Technology, Center for Functional Ecology-Science for People and The Planet (CFE), TERRA Associate Laboratory, University of Coimbra, Calçada Martim de Freitas, 3000-456 Coimbra, Portugal.
⁴ UFP Energy, Environment and Health Research Unit (FP-ENAS), University Fernando Pessoa (UFP), Praça 9 de Abril 349, 4249-004 Porto, Portugal.
⁵ Department of Marketing and Supply Chain Management, Faculty of Management, Open Universiteit, The Netherlands (OUNL), Postbus 2960, 6401 DL Heerlen, The Netherlands.
⁶ Laboratory of Sustainability Engineering and Consumption, Federal University of Paraíba, João Pessoa, PB Brazil.
⁷ Algoritmi Research Centre, School of Engineering, University of Minho, 4800-058 Guimarães, Portugal.
⁸ Business Sustainability, Nottingham Trent University, England, UK.
⁹ College of Architecture and Planning, Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University (Formerly, University of Dammam), P.O. Box 1982, Dammam, 31441 Saudi Arabia.
¹⁰ School of Science and the Environment, Manchester Metropolitan University, Chester Street, Manchester, M1 5GD UK.
¹¹ Graduate Program in Civil and Environment Engineering, University of Passo Fundo, Campus I-BR 285, São José, Passo Fundo, RS 99052-900 Brazil.

Abstract

Background: The implementation of sustainability at universities means that they can also play a key role in the transition to a low carbon economy, and in assisting global efforts towards decarbonisation. Yet, not all of them have so far fully engaged in this area. This paper reviews the state of the art on trends in decarbonisation, and outlines the need for decarbonisation efforts at universities. It also reports on a survey aimed at ascertaining the extent to which universities in a sample of 40 countries across the various geographical regions are engaged in carbon reduction efforts, identifying the challenges faced.

Results: The study has shown that the literature on the topic has been evolving over time and that increasing a given university's energy supply from renewable energy sources has been the cornerstone of university-based climate action plans. The study also indicates that even though several universities are concerned with their carbon footprint and actively seeking ways to reduce it, there are some institutional obstacles that need to be overcome.

Conclusions: A first conclusion which can be drawn is that efforts on decarbonisation are becoming more popular, with a special focus being placed on the use of renewable energy. Also, the study has shown that, from the range of efforts being made towards decarbonisation, many universities are setting up a team with carbon management responsibilities, have Carbon Management Policy Statements, and review them. The paper points towards some measures which may be deployed, so as to allow universities to take better advantage of the many opportunities an engagement in decarbonisation initiatives offers to them.