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DOI | 10.3390/su16072937 |
Net-Zero Heroes? Climate Change Mitigation Efforts and Strategies across Australian Group-of-Eight Universities | |
发表日期 | 2024 |
EISSN | 2071-1050 |
起始页码 | 16 |
结束页码 | 7 |
卷号 | 16期号:7 |
英文摘要 | Businesses are increasingly declaring their operations to be carbon neutral or net-zero. But how real are these claims? We investigated the climate mitigation efforts of the eight leading universities in Australia and discovered that the actual emission reductions lag behind the net-zero rhetoric. In the last ten years, most universities increased energy consumption, while reported emissions plateaued. The energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions of Group-of-Eight (Go8) universities were influenced by size and population growth, climate of the campus location, and energy efficiencies. The Go8 universities experienced, on average, a 25% increase in student numbers in the last decade, and most increased their energy consumption. However, Scope 1 (direct emissions) and Scope 2 (emissions from electricity consumption) remained stable for most universities from 2011 to 2019 and decreased on a per-capita basis, indicating some level of improved efficiencies. Almost all Go8 universities have net-zero commitments and aim to achieve this by similar measures: power purchase agreements (PPAs) for electricity consumption, and carbon offsets for remaining emissions. Most universities lack a strategy for direct or measurable targets regarding energy or emissions reductions along their value chain. Unlike the UK or other countries, Australia has no standardised emission reporting requirements for Scope 3 emissions (other indirect emissions). This has led to rudimentary and haphazard reporting, limiting comparability between universities. Only one university had a more complete Scope 3 inventory, and these Scope 3 emissions were five times greater than their combined Scope 1 and 2 emissions, indicating a potential for substantial under-reporting of emissions. This highlights the need for more rigorous, consistent, and sector-specific emissions accounting, especially on indirect emissions, and for an overhaul of net-zero accreditation. |
英文关键词 | CO(2)e emissions; emissions reporting; energy consumption; greenhouse gas emissions; GHG emissions; carbon footprint; emissions inventory; direct and indirect emissions; carbon offsets; power purchase agreement; HEI; universities |
语种 | 英语 |
WOS研究方向 | Science & Technology - Other Topics ; Environmental Sciences & Ecology |
WOS类目 | Green & Sustainable Science & Technology ; Environmental Sciences ; Environmental Studies |
WOS记录号 | WOS:001201516200001 |
来源期刊 | SUSTAINABILITY
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文献类型 | 期刊论文 |
条目标识符 | http://gcip.llas.ac.cn/handle/2XKMVOVA/302100 |
作者单位 | University of Melbourne |
推荐引用方式 GB/T 7714 | . Net-Zero Heroes? Climate Change Mitigation Efforts and Strategies across Australian Group-of-Eight Universities[J],2024,16(7). |
APA | (2024).Net-Zero Heroes? Climate Change Mitigation Efforts and Strategies across Australian Group-of-Eight Universities.SUSTAINABILITY,16(7). |
MLA | "Net-Zero Heroes? Climate Change Mitigation Efforts and Strategies across Australian Group-of-Eight Universities".SUSTAINABILITY 16.7(2024). |
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