Net-zero campus: achieving carbon neutrality in higher education institutions in Bhopal

Abstract

India is one of the largest contributors to global carbon emissions due to its large population and growing economy. According to the Global Carbon Atlas, as of the latest available data (2020), India ranked third in the world for total carbon dioxide emissions, following China and the United States. The fulfilment of the 2030 Agenda, as defined by the United Nations in 2015 through the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), requires the implementation of policies from different dimensions of sustainability. The tremendous pressure on India to reduce emissions has heightened the urgency for Indian educational institutes to be the pioneers of carbon-neutral practices in the country’s cities and communities, and to further reinforce the achievement of India’s carbon neutrality targets. Higher education institutions around the world are increasingly calculating their carbon footprint in an effort to achieve their carbon-neutral goals. Nonetheless, Studies have shown that traditional environmental sustainability initiatives have limitations. Therefore, the implementation of systematic management plans for environmental systems in universities offers significant benefits. As a residential university campus encapsulates a self-contained functional system wherein a myriad of activities, encompassing habitation, work, and recreation, happens within demarcated boundaries, three of several Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) of ‘National Importance’ in Bhopal, namely National Institute of Fashion technology, School of planning and Architecture and Indian Institute of Science Education and Research were selected to study, assess, and suggest interventions to mitigate their environmental impacts through three objectives. The first objective was to study and review the existing methods of assessment and successful case studies of carbon neutrality within the higher education sector globally. Secondly, a comprehensive assessment of the current carbon footprint of each of the selected institutes, considering energy consumption, transportation, waste management, and other relevant aspects was performed along with carbon sink assessments. Lastly, to manage the gap (residual GHG) interventions were suggested encompassing specific strategies based on the emission patterns and areas of concern for attaining carbon neutrality. The thesis aspires to contribute a comprehensive, actionable, and context-specific guide for the transition to a carbon-neutral campus for educational institutes. By shedding light on the cases of selected HEIs, it will contribute valuable knowledge to the broader discourse on sustainable practices in academic settings.