Carbon emission accounting and carbon neutrality strategies at universities: A case study from Guangzhou, China

Abstract

To address climate change and meet carbon neutrality targets, reducing carbon emissions has become imperative. Universities, with their large populations and extensive infrastructure, offer significant opportunities for emission reduction. Current research on campus carbon neutrality primarily focuses on defining carbon emissions, establishing evaluation indicators, developing measurement methodologies, and formulating comprehensive planning strategies. However, there remains a lack of research on evaluating the expected outcomes of specific mitigation measures and on establishing a systematic framework for achieving carbon neutrality. This study proposes key components of campus carbon emission accounting methods and establishes a replicable, broadly applicable framework intended to enrich the theoretical foundation of campus carbon emission research. Using University A as a case study, carbon emissions and carbon sinks from 2021 to 2023 were calculated. The results indicate that electricity consumption in buildings is the primary source of emissions, accounting for approximately 90% of the total. This highlights the urgent need for targeted strategies to reduce electricity-related emissions. Using 2023 as the baseline year, a scenario-based analysis was conducted to project carbon emissions from 2024 to 2030. The findings suggest that without the implementation of intervention strategies, the university will emit approximately 20434.25 tons of carbon by 2030—posing a substantial challenge to achieving carbon neutrality. However, if the proposed measures are adopted, emissions are expected to decrease progressively over time. This study presents a systematic carbon accounting methodology and a comprehensive set of carbon neutrality strategies that can serve as a reference for other universities.