Carbon neutral higher education institutions : a reality check, challenges and solutions
Purpose Calculating an organization's carbon footprint is crucial for assessing and implementing emission reductions. Although Finnish higher education institutions (HEIs) aim for carbon neutrality by 2030, limited research exists on plans to reach a similar target in any country. This paper ai...
Published in: | International Journal of Sustainability in Higher Education |
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Online Access: | https://osuva.uwasa.fi/handle/10024/17994 |
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ftunivvaasa:oai:osuva.uwasa.fi:10024/17994 2024-09-15T18:33:39+00:00 Carbon neutral higher education institutions : a reality check, challenges and solutions Ahonen, Veronica Lucia Woszczek, Aleksandra Baumeister, Stefan Helimo, Ulla T. Jackson, Anne Kristiina Kopsakangas-Savolainen, Maria Kääriä, Juha Lehtonen, Tommi Luoranen, MIka Pongrácz, Eva Soukka, Risto Vainio, Veera El Geneidy, Sami fi=Vaasan yliopisto|en=University of Vaasa| orcid:0000-0002-0286-3059 InnoLab - Innovation and Entrepreneurship InnoLab Innolab 2024-07-31 23 fi=kokoteksti|en=fulltext| 293-315 true https://osuva.uwasa.fi/handle/10024/17994 eng eng Emerald 1758-6739 1467-6370 9 International Journal of Sustainability in Higher Education 25 10.1108/IJSHE-11-2023-0515 https://doi.org/10.1108/IJSHE-11-2023-0515 https://osuva.uwasa.fi/handle/10024/17994 URN:NBN:fi-fe2024082866603 CC BY 4.0 WOS:001285453300001 Scopus:85200685404 Carbon accounting Corporate sustainability Higher education institutions Sustainability carbon footprint carbon neutrality article publishedVersion fi=A1 Alkuperäisartikkeli tieteellisessä aikakauslehdessä|en=A1 Peer-reviewed original journal article|sv=A1 Originalartikel i en vetenskaplig tidskrift| 2024 ftunivvaasa https://doi.org/10.1108/IJSHE-11-2023-0515 2024-09-03T23:34:10Z Purpose Calculating an organization's carbon footprint is crucial for assessing and implementing emission reductions. Although Finnish higher education institutions (HEIs) aim for carbon neutrality by 2030, limited research exists on plans to reach a similar target in any country. This paper aims to address the shared and individual challenges Finnish HEIs have with carbon footprint calculations, reductions, resources and offsetting. Design/methodology/approach A survey was targeted to sustainability experts in all 38 HEIs in Finland to identify key patterns and trends in the focus fields of the study. SWOT analysis was used to classify main strengths, opportunities, weaknesses and threats, based on which a series of policy recommendations was drafted. Findings Finnish HEIs are committed to carbon footprint tracking (97%, annually by 87%). The lack of standardization and the number of external stakeholders complicate accounting indirect emissions, impeding comparability and reliability. Only 39% had set separate emission reduction targets, suggesting a preference for carbon footprint over other environmental impact indicators. Insufficient monetary and human resources emerged in 23% of institutions, especially those smaller in size. Only 52% had clear offsetting plans, with shared concerns over trust and responsibility. Originality/value By including both research universities and universities of applied sciences, the findings provide an unprecedented outlook into the entire Finnish HEI sector. The policy recommendations guide HEIs both locally and globally on how to improve their transparency and scientific integrity, reflect on core successes and weaknesses and how they complete their objectives of education, research and social impact while promoting stronger sustainability. © Veronica Lucia Ahonen, Aleksandra Woszczek, Stefan Baumeister, Ulla T. Helimo, Anne Kristiina Jackson, Maria Kopsakangas-Savolainen, Juha Kääriä, Tommi Lehtonen, Mika Luoranen, Eva Pongrácz, Risto Soukka, Veera Vainio and Sami El ... Article in Journal/Newspaper sami Osuva (University of Vaasa) International Journal of Sustainability in Higher Education 25 9 293 315 |
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Open Polar |
collection |
Osuva (University of Vaasa) |
op_collection_id |
ftunivvaasa |
language |
English |
topic |
Carbon accounting Corporate sustainability Higher education institutions Sustainability carbon footprint carbon neutrality |
spellingShingle |
Carbon accounting Corporate sustainability Higher education institutions Sustainability carbon footprint carbon neutrality Ahonen, Veronica Lucia Woszczek, Aleksandra Baumeister, Stefan Helimo, Ulla T. Jackson, Anne Kristiina Kopsakangas-Savolainen, Maria Kääriä, Juha Lehtonen, Tommi Luoranen, MIka Pongrácz, Eva Soukka, Risto Vainio, Veera El Geneidy, Sami Carbon neutral higher education institutions : a reality check, challenges and solutions |
topic_facet |
Carbon accounting Corporate sustainability Higher education institutions Sustainability carbon footprint carbon neutrality |
description |
Purpose Calculating an organization's carbon footprint is crucial for assessing and implementing emission reductions. Although Finnish higher education institutions (HEIs) aim for carbon neutrality by 2030, limited research exists on plans to reach a similar target in any country. This paper aims to address the shared and individual challenges Finnish HEIs have with carbon footprint calculations, reductions, resources and offsetting. Design/methodology/approach A survey was targeted to sustainability experts in all 38 HEIs in Finland to identify key patterns and trends in the focus fields of the study. SWOT analysis was used to classify main strengths, opportunities, weaknesses and threats, based on which a series of policy recommendations was drafted. Findings Finnish HEIs are committed to carbon footprint tracking (97%, annually by 87%). The lack of standardization and the number of external stakeholders complicate accounting indirect emissions, impeding comparability and reliability. Only 39% had set separate emission reduction targets, suggesting a preference for carbon footprint over other environmental impact indicators. Insufficient monetary and human resources emerged in 23% of institutions, especially those smaller in size. Only 52% had clear offsetting plans, with shared concerns over trust and responsibility. Originality/value By including both research universities and universities of applied sciences, the findings provide an unprecedented outlook into the entire Finnish HEI sector. The policy recommendations guide HEIs both locally and globally on how to improve their transparency and scientific integrity, reflect on core successes and weaknesses and how they complete their objectives of education, research and social impact while promoting stronger sustainability. © Veronica Lucia Ahonen, Aleksandra Woszczek, Stefan Baumeister, Ulla T. Helimo, Anne Kristiina Jackson, Maria Kopsakangas-Savolainen, Juha Kääriä, Tommi Lehtonen, Mika Luoranen, Eva Pongrácz, Risto Soukka, Veera Vainio and Sami El ... |
author2 |
fi=Vaasan yliopisto|en=University of Vaasa| orcid:0000-0002-0286-3059 InnoLab - Innovation and Entrepreneurship InnoLab Innolab |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Ahonen, Veronica Lucia Woszczek, Aleksandra Baumeister, Stefan Helimo, Ulla T. Jackson, Anne Kristiina Kopsakangas-Savolainen, Maria Kääriä, Juha Lehtonen, Tommi Luoranen, MIka Pongrácz, Eva Soukka, Risto Vainio, Veera El Geneidy, Sami |
author_facet |
Ahonen, Veronica Lucia Woszczek, Aleksandra Baumeister, Stefan Helimo, Ulla T. Jackson, Anne Kristiina Kopsakangas-Savolainen, Maria Kääriä, Juha Lehtonen, Tommi Luoranen, MIka Pongrácz, Eva Soukka, Risto Vainio, Veera El Geneidy, Sami |
author_sort |
Ahonen, Veronica Lucia |
title |
Carbon neutral higher education institutions : a reality check, challenges and solutions |
title_short |
Carbon neutral higher education institutions : a reality check, challenges and solutions |
title_full |
Carbon neutral higher education institutions : a reality check, challenges and solutions |
title_fullStr |
Carbon neutral higher education institutions : a reality check, challenges and solutions |
title_full_unstemmed |
Carbon neutral higher education institutions : a reality check, challenges and solutions |
title_sort |
carbon neutral higher education institutions : a reality check, challenges and solutions |
publisher |
Emerald |
publishDate |
2024 |
url |
https://osuva.uwasa.fi/handle/10024/17994 |
genre |
sami |
genre_facet |
sami |
op_source |
WOS:001285453300001 Scopus:85200685404 |
op_relation |
1758-6739 1467-6370 9 International Journal of Sustainability in Higher Education 25 10.1108/IJSHE-11-2023-0515 https://doi.org/10.1108/IJSHE-11-2023-0515 https://osuva.uwasa.fi/handle/10024/17994 URN:NBN:fi-fe2024082866603 |
op_rights |
CC BY 4.0 |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1108/IJSHE-11-2023-0515 |
container_title |
International Journal of Sustainability in Higher Education |
container_volume |
25 |
container_issue |
9 |
container_start_page |
293 |
op_container_end_page |
315 |
_version_ |
1810475347233210368 |