Since 2014 UniGe manage its approach to environmental sustainability by following a voluntary agreement for the quantification of its Carbon Footprint within the Program for the evaluation of the environmental footprint launched by the former Ministry of the Environment.
The Carbon Footprint, one of the tools used in carbon management polices, consists in the calculation of the greenhouse gas emissions (GHG), in terms of tons of CO2 emitted, associated with the services provided by the University of Genoa. The GHG inventory calculations is performed by the Center for the Development of Sustainability of Products (CESISP) of the University of Genoa.
UniGe updated the baseline year: the base year is 2019. The year 2019 was chosen as the year in which the University of Genoa's mitigation goals were defined. In years before 2019, the reference year was assumed to be 2013, as the first year of certification. Since 2015, the operational boundaries of the inventories include the assessment of indirect emissions not from imported energy.
At now the GHG inventory of UniGe includes:
- Direct emissions
(Scope 1 of the GHG Protocol / Category 1 of ISO 14064-1:2019)
These emissions are generated directly by the activities of the institution. They include, for example, emissions from the combustion of fuels in university vehicles, heating systems, and boilers that involve the direct use of fossil energy.
- Indirect energy-related emissions
(Scope 2 of the GHG Protocol / Category 2 of ISO 14064-1:2019)
These emissions are associated with the production of electricity and thermal energy consumed by the university.
- Other indirect emissions
(Scope 3 of the GHG Protocol / Categories 3-6 of ISO 14064-1:2019)
This includes a wide range of emissions, such as those resulting from the mobility of the academic community, the management of the university's waste, and those associated with the production and transport of goods and services purchased by the institution, such as educational materials, equipment, and external services.
The first UniGe GHG Inventory for 2013 and 2014 was certified in 2016 by a third-party Certification Body for compliance with the ISO 14064-1 standard. The GHG inventory for the years 2017, 2018, and 2019 also underwent the same verification process. The most recent GHG inventory, covering the period from 2020 to 2022, was developed by CESISP and certified by a third-party Certification Body in May 2024. Attached is the GHG methodological note, the certification, and the summary (GHG 20-22 External Report).
The assessment and calculation of greenhouse gas emissions related to the university's activities are part of the university's Climate Strategy.