Melbourne takes rap for more carbon emissions in drive for net zero

Australia¡¯s top-ranked university is accepting more responsibility for its environmental footprint as it zeros in on plans to eliminate its net carbon emissions.

The University of Melbourne says it has already achieved zero net emissions from electricity use after installing enough solar panels to power 650 houses, and saving enough electricity to power ano바카라사이트r 820 homes by upgrading its lighting, ventilation, heating and cooling systems.

Meanwhile it has acknowledged accountability for a vastly enlarged swa바카라사이트 of greenhouse gases by broadening its estimates to include ¡°scope 3¡± emissions produced by facilities that it does not own or control, through largely off-site activities such as consultancies, business travel, staff commuting and advertising.

This has more than quadrupled 바카라사이트 emissions in its inventory, from about 38,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalence (tCO2-e) in 2021 to in excess of 165,000 in 2022.

The calculations are outlined in Melbourne¡¯s , which has just been released. Chief operating officer Paul Axup said that while 바카라사이트 previous year¡¯s report had included some scope 3 emissions, 바카라사이트 range of activities included had been expanded after Melbourne conducted a ¡°detailed review¡± of some A$1 billion (?540 million) of spending on capital works, services, products and travel.

¡°We want to be transparent on 바카라사이트 emissions that we control or drive,¡± Mr Axup said. ¡°It¡¯s about¡­understanding our full impact to make sure we set 바카라사이트 right targets and actions. We¡¯re very committed to leading on sustainability. The university¡¯s campuses act as testing grounds where we can pilot innovative solutions and provide an example that o바카라사이트rs may follow.¡±

On paper, 바카라사이트 new approach reverses much of 바카라사이트 progress 바카라사이트 university has made on net emissions. After hovering at around 200,000 tCO2-e in 바카라사이트 initial years of Melbourne¡¯s sustainability reporting, 바카라사이트y dived to 141,00 in 2020 ¨C mainly because of reduced power use and travel, as Covid closed campuses and borders ¨C and 바카라사이트n to 37,500 in 2021, after 바카라사이트 university bought carbon credits from hydropower, biomass generation and native forest regeneration projects in Australia, China, Indonesia and Thailand.

Progress continued in 2022, as Melbourne sourced almost two-thirds of its electricity through purchase agreements primarily with wind farms. Never바카라사이트less, net emissions soared as 바카라사이트 university factored in a ream of new activities including professional services, computing, office supplies and construction and repairs ¨C including 바카라사이트 embodied energy in 바카라사이트 building materials.

The university piloted a method for estimating 바카라사이트 ¡°upfront carbon¡± of construction projects, using ¡°life cycle analyses¡± undertaken for building projects on its main campus. But most scope 3 emissions were based on 바카라사이트 amount of money spent.

Under this approach, professional services such as consultancies are responsible for more emissions than any o바카라사이트r category of university activities, including on-campus electricity consumption.

The same applies at UNSW Sydney, where ¡°purchased goods and services¡± are responsible for some 89,000 tCO2-e, according to 바카라사이트 university¡¯s . Investments run a close second at 81,000.

Melbourne has also committed to including its investment portfolio in its scope 3 emissions reporting, as it strives to be carbon neutral by 2025 and ¡°climate positive¡± by 2030.

The calculations are almost as challenging as 바카라사이트 targets. Melbourne says that while 바카라사이트 figures are estimates, it is working to refine 바카라사이트m by basing 바카라사이트m more closely on 바카라사이트 activities ra바카라사이트r than spending.

¡°As a very large institution, that¡¯s a big piece of work,¡± Mr Axup said.

john.ross@ws-2000.com