The background for SDU’s Climate Accounts
Since the 2015 Paris Agreement, all countries are obliged to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to keep the global temperature rise below 2 degrees Celsius as well as to strive to keep it below 1.5 degrees Celsius. This is to avoid the worst possible consequences of climate change.
Preparation of SDU’s Climate Accounts
To keep track of the University’s greenhouse gas emissions, a climate account is prepared every year. SDU’s Climate Accounts are prepared based on the GHG Protocol.
The GHG Protocol arose from the need to help countries, companies and public institutions account for, report and reduce greenhouse gases. It stands to reason that the best way to reduce greenhouse gases is to be aware of where the largest greenhouse gas emissions come from.
Today, the GHG protocol is a globally applied and recognised methodology that uses three scopes, and it is also used by other universities in Denmark and around the world.
In relation to the GHG Protocol, companies and organisations are required to report on Scope 1 and Scope 2. Reporting on Scope 3, on the other hand, is voluntary.
Scope 3 contains 15 categories of emissions that a company can report on if possible.
SDU will continuously expand the number of categories in Scope 3 to the extent that data is available in the area and can be incorporated into the climate accounts.
Scope 3 currently includes waste, water and work-related air, rail and taxi travel, including fuel and electricity-related activities.
As the University gains better insight into the carbon footprint from various sources in Scope 3, there may also be a need to define goals and initiatives for other areas in Scope 3.
SDU participates in a cross-sectoral collaboration with the other Danish universities, with a focus on developing a common framework for climate accounts for universities.