Document Type

Report

Publication Date

5-2024

Abstract

The eleventh greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions inventory was conducted for fiscal year 2023 (FY23), which began on July 1, 2022, and ended on June 30, 2023. Assembled by graduate assistants Maria Mlinarcik and Meghan Phillips at the Center for Environmental Research and Education (CERE), these findings were compared with those derived from the previous inventories to assess trends in Duquesne University’s GHG emissions. Furthermore, this inventory discusses options for reducing Duquesne’s carbon footprint in future years.

This inventory found that, compared to FY22, FY23 GHG emissions increased by 11.97%. FY21 experienced a 1.57% increase in total emissions when compared to FY20, coinciding with students return to campus and the restarting of some university activities and travel after the COVID-19 pandemic. As students gradually returned to campus through FY21, campus activity increased but was not yet operating at full capacity. The unique nature of the COVID-19 pandemic significantly impacted total reported emissions during FY21, making it difficult to distinguish between GHG emissions variations from campus activity and emissions improvements purposefully made by the University. Despite these limitations to reporting, total emissions remain lower than pre-lockdown emission values, with a 7.67% reduction observed between FY18 and FY23. However, in FY23 the emissions per weighted campus user exceeded pre-lockdown levels for the first time, with a 4.08% increase observed between FY18 and FY23. 6 There are several measures Duquesne must take to ensure that future reductions continue to decrease. These steps could include (1) increasing the purchasing and use of renewable energy, (2) improving the energy and water efficiencies of campus facilities, (3) providing alternative transportation options for commuters and/or incentivizing them to utilize sustainable transportation, and (4) increasing composting or considering additional sinks/offsets that will help neutralize Scope 1 and Scope 3 GHG emissions.

Description

Greenhouse Gas Inventory for Duquesne University

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