Sustainability in Higher Education Institutions: Theoretical Management of the Carbon Footprint at UNESUM

Abstract

Abstract Higher education institutions (HEI) play a fundamental role, potentially generating positive and negative social and environmental impacts. The quantification of environmental indicators such as the carbon footprint (CF) within HEI allows for evaluation of the negative impact generated. In turn, the pertinent management of the CF permits valuing the environmental position of the HEI according to its level of resources consumption and generation of greenhouse gases (GHG) emissions. The objective of this study was to estimate the CF of the Universidad Estatal del Sur de Manabí (UNESUM) and to propose an integrating approach that affirms its environmental commitment to move toward being a sustainable campus. Several authors have identified that the activities of HEI and their infrastructure are essential points in management and sustainability. In this context, the integration of an environmental management system (EMS) and the green building initiative are two approaches with great potential for fulfilling the second stated objective.

Keywords

• carbon footprint (cf), greenhouse gases (ghg), climate crisis, sustainability, mitigation.