# Towards a Climate-Neutral Campus: Carbon Footprint Assessment in Higher Education Institutions
## 1 Introduction  
### General Background  
With the advent of climate change, there is a growing movement for action and positive changes to the environment. Through collaborative efforts on a global scale, humanity possesses the power to adapt to and mitigate its most severe consequences. The transition requires a collective commitment to building a future where environmental responsibility is paramount. In 2015, all members of the United Nations (UN) joined forces to establish a roadmap for a better future. This ambitious plan, called the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, established 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) aiming to address critical issues like poverty, inequality, and climate change by 2030 [1]. These goals extend beyond the pursuit of human prosperity, encompassing the imperative of securing a healthy planet for future generations. To effectively fight climate change, significantlymore ambitious goals from individuals, businesses, and governments are necessary [2]. After the Paris agreement (2015), now a clear reference worldwide, in 2019 the European Union (EU) Commission launched a far-reaching plan to transition to a greener economy called the European Green Deal. This roadmap lays out 50 specific actions to fight climate change and transition Europe into a climate-neutral continent by 2050 [3]. It is a significant undertaking that touches many aspects of European life, updated with the Fit for 55 and RePower EU, the latter being added after the start of the war in Ukraine [4; 5]. The EU's plan to achieve climate neutrality by 2050 hinges on transforming urban centres. That is where the EU Mission: Climate-Neutral and Smart Cities comes in [6]. European cities are at the forefront of what the EU Commission calls an urgent battle against climate change, actively managing the adoption of robust resilience strategies. While they occupy a small portion of the EU's land (around 4%), they house three-fourths of its citizens. This concentration makes them significant contributors to the EU's Green Deal goal of achieving climate neutrality by 2050. Cities are also major energy consumers, using more than two-thirds of the world's energy and generating more than 70% of global carbon dioxide (CO\({}_{2}\)) emissions [7]. Therefore, accelerating their transition to sustainable practices is crucial. By supporting their green and digital advancements, significant progress towards the EU Green Deal's target of a 55% emissions reduction by 2030 can be made. This initiative would not only improve the environment but also enhance the quality of life for European residents. As a member state of the European Union, Romania has actively incorporated the UN's 17 SDGs and the European Green Deal roadmap into its national policy framework, as well at the local level. This comprehensive approach is embodied in the National Strategy for Sustainable Development of Romania (NSSDR) 2030 [8]. Romania is also involved in the EU's ambitious goal of achieving climate neutrality in several major cities. Three Romanian cities--Cluj-Napoca, Suceava, and Bucharest's District 2--are at the forefront of sustainability efforts, having already signed climate neutrality contracts with EU Mission 100 [9]. This initiative empowers these cities with the resources and tools they need to implement innovative green solutions and accelerate their transition towards a more sustainable future. The 2030 NSSDR recognizes that achieving a sustainable future requires the collective effort of the whole ecosystem. While individual environmental responsibility at the local level is crucial, the strategy extends beyond traditional government sectors to employ a multifaceted approach. Furthermore, the 2030 NSSDR emphasizes the importance of individual action. By understanding their Carbon Footprint (CF), organizations can identify areas where they can reduce their greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and contribute meaningfully to achieving these ambitious climate goals.