# Towards a Climate-Neutral Campus: Carbon Footprint Assessment in Higher Education Institutions
## 1 Introduction
### General Background
This collaborative effort, with individuals working with national and local government initiatives, is key to securing a sustainable future for Romania. CF calculation involves a few different methods, with the GHG Protocol [10] and the ISO 14064 standard [11] being two of the most popular for businesses and organizations. The GHG Protocol offers a user-friendly framework, ideal for organizations seeking to establish a baseline CF, identifying major emission sources (Scopes 1, 2, and 3), and implementing initial reduction strategies. It is particularly useful for internal reporting and tracking progress over time. The ISO 14064 standard, on the other hand, provides a more rigorous and detailed approach, emphasizing data accuracy and verification. This is especially valuable for organizations pursuing external validation of their CF, aiming for formal carbon neutrality certifications. The best choice between the GHG Protocol and ISO 14064 depends on the specific needs and objectives of an organization. For example, organizations like universities prioritizing ease of implementation and internal monitoring might opt for the GHG Protocol, while those requiring robust verification and external credibility would benefit from ISO 14064. In many cases, a phased approach may be adopted, starting with the GHG Protocol for initial assessments and transitioning to ISO 14064 for more advanced reporting and verification. Romanian higher education institutions (HEIs) serve as crucial contributors to the 2030 NSSDR, bringing academic expertise to the table and ensuring that public policy is informed by the latest research as part of their mission of evidence-based knowledge dissemination. By rigorously measuring and managing their emissions through frameworks like the GHG Protocol or ISO 14064 standard, HEIs can showcase their dedication to sustainability and establish themselves as frontrunners in the shift towards a carbon-neutral future. As innovation powerhouses, university incubators play a vital role in developing and scaling pilot projects for a sustainable future. These hubs of cutting-edge research and technology are driving the development of zero-emissions buildings, positive energy campuses, and zero-carbon cities and communities through innovative demo-site pilots and test beds. From advanced renewable energy systems to sustainable building practices, universities are constantly pushing the boundaries of what is possible [12; 13; 14; 15]. The sustainability endeavours of HEIs are further recognized through their inclusion in international rankings. An example is the Times Higher Education (THE) Impact Ranking [16], which is a global platform that assesses universities' contributions to the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), notably SDG 13: Climate Action. While the THE Impact Ranking does not directly calculate a CF, a university's strong performance across its four key areas (Research, Education, Outreach, and Stewardship), particularly in categories related to environmental sustainability, strongly suggests a commitment to practices that would likely reduce its CF. High rankings in areas like \"Affordable and clean energy\" and \"Sustainable cities and communities\" indicate actions being taken to reduce emissions, improve energy efficiency, and promote sustainable practices [17]. Many HEIs worldwide are thus actively calculating their CF as a crucial step towards achieving their sustainability goals. However, a major obstacle hinders their progress: the lack of a universally accepted method for measuring, reporting, and verifying how institutions offset their GHG emissions. This inconsistency leads to a significant issue: research on CFs produces widely varying results, making comparisons between institutions very difficult [18; 19]. HEIs typically encompass a variety of buildings like classrooms, labs, libraries, gyms, offices, restaurants, cafeterias, dorms, swimming pools, etc.