IUPUI's master plan committed the campus to a 20% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2020 and an 80% reduction by 2050.
To achieve these emission reduction targets, IUPUI Sustainability conducts an annual greehouse gas (GHG) emissions assessment of the university's footprint. This analysis includes complete emissions from Scope 1 and 2, as well as data that is readily available from Scope 3.
Gases that trap heat in the atmosphere are called greenhouse gases, or GHG. These gases are present in the atmosphere naturally, keeping our planet's surface at a comfortable temperature. However, human-driven activities like burning fossil fuels have drastically increased the concentration of these GHGs, specifically carbon dioxide and methane. Once in the atmosphere, GHGs act as a blanket, trapping heat in the planet's surface. This trapped heat leads to what is know as global warming - the average global increase in temperature, and consequently, a changing climate.
When we talk about 'carbon emissions,' we're focusing specifically on carbon dioxide, the primary GHG emitted through human activities. During the reporting process, the various GHGs are converted into one metric - carbon emissions - for ease of understanding. When carbon emissions are measured, they are reported by type - or scope. There are three scopes of carbon emissions we consider when calculating IUPUI's carbon footprint: scope 1, scope 2, and scope 3.
IUPUI Sustainability has been tracking the univeristy's GHG emissions since fiscal year 2015, and this data is updated annually.
IUPUI utilizes SIMAP (Sustainability Indicator Management and Analysis Platform) to track its emissions. The SIMAP platform was designed by and for higher education and is tailored to university emission sources.
The results of IUPUI's GHG analysis can be viewed on each STARS report.
Indiana University's Climate Action Planning Committee website features a live greenhouse gas emissions dashboard displaying the most up to date data on our university-wide and campus-specific carbon emissions. Here is a snapshot of IUPUI's most recent GHG data:
IUPUI Sustainability
IUPUI Sustainability
Health Sciences Building
1050 Wishard Blvd, Room 4018
Indianapolis, IN 46202
sustindy@iupui.edu
317.278.1308
