Chula’s Pledge to Be Net Zero 2050
Currently, Net Zero Emission is an issue that many countries around the world are focusing on and urgently addressing following the mandate of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) 26th Conference on Climate Change (COP26) in 2021. The mandate supports the goal of limiting the global average surface temperature from rising more than 1.5°C to prevent catastrophes caused by extreme weather events.
“Chulalongkorn University has begun collecting all greenhouse gas emissions data within the university in the academic year 2015 and found that a total of greenhouse gas emissions was 54,955.89 tons of carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2eq), the majority of which resulted from electricity use on campus. This equals 1.21 tons CO2eq emitted per student and personnel that year. Based on this finding, Chula has developed a plan and issued policies and measures to reduce greenhouse gases more earnestly and intensively,” said Professor Dr. OrathaiChavalparit, Head of the Chula Race to Zero Working Group on Policy and Planning, and lecturer from the Department of Environmental Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Chulalongkorn University.
As a citizen of the country and the world, Chula recognizes its responsibility to the public and to take this issue seriously and to be in line with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), one of Chula’s strategies for 2021-2024. The President of Chulalongkorn University, therefore, announced the pledge to reduce greenhouse gases on campus last September with two main goals as follows:
1. Energy Transition: Change to a Zero-Carbon Energy System by increasing the use of renewable energy, including solar PV development, and reducing electricity consumption.
2. Improving Energy System Resilience: Increase renewable energy storage system and change electrical equipment to energy-saving electrical equipment
3. Creating Green Growth: Support green investment and international cooperation to develop carbon-free technologies
4. Lifestyle Transition: Switch to Low Carbon Transportation, Chula Zero-Waste, and Low Carbon Diet
5. Social Transition Social Support System: Make contributions to the transition to a low-carbon society