Carbon footprint assessment of GKVK campus: A comprehensive GHG inventory based on IPCC and GHG protocol guidelines

The study conducted a detailed carbon footprint assessment of the Gandhi Krishi Vignana Kendra (GKVK) campus, University of Agricultural Sciences, Bangalore, using internationally recognised standards such as the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Guidelines and the greenhouse gas (GHG) Protocol. As institutions are increasingly recognised for their contribution to GHG emissions through energy use, transport, waste and food services, this research quantified emissions across scope 1 (direct), scope 2 (indirect from purchased electricity) and scope 3 (other indirect emissions). Activity data were collected from institutional records, surveys and field assessments, while emission factors were sourced from IPCC (6th assessment report) AR6, the united nations framework convention on climate change (UNFCCC) GHG calculator v2.6 and Central Electricity Authority (CEA) guidelines. The total GHG emissions from the GKVK campus were estimated at 7606.545 tonnes CO₂e/yr, with scope 1 contributing 42.08 %, scope 2 contributing 20.46 % and scope 3 contributing 37.46 %. Major sources included liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) usage (1334884 kg CO₂e), grid electricity (1556180 kg CO₂e), food waste (1622855 kg CO₂e), refrigerant leakage (982430 kg CO₂e) and student commuting (879466 kg CO₂e). While the study provides a comprehensive institutional GHG baseline, it is limited to one academic year and excludes embodied emissions from infrastructure. The findings establish a replicable framework for Indian educational institutions to measure, manage and mitigate emissions. Future research should extend this model to multi-campus assessments and long-term carbon management planning, strengthening the roadmap toward carbon-neutral academic ecosystems and supporting India’s broader net-zero commitments.