Offsetting the Impact of CO₂ Emissions Resulting from the Transport of Maiêutica’s Academic Campus Community

• Main Authors: Guilherme Veludo, Manuel Cunha, Maria Manuel Sá, Carla Oliveira-Silva
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: MDPI AG 2021-09-01
• Series: Sustainability
• Subjects: CO₂ emissions; carbon sequestration; transports; academic campus
• Online Access: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/13/18/10227

The authors aim to investigate the number of trees necessary to capture the CO₂ emissions from house–campus travelling, to and from the Maiêutica Academic Campus in the north of Portugal. A sample of the academic community was given an online survey in order to assess mobility practices. Based on the data collected, CO₂ emissions, as well as the number of trees necessary to mitigate these emissions, were calculated. The authors estimate that the total emissions resulting from house–campus commutes amount to 2937 tCO₂ year⁻¹. To mitigate this amount of carbon dioxide, 138 ha would be necessary to plant 96,539 trees, according to the species’ respective CO₂ removal rates. The estimated tree area necessary to neutralize the community’s mobility related CO₂ emissions is so high that other alternatives must be considered: a preferred use of public transportation, carpool system, online theoretical classes, rescheduling timetables, green roofs installation, and photovoltaic panels.