University of Tartu’s greenhouse gas emissions in 2019–2025
The University of Tartu has committed to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, including implementing measures to mitigate climate change. An organisation’s climate impact (its contribution to climate change) can be assessed by the total volume of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions generated directly or indirectly through its activities. Emissions are measured in tonnes of CO₂ equivalent (tCO₂e). It should be borne in mind that climate change is only one of sixteen categories used by researchers to assess environmental impact comprehensively.
The University of Tartu statistics dashboard now features a new subsection, "Environment", where data on the university’s GHG emissions for the years 2019–2025 have been made available.
Emissions are divided into three scopes, each of which includes several categories:
- Scope 1 covers emissions generated directly through the university’s operations. These include emissions from purchased fuels and refrigerants, as well as electricity produced by the university’s solar panels, which is assigned zero emissions under the methodology used.
- Scope 2 relates to the energy purchased by the university, namely electricity, district heating and district cooling.
- Scope 3 includes emissions associated with products and services used by the university, water consumption, waste and transport. Indirect impacts also arise from the use of electricity and district heating, business travel, commuting, and real estate investments.
Transition to renewable electricity
The statistics dashboard clearly shows that the university has already achieved substantial reductions in both scope 1 and scope 2 emissions. Since March 2024, both the university and its non-profit organisations have switched entirely to renewable electricity, gas heating in university buildings has now been fully replaced by district heating and cooling systems, which have significantly lower emissions, and both the volume of electricity generated by solar panels and its share in consumption have increased year by year.
As a result of targeted measures, the very large proportion of GHG emissions attributable to scopes 1 and 2 in the baseline year (2019) has decreased considerably. Thanks to these efforts, the university’s total GHG emissions have now fallen by more than 2.7 times and, when calculated per employee and student, by as much as 3.4 times, partly due to the increased staff and student numbers.
Supporting environmentally sustainable mobility
In addition to switching to renewable electricity, the University of Tartu has also invested in reducing the environmental impact of mobility and transport. Bicycle parking facilities have been installed near all study buildings, and their locations are shown on the maps used in the university’s virtual tour. Recent amendments to the Transport management principles likewise reflect the university’s environmental objectives, under which environmentally sustainable modes of transport are given preference. In future, any light vehicle purchased by the university, such as a passenger car, must be zero-emission. Where no suitable zero-emission vehicle is available for a specific purpose, the procurement of a vehicle that does not meet this requirement must be justified on a case-by-case basis.
Improving the energy efficiency of university buildings
The university has continuously renovated its buildings. Emissions associated with real estate investments (construction and renovation) account for a significant share of the university’s GHG emissions (22.9%), but these investments help make buildings more energy-efficient and provide a better environment for learning and working. The University of Tartu spatial development strategy until 2035 also sets measurable targets for improving energy efficiency in buildings, as well as for enhancing biodiversity in green spaces and increasing the use of nature-based solutions to address climate-related risks. Examples of such solutions include creating water bodies to reduce the risk of stormwater-related flooding and establishing urban forest stands to mitigate the effects of heatwaves.
Projects already undertaken, as well as those planned to reduce the university’s climate and environmental impact, can be found on the sustainable development webpage.
An overview of greenhouse gas emissions helps improve understanding of the impacts of different emission sources and supports decision-making to further reduce GHG emissions and associated environmental impacts. The assessment and public disclosure of GHG emissions have become an internationally recognised good practice among businesses and organisations that prioritise environmental responsibility, and form part of the activities of the ENLIGHT partner universities, Estonia’s public universities and other higher education institutions. At the University of Tartu, emissions assessment is also an integral part of the university’s environmental responsibility framework. Furthermore, the action plan of the university’s strategic plan states that the university contributes to achieving environmental goals, incl. the target set by Estonia to achieve climate neutrality by 2050.
Comparison with other universities
Sustainability has been reflected, in one way or another, in the strategic frameworks of virtually all Estonian universities. Since 2024, the Estonian Academy of Arts has also operated entirely on renewable electricity and has been awarded the Green Office certificate. As a result of systematic efforts in recent years, the University of Tartu’s GHG emissions per employee and student are, based on publicly available data, comparatively low when measured against those of other Estonian universities. The published figures indicate that emissions at the Estonian Academy of Arts and Tallinn University are lower still; however, their calculations include a considerably smaller proportion of scope 3 emission categories than those of the University of Tartu, as the methodology allows institutions greater flexibility in determining the extent to which scope 3 categories are included.
Table. Most recent publicly available annual GHG emissions data for Estonian universities. For international comparison, the indicator commonly used is annual emissions per person, calculated on the basis of the total number of university staff and students
University | Year | Annual GHG emissions tCO2e | Annual GHG emissions per person tCO2e | Public data source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
University of Tartu | 2025 | 15,590 | 1.03* | |
Estonian Academy of Arts | 2024 | 1,062 | 0.76* | |
Tallinn University | 2023 | 6,443 | 0.76* | |
Estonian University of Life Sciences | 2025 | 5,690 | 1.40** | |
Tallinn University of Technology | 2022 | 27,437 | 2.59* |
* The figure is based on the university’s self-reported results
** The calculation is based on the total GHG emissions of the Estonian University of Life Sciences and their number of staff and students (4,077).
In a global context, our result can be regarded as good (Helmers et al., 2021), though we have a long way to go before achieving climate neutrality, a milestone that several universities around the world have already reached. One noteworthy example is Leuphana University of Lüneburg (Germany), an institution with a strong focus on social transformation, digital culture and sustainability. According to the calculation methodology set out in the Greenhouse Gas Protocol Corporate Accounting and Reporting Standard, which is also used at the University of Tartu, Leuphana University’s net greenhouse gas emissions have been calculated as zero since 2014. This achievement has not been attained through the purchase of carbon offsets for residual emissions, but rather through emission reductions associated with the sale of surplus renewable electricity generated by the university itself. Leuphana University has implemented a wide range of measures to reduce emissions: constructed a biomethane combined heat and power plant and a solar park, promoted climate-neutral transport, incorporated sustainability requirements into procurement procedures, and reduced its water consumption 2.5 times. At the same time, it should be recognised that Leuphana University of Lüneburg is several times smaller than the University of Tartu in terms of both staff and student numbers and it also does not have the infrastructure-intensive medical and natural science disciplines. Replicating such an achievement at a comprehensive research university would require significantly more complex and far-reaching solutions.
Further actions
The 2025 data presented in the figure show that the university’s largest sources of emissions are procured services, real estate investments, business travel and purchased goods. Transport-related emissions across different categories, including business travel, university vehicles, contracted transport services, and commuting between home and the university, account for more than 28% of total emissions. Consequently, future efforts should focus primarily on finding solutions to reduce emissions in these categories.
The university intends to develop a University of Tartu environmental sustainability action plan. The preparation of this plan will involve a comprehensive review of environmental sustainability issues across the university and will establish further actions. The first version of the action plan is expected to be completed by the end of 2026. The entire university community will be involved in developing the action plan, ensuring everyone can contribute their ideas and suggestions. One of the key topics for discussion will undoubtedly be opportunities to further reduce GHG emissions across the university.
Once the environmental sustainability action plan has been finalised, the data presented on the statistics dashboard will be expanded in accordance with the agreed actions and targets. Suggestions and ideas concerning the action plan may be sent to [email protected].
In the future, the university intends to calculate and publish its greenhouse gas emissions annually. In line with the spatial development strategy, the indicators on buildings’ energy consumption will be added to the statistics dashboard and updated annually.
Methodology for calculating GHG emissions
The university has been assessing its GHG emissions since 2024, when emissions data for the years 2019–2023 were first calculated. Earlier results, together with a more detailed description of the methodology, are available on the intranet (in Estonian). Since then, the underlying data used in the calculations have been refined, results for 2024 and 2025 have been added, and the presentation of the information has been adapted for publication on the university’s statistics dashboard.
The year 2019 was selected as the baseline year for comparison because it was the last typical year before a series of crises affected the university’s operations. During the COVID-19 pandemic, business travel declined significantly, while the Russian invasion of Ukraine led to substantial increases in fuel and electricity prices.
The university’s greenhouse gas emissions were calculated using
- the Greenhouse Gas Protocol Corporate Accounting and Reporting Standard, together with its guidance for the assessment of scope 2 and scope 3 emissions;
- the guidance (in Estonian) for assessing the GHG footprint of organisations and the associated calculation model, developed under the leadership of the Stockholm Environment Institute Tallinn Centre and commissioned by the former Ministry of the Environment based on the standard above. The model employs emission factors based on Estonian data. Both the guidance and the calculation model with explanations are available on the website of the Ministry of Climate (in Estonian). The data is updated annually.
Sustainability topics at the University of Tartu
The university website’s section "Sustainable development" brings together extensive information on sustainability in teaching, research and university operations, as well as recommendations for sustainable lifestyles for University of Tartu students and staff. The section also contains the university’s previous greenhouse gas emissions report and environmental review, which can serve as background material for developing the environmental sustainability action plan. The Centre for Sustainable Development, established in 2022, raises awareness of sustainability issues within the university and supports integrating sustainability topics into research activities.
