As part of the Greening Ethiopia project, representatives from the four Ethiopian partner universities participated in an online workshop on calculating carbon emissions on 15 September 2026. The session was delivered by Fabian Groven from Maastricht University’s Sustainability Office, with support from Jeroen Warnier, Director Maastricht Sustainability Office.
The workshop was organised under work package 2 (WP2), which focuses on assessing the sustainability performance of the participating universities. It aimed to provide practical guidance on greenhouse gas accounting and support the university teams in calculating their carbon emissions as part of their ongoing institutional sustainability assessments.
Understanding and measuring university emissions
During the session, participants were introduced to the three main categories of greenhouse gas emissions, commonly referred to as scope 1, 2 and 3. These cover direct emissions from university operations, indirect emissions from purchased energy, and emissions associated with activities such as purchasing, waste management, business travel and commuting.
Using Maastricht University’s own carbon footprint assessment as a practical example, Fabian demonstrated how universities can identify emission sources, collect relevant data and apply emission factors to calculate their environmental footprint.
Particular attention was given to the different calculation methods and the importance of using reliable data. Participants also explored how relatively simple tools, such as Excel-based data collection sheets, can provide a starting point for measuring emissions without requiring specialised software.
Taking a practical approach to sustainability assessments
An important part of the discussion focused on the challenges of collecting reliable data, particularly where detailed information about energy consumption, purchased goods or travel is not readily available.
The Maastricht University experts emphasised that carbon emissions assessments do not need to be perfect from the outset. Instead, universities were encouraged to start with the best available data, clearly document any assumptions or limitations, and gradually improve their calculations as more information becomes available.
This practical approach will help the Ethiopian partner universities establish an initial understanding of their carbon emissions and identify areas where improvements can be made.
By strengthening their capacity to measure and monitor greenhouse gas emissions, the participating universities are taking another step towards more sustainable campus operations. The knowledge gained during the workshop will contribute to their ongoing sustainability assessments and provide a foundation for developing future emission reduction strategies.
The workshop reflects the Greening Ethiopia project’s commitment to building institutional capacity and supporting Ethiopian universities in integrating sustainability into their operations, education, research and community engagement.