SDG 13 – Indicator 13.4.1 Commitment to carbon neutral university
In 2023, Universitas Sriwijaya still held its status as the largest campus in Indonesia, covering an area of 712 hectares. A small portion of the campus land (72 ha) was allocated for building construction and other facilities, including a palm oil plantation (30 hectares), a rubber plantation (15 hectares), fish breeding ponds (30 hectares), and the rest (more than 200 hectares) was left to grow wild. Some of the wild bushes were replaced with other trees, including fruit trees typical of South Sumatra. Universitas Sriwijaya had planted thousands of trees donated by external parties.
Universitas Sriwijaya is dedicated to environmental sustainability and has launched a comprehensive green campus initiative. A core element of this initiative is large-scale tree planting in unused campus areas. Students actively participate in shaping the future of the green campus. They contribute through final projects like the one shown in Figure 1. The chosen tree species absorb an average of 7.57 metric tons of carbon dioxide (CO2) per hectare. Based on this absorption rate, the planted area has the potential to sequester up to 4845 metric tons of CO2 annually. In 2023, Universitas Sriwijaya’s total CO2 emissions were 4522 metric tons. The university’s carbon sequestration capacity (4845 metric tons) exceeds its CO2 footprint. This accomplishment highlights the success of the green initiatives and demonstrates a commitment to carbon neutrality. By exceeding its carbon emissions through carbon sequestration, Universitas Sriwijaya has effectively become a ‘Carbon Neutral University’. This proactive approach showcases their dedication to mitigating environmental impact and fostering a sustainable future.