JAUE2022-094: Assessing Campus Carbon Emissions under the Impact of the Epidemic Outbreak: A Case study of The University of Kitakyushu

Abstract

Although the novel coronavirus pneumonia since 2019 has had various impacts on economic and social development, it may have partially reduced human energy use to some extent, thus contributing to the goal of reducing carbon emissions and promoting carbon neutrality. During the flu pandemic, online education was widely used worldwide to replace traditional education because of the need for home isolation. There is a lack of empirical research on whether and to what extent changes in educational models can reduce carbon emissions. In this study, we use Kitakyushu University in Japan as an example to explore the changes in carbon emissions on campus before and after the epidemic by defining carbon emission boundaries and questionnaires and estimating carbon emissions on campus using the IPCC method. The conclusions are as follows: 1. Online education can reduce energy consumption and lower carbon emissions; 2. The difference in carbon emissions before and after the epidemic is mainly in the energy consumption of electricity; 3. Heating and cooling are not affected by the epidemic and will continue to be supplied as long as people are present.