Sustainability at GSA

Students graduating this Summer can self-nominate for the GSA Sustainability Degree Show Prize.

Entries are welcome that address environmental and social justice issues within final Degree Show work.

Search GSA Sustainability, or link in bio.

Closes 21st May.

Image: Kyle Ferguson, Dermonte, S&J 2024

Re-baselining Our Carbon Emissions at GSA

As part of our ongoing commitment to climate action and transparency, the Glasgow School of Art is refining how we measure and report our carbon emissions. This includes an important step: re-baselining our emissions, ensuring that our targets and progress are built on the most accurate and complete data available. This updated approach aligns with the Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Protocol and supports our Environmental and Social Justice (ESJ) Framework.

Re-baselining does not mean that our emissions have suddenly increased or decreased; rather, it reflects a more accurate picture of our impact. Our revised baseline for the financial year 2022–23 is 2,062.10 tonnes of CO₂e, with 1,430.84 tonnes from Scope 1 and 2 emissions and 631.26 tonnes from Scope 3. This updated figure incorporates improved data quality, clearer organisational boundaries, and the inclusion of emission sources that were previously missing.

A key part of this work has been reviewing and correcting historical data. For example, earlier estimates overstated gas consumption, which has now been adjusted, removing 70.57 tonnes of CO₂e. At the same time, we have strengthened our Scope 3 reporting by including emissions from staff and student commuting, adding 213.59 tonnes of CO₂e to the baseline. We have also removed over 1,284.93 tonnes of double-counted emissions, ensuring that each source is reported once and in the correct category.

This more robust baseline gives us a clearer understanding of where our emissions come from. Energy use in buildings remains a major contributor, with natural gas accounting for 954.53 tonnes and electricity for 463.95 tonnes. Beyond this, indirect emissions such as commuting, business travel, and leased assets also play a significant role, highlighting the importance of looking beyond our immediate operations when planning reductions.

More on our website.