Assessing the Carbon Foot Print of an Ayurveda Medical Institute: A Case of National Institute of Ayurveda, Jaipur, India

Abstract

The According to the “Paris Agreement”, India has committed to greenhouse gas emission. By 2030, India’s greenhouse gas emission intensity per unit gross domestic product (GDP) will be reduced by 33–35% compared to the 2005 baseline. In this context, similar goals are encouraged to be followed by all fields of business, including hospitals and academic institutions. In order to contribute to the country's efforts on this issue, this study presents the 2020 greenhouse gas emission account of the Ayurveda medical institute at the National Institute of Ayurveda (NIA) Jaipur, India, based on the academic and hospital activities established in the year of 2020. This study was conducted using IPCC methodology with scope 1, scope 2, and scope 3. Scope 1 includes in-house transportation, refrigerants, chemical, and consumption of liquefied petroleum gas. In Scope 2, electricity is the only source of emissions, while Scope 3 includes personnel commuting, water supply, cloths, surgical accessories, wastewater treatment, oils, chemicals, stationery items, papers, polyethylene, biomedical waste, and solid waste, etc. The results show that at the Ayurveda medical institute, commuting, water, and wastages (Scope 3) generates 71.73% of carbon emissions, which is the highest. Liquefied petroleum gas consumption, refrigerant usage, in-house transportation and chemicals usage emissions (Scope 1) are 16.57% and direct emissions (Scope 2) are 11.57%. Refrigerant usage is the most influential activity in Scope 1 emissions. Commuting is the most dominant activity in Scope 3 emissions, accounting for more than 38% of the overall carbon footprint of the NIA, Jaipur, India.