Universitas Negeri Semarang (UNNES) continues to reinforce its commitment to sustainable investment by integrating environmental accountability into its financial governance and institutional strategy. As a conservation-oriented university, UNNES ensures that investment decisions are aligned with long-term sustainability goals, including climate action and resource efficiency.
The university’s sustainable investment approach is guided by Rector Regulation No. 55 of 2022 on Financial Management of PTN-BH, which provides a framework for managing institutional funds in an effective, efficient, transparent, and accountable manner. Within this framework, UNNES incorporates sustainability principles into its investment planning and allocation processes.
This commitment is reflected in investment priorities that support environmentally responsible initiatives, such as renewable energy adoption, energy efficiency programs, and green infrastructure development. These efforts are part of the university’s broader strategy toward achieving carbon neutrality and reducing environmental impact.
A key component of this approach is the regular carbon footprint reporting system, which provides a data-driven basis for sustainable investment decisions. UNNES calculates its emissions using internationally recognized standards, including the GHG Protocol, covering major sources such as electricity consumption and campus transportation.
In the 2024/2025 academic year, UNNES recorded total emissions of approximately 6,937 metric tons of CO₂, with electricity and transportation identified as the primary contributors. This measurement enables the university to identify priority areas for investment in emission reduction and sustainability programs.
Universitas Negeri Semarang (UNNES) has reinforced its commitment to sustainable investment by implementing an integrated greenhouse gas (GHG) emission reduction program. This initiative aligns with the university’s broader environmental sustainability framework and addresses all three scopes of GHG emissions: direct emissions (Scope 1), indirect emissions from purchased electricity (Scope 2), and other indirect emissions from university activities (Scope 3).
In addressing Scope 1 emissions, UNNES has introduced a fleet of twenty two electric shuttle cars, ten electric golf carts, and a number of electric and conventional bicycles for intra-campus mobility. The institution has also enforced parking restrictions in designated zones and developed pedestrian-friendly pathways. Moreover, the entry of fossil-fuel-powered vehicles is limited to the main campus gate, promoting a more pedestrian-oriented environment.
To mitigate Scope 2 emissions, the university has installed over 1,200 solar panels across 14 major buildings, including the Rectorate, IT Center, Library, Entrepreneurship Building, LP2M, LP3, and all faculty buildings. These systems are integrated with an online energy monitoring platform that enables real-time tracking and optimization of electricity usage, significantly reducing reliance on electricity from the national grid (PLN).
Regarding Scope 3 emissions, UNNES operates an Integrated Waste Management Facility (Tempat Pengolahan Sampah Terpadu or TPST) that processes organic waste, 80% of which is composed of leaf waste. This waste is converted into compost under the brand “UNNES ECOFARM,” producing an average of five tons per month. Additionally, food waste is utilized for Black Soldier Fly (BSF) maggot cultivation, yielding approximately 250 kg of maggot biomass monthly, which serves as a sustainable source of protein and aids in waste reduction.
This multi-pronged approach demonstrates UNNES’s strategic investment in sustainability, not merely as an environmental obligation but as a long-term commitment to ecological stewardship and institutional resilience. By embedding sustainability into its operational and investment policies, UNNES serves as a model for green campus development and fosters a culture of environmental responsibility among its academic community.
