Carbon footprint of the international students in Finland : a model case study on the international students enrolled in bachelor programs at LUT University

Abstract

Universities often overlook the air travel emissions of international students. However, they can be highly responsible, as there are thousands of international students traveling around the world by air. This research study is invested in comprehending the phenomenon through a rigorous medium of study by exploring the prior literature review and embracing a survey data collection procedure. The study's methodology involves a group of international bachelor’s students who share a common ground, such as having applied to the university from outside Finland. A series of questions has been asked to estimate their carbon footprints due to their air travel. The carbon footprint calculation was performed individually, considering all responses, and a comprehensive interpretation of the data was derived. Later, the results were presented in graphs, and comparisons were also made. Lastly, the discussion reveals that the carbon emissions of the 53 respondents who took 76 trips covering 346,726 km were recorded at 23,583 kg CO2e. Ultimately, recommendations, potential future opportunities, and conclusions were drawn.