Following a resolution of the Senate, the University of Cologne has already begun to determine its energy consumption and CO₂ balance in line with the Greenhouse Gas Protocol (GHG) and as part of its sustainability initiative in 2020. Carbon management is established firstly by determining the CO₂ balance with the goal of reducing carbon dioxide emissions.

_{CO2 balance}

The following table and figures show the current status of the determination of the emissions of the University of Cologne for the years 2019 to 2024 according to the supplier information. In this period, the UoC records a decrease in CO₂ emissions of 45%. This decrease is primarily due to the switch to green electricity in 2022 and the energy-saving measures introduced in the same year.

The breakdown of emissions by energy source for 2024 shows that district heating accounts for the largest share of emissions, followed by electricity, natural gas and heating oil. Vehicle fleet and drinking water play a minor role in comparison.