The CERO-NIC Framework: A Conceptual Proposal for Greenhouse Gas Emissions Management in Universities and Companies in Nicaragua
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.62407/e64ke136Keywords:
net-zero climate neutrality, ISO 14064, ISO 14067, carbon footprint,, sustainable universities, corporate social responsibility, energy transition.Abstract
Net-zero climate neutrality — the balance between anthropogenic greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and their equivalent absorption or elimination — has become a global imperative reshaping social, institutional, and economic dynamics in developing countries. Nicaragua's Fourth National GHG Inventory (INGEI 2015), the most recent published by MARENA (2023), recorded total gross emissions of 27,764 Gg CO₂eq and net emissions of approximately 9,637 Gg CO₂eq, with the Agriculture, Forestry and Other Land Use (AFOLU) sector as the main gross source. This article analyzes the theoretical foundations, regulatory frameworks, and strategies linked to net-zero climate neutrality, emphasizing its socio-environmental dimension as applied to Nicaraguan universities and the broader business sector, as well as the applicability of ISO 14064 and ISO 14067 standards as measurement and verification instruments. Through a narrative literature review and documentary analysis, structural barriers, transition opportunities, and management frameworks adaptable to the local context were identified. The CERO-NIC Conceptual Framework is proposed as a preliminary, non-validated institutional action proposal articulating governance, environmental education, social responsibility, and network organization. Limitations include the use of secondary sources and the absence of empirical validation of the proposed framework.
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