Yu Qiu, a PhD student at Macau University of Science and Technology (MUST) (first author), along with her supervisor, Associate Professor Yahong Dong (corresponding author), published a systematic review paper entitled “Are Scope 4 emissions the future of corporate climate accountability? A systematic evidence review” in Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, a top-tier international journal in the field of green and sustainable science and technology. MUST is the first and sole affiliation of this publication.

Are Scope 4 emissions the future of corporate climate accountability? A systematic evidence review

Article Link: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1364032126005502

This study focuses on the emerging and critical topic of “Scope 4 emissions/avoided emissions” in corporate climate accountability. Through a rigorous systematic evidence review, the paper provides the first comprehensive overview of Scope 4 research, analyzing document categories, temporal trends, geographical distributions, sectoral classifications, definitional frameworks, and evaluation methodologies. Furthermore, the study conducts an in-depth analysis of cross-sectoral research themes and systematically identifies six core challenges currently hindering the development and application of avoided emissions, offering a fresh perspective and theoretical underpinning for accurately assessing corporate contributions to the low-carbon transition.

In addition to these findings, during her Master's and PhD studies at MUST, Ms. Qiu has focused her research on campus life cycle assessment (LCA), university carbon management, zero-carbon campus development, and sustainable governance, consistently publishing high-impact academic papers. In 2025, Ms. Qiu and Prof. Dong published a paper titled “Towards stakeholder-integrated carbon management in higher education institutions: Insights from Macau” in the Journal of Cleaner Production. Grounded in the context of Macau’s higher education institutions, the study explores mechanisms and pathways for collaborative stakeholder engagement in university carbon management, providing empirical support for Macau universities to advance systematic, coordinated, and institutionalized carbon governance.

Towards stakeholder-integrated carbon management in higher education institutions: Insights from Macau

Article Link: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0959652625019699

In 2024, Ms. Qiu and her supervisor published an invited review article titled “Life cycle assessment of campuses: A systematic review” in Energy and Buildings. This paper systematically maps out the evolutionary trajectory, methodological frameworks, and application scenarios of campus life cycle assessment. By synthesizing research progress in campus buildings, energy systems, transportation, operational management, and carbon accounting, it provides essential theoretical foundations and methodological guidance for universities embarking on low-carbon campus construction, campus carbon footprint assessment, and full-life-cycle management.

Life cycle assessment of campuses: A systematic review

Article Link: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0378778824005711

These emerging milestone achievements represent a snapshot of MUST’s commitment to green, low-carbon university operations. They exemplify the university's successful practice of driving sustainable education through high-quality scientific research and nurturing young scholars through cutting-edge global initiatives. Looking forward, MUST will continue to deepen the integration of green campus initiatives with academic discipline building, cultivating climate action leaders with global perspectives and practical expertise to contribute sustainable "MUST Power" toward a harmonious future between humans and nature.

PhD Candidate Yu Qiu