This qualitative study explores integrating design thinking principles to drive educational institutions toward achieving net-zero carbon emissions. With the global climate crisis escalating, nations have committed to ambitious carbon reduction goals, exemplified by the Paris Agreement. India, as a signatory, has pledged to achieve net-zero emissions by 2070, requiring coordinated efforts across industries, including the education sector. This paper specifically focuses on the application of design thinking methodology to create innovative solutions for reducing carbon emissions within educational institutions. Design thinking, a human-centered problem-solving approach, fosters creativity and collaboration through a five-phase process: empathy, define, ideate, prototype, and test. Qualitative methods such as interviews with key stakeholders were taken, and insights were used for journey mapping, and value creation, this study identifies carbon emission hotspots in various departments of an educational institute. The major contributors to emissions include excessive use of paper, obsolete equipment, food, and water wastage, and reliance on fossil fuels for transportation and energy. Best practices from leading corporations are analyzed, offering insights into effective strategies such as transitioning to renewable energy, promoting energy-efficient technologies, adopting electric vehicles, and recycling waste. This research highlights how these strategies can be adapted for educational institutions, emphasizing the role of interdisciplinary teams, iterative processes, and stakeholder engagement in achieving sustainability goals. The findings reveal that digitalization, sustainable waste management, solar energy adoption, and behavioral shifts among stakeholders are critical to reducing the institution’s carbon footprint. A roadmap is presented to guide institutions toward achieving net-zero, with the RASCI model delineating roles and responsibilities across the organization. Although focused on a single institution, the methodology and insights have broader implications for other universities and organizations committed to sustainability.