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Climate Commitment

������ is a proud member of the Climate Leadership Network and a charter signatory to the . The Climate Commitment is made up of two sub-commitments: the Carbon Commitment and the Resilience Commitment. The Climate Commitment integrates the goal of achieving climate neutrality (reducing greenhouse gas emissions to zero) with the goal of climate resilience (building adaptive capacity to withstand inevitable climate impacts).

Carbon Commitment

In 2011, ������'s then President Alexander signed the Carbon Commitment, formerly known as the American College and University Presidents' Climate Commitment (ACUPCC). The Carbon Commitment is a formal commitment to eliminate net greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from specified campus operations, and to promote the research and educational efforts that will help to equip society to re-stabilize the earth’s climate.

As a Carbon Commitment signatory, ������ is required to:

• Complete an annual greenhouse gas emissions inventory and make it publicly available
• Create a plan for mitigating carbon emissions (Climate Action Plan)
• Complete and submit annual progress reports on Climate Action Plan implementation
• Achieve climate neutrality by self-selected target year. ������ has adopted targets of 2030 for operational emissions and 2040 for commute-related emissions.
• Integrate climate literacy into the curriculum and make it part of the educational experience

Resilience Commitment

In 2016, ������ President Conoley signed the Climate Commitment, which added a commitment to pursue the goals outlined in the Resilience Commitment to the university's existing climate action efforts. The Resilience Commitment is focused on climate adaptation, as well as building community capacity to deal with a constantly changing climate and resulting extremes. Second Nature (the organization that coordinates reporting for the Climate Commitments) defines resilience as “increasing the ability to survive disruption and to anticipate, adapt, and flourish in the face of change.”

As a Resilience Commitment signatory, ������ is required to:

• Create an internal institutional structure to guide the development of a Plan to increase resilience
• Collaborate with community partners to form a joint campus-community Task Force to ensure alignment of resilience goals and facilitate joint action
• Complete a campus-community resilience assessment, including indicators and current vulnerabilities
• Update our Climate Action Plan to address resilience (including defining thresholds for resilience, target dates, strategies, and tracking mechanisms)
• Coordinate, manage, and track implementation of the updated Climate Action Plan and assess progress toward resiliency milestones and goals

In February 2018, the university held a Resilience Charette to engage key campus and community stakeholders in identifying climate risks, characterizing existing campus strengths and vulnerabilities, and determining short term and long term climate action priorities. The findings from the Charette will be used to inform climate adaptation planning going forward.

Climate Action & Adaptation Plan

In 2014, the university completed the first iteration of the university's Climate Action Plan (CAP). In March 2022, the university issued an update to that plan with the release of the Climate Action & Adaptation Plan (CAAP). This new, more comprehensive plan is meant to serve as a roadmap for meeting our Carbon and Resilience Commitments. The CAAP presents strategies for achieving our 2030 and 2040 climate neutrality goals by mitigating our campus carbon emissions as well as strategies for building adaptive capacity into our campus infrastructure and community.

Greenhouse Gas Inventories

In 2013, ������ began conducting bi-annual inventories of campus greenhouse gas emissions. These inventories are conducted by the Energy and Sustainability team within Facilities Management with the assistance of dedicated student volunteers who gather and analyze data related to campus emissions sources. This analysis is used in the development and improvement of our Climate Action Plan.

Sustainability Tracking Assessment & Rating System (STARS)

A program of the (AASHE), is an internationally recognized, rigorous self-assessment framework that helps institutions track and compare their sustainability progress, while highlighting opportunities for future steps towards long-term sustainability in five key areas: Academics, Engagement, Operations, Planning & Administration and Innovation & Leadership.

������ completed its back in 2017 and completed its in January 2021. Although the campus maintained the Silver rating it achieved in 2017, the 2020 overall score increased by 17%, with significant improvements in key areas including Academics, Operations, and Planning & Administration. With just 12 points to go to reach the Gold rating, the 2020 report will serve as a critical tool for identifying future opportunities to continue moving ������ closer to its sustainability goals.

Water Action Plan

In response to California’s drought emergency, in 2014 the CSU Chancellor’s Office directed all of its 23 campuses to develop and implement a plan for reducing water usage in all possible areas. ������ responded by developing a comprehensive Water Action Plan in 2014. Thereafter, students, staff, and faculty worked together to update and improve the new 2017 Water Action Plan.

The Water Action Plan calls for the improvement of campus water use audits, adoption of existing best practices, identification of new opportunities to utilize reclaimed water, and more. 

Learn more about our Water Action Plan, which was recognized with an honorable mention at the 2015 California Higher Education Sustainability Conference.

Strategic Energy Plan

The Strategic Energy Plan (SEP) identifies potential energy efficiency retrofit projects for the campus. The projects primarily include lighting, HVAC and commissioning measures. A number of other measures are included that apply to all evaluated buildings, regardless of size. The SEP also addresses the potential for energy efficiency in new construction and renovated buildings.

Landscape Master Plan

The goal of the is to bring together all parts of the campus through a series of initiatives and create “One Campus.” Initiatives include use of drought tolerant plantings, improved pedestrian and bicycle infrastructure, enhanced open space, and general improvement of the overall campus environment.

Policies

������’s sustainability efforts are guided by CSU system-wide and state directives, regulations, and policies, including the The campus aims to not only meet the mandated standards and targets but exceed them.