by Brianna Crandall — April 20, 2011—The American College and University Presidents’ Climate Commitment (ACUPCC) recently released its 2010 Annual Report, which provides an overview of participating schools that are creating and implementing comprehensive plans to eliminate net greenhouse gas emissions from their campus operations. Also integral to these plans are activities that promote education, research, and community engagement and contribute to creating a low-carbon economy and a healthy, just and sustainable society.
According to the report, the ACUPCC network, launched in early 2007, had 676 active members as of December 31, 2010, representing all 50 states and the District of Columbia—and nearly six million students, or about one-third of the U.S. higher education student population. Of these, 549 had inventoried their greenhouse gas emissions and 361 had released plans for eliminating those emissions.
For the first time, a significant number of schools—more than 250—have submitted updates to their original greenhouse gas inventories, revealing whether emissions have increased or declined since climate action efforts began in earnest. On balance, this group accounted for a net reduction of more than 250,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent per year.
According to ACUPCC, higher education remains the only sector with a critical mass committed to pursuing climate neutrality. According to the new report, nearly 40 percent of the schools that have submitted climate action plans to date are aiming to eliminate net carbon emissions prior to 2030. The report presents numerous examples of innovative climate- and sustainability-related activities by colleges and universities.
