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98 resources

Comparison of carbon management and emissions of universities that did and did not adopt voluntary carbon offsets

  • Imperial College London

ABSTRACT The urgent need to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, remove carbon from the atmosphere and stabilize natural carbon sinks has led to the development of many carbon management measures, increasingly ...

  • Posted Oct. 18, 2023
  • Publications
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The Green Passport Program: Proposing A Study Abroad Program to Encourage Sustainable Behavior and Offset Emissions

  • University of Richmond (VA)

The University of Richmond has a goal to reach carbon neutrality by 2050, and in order to do this, carbon offsets are likely a necessary component to implement in lieu ...

  • Posted June 15, 2023
  • Publications
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The Community Action Center Project: Where Food Shelves Meet Carbon Offsets

  • Carleton College (MN)

In the city of Northfield, MN, uneaten food typically ends up as waste in the landfill. As this food decomposes, it releases methane—a greenhouse gas far more potent than ...


Air Travel Offset Program

  • University of Pennsylvania (PA)

In July 2021, the University of Pennsylvania enacted a University-wide travel sustainability policy that created the Climate Impact Offset (CLIO) charge to pay for projects that offset the carbon impacts ...


Lightning Talks: Governance & Administration

  • Austin College (TX)
  • Ball State University (IN)
  • Southern New Hampshire University (NH)

This session consists of 3 15-minute Lightning Talk sessions related to governance and administration. The Lightning Talks are: Harvesting Carbon Capital: Using the Carbon Credit Purchasing Program (C2P2) - This session ...

  • Posted May 17, 2023
  • Conference Presentations
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Lightning Talks: Campus Operations (Group 2)

  • Stanford University (CA)
  • Center for Resource Solutions | Green-e (CA)
  • Timber Framers Guild (NH)

This session consists of 3 15-minute Lightning Talk sessions related to campus operations. The Lightning Talks are: Stanford Shines: A Decade-Long Decarbonization Journey .. and We've Just Gotten Started - The ...

  • Posted May 17, 2023
  • Conference Presentations
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Building Carbon Offset Projects: Two Case Studies from Quebec Universities

  • McGill University (QC)
  • Université de Sherbrooke (QC)

As universities around the world set and tackle institutional carbon neutrality targets in response to climate change, debates are ongoing about the importance of and approaches to carbon offsetting to ...

  • Posted May 17, 2023
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Franklin University Switzerland’s ACT Program: A Case Study in Stakeholder Carbon Markets for College Campuses

  • Franklin University Switzerland (Ticino)

At Franklin University Switzerland, Academic Travel (“AT”) has historically been the university-funded activity that generates the greatest amount of carbon emissions by the Franklin community each year. In order to ...


Engaging with Indigenous Communities for Climate Action: The Bayano-McGill Reforestation Project

  • McGill University (QC)

The Bayano-McGill Reforestation Project is an initiative that is at the leading edge of carbon offsetting projects in higher education. The multi-faceted initiative, financed by the University, provides benefits to ...


Climate Impact Offset Charge (CLIO) for University of Pennsylvania Air Travel

  • University of Pennsylvania (PA)

As of July, 2021, the University of Pennsylvania enacted a University-wide travel sustainability policy that created the Climate Impact Offset (CLIO) charge to pay for projects that offset the carbon ...


Carbon footprint assessment tool for universities: CO2UNV

  • Universitat Jaume I (Castelló)

Universities, as organisations engaged in education, research and community services, play an important role in promoting sustainability and should be an example of a sustainable organisation. The Carbon Footprint (CF ...


Renewable Energy and Carbon Offset Discussions: Peer to Peer Strategy Share

  • Chatham University (PA)
  • University at Buffalo (NY)
  • Swarthmore College (PA)
  • Center for Resource Solutions | Green-e (CA)

Renewable energy and carbon offsets are key components for decarbonization and therefore higher education institutions must develop sourcing strategies both to be good stewards to their community and planet as ...

  • Posted Jan. 21, 2022
  • Conference Presentations
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Buying Carbon Dioxide Removals

  • Raritan Valley Community College (NJ)

Carbon Dioxide Removals are coming onto the market as an alternative to traditional carbon offsets. Microsoft, Stripe, and Shopify are supporting the development of CDR technologies and companies by vetting ...

  • Posted Jan. 21, 2022
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How Swarthmore College and Vanderbilt University are Neutralizing Their Footprint with Climate Vault

  • Swarthmore College (PA)
  • Climate Vault (IL)

This session will explore how verified carbon offsets play an important role for higher education institutions to reduce and/or neutralize their carbon footprint – and how one non-profit’s approach ...

  • Posted Jan. 21, 2022
  • Conference Presentations
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The Offset Network: Campus-driven Carbon Offset Projects

  • Duke University (NC)
  • Hamilton College-Clinton.NY (NY)
  • Second Nature (MA)

Most campuses need to use some amount of carbon offsets to meet climate goals. However, few options through traditional carbon markets are affordable and provide the local co-benefits and connection ...

  • Posted Nov. 15, 2021
  • Conference Presentations
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Don't Be a Maverick: Opportunities for Cost-Sharing Air Travel Offsets

  • Arizona State University (AZ)
  • Second Nature (MA)

In 2019, Arizona State University, Carbonfund.org and Second Nature began a partnership with the goal of convening and organizing institutions interested in: -Cost-sharing carbon offset purchases with airlines -Developing ...

  • Posted Nov. 15, 2021
  • Conference Presentations
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Engage Your Climate Action Toolbox: Renewable Energy, Carbon Offsets and Renewable Natural Gas

  • University of California, Office of the President (CA)
  • Center for Resource Solutions | Green-e (CA)

The clock is ticking to greatly reduce carbon emissions to avoid the worst of a climate catastrophe. These negative impacts will affect everyone, not just those who are emitting the ...

  • Posted Nov. 15, 2021
  • Conference Presentations
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Carbon neutrality should not be the end goal: Lessons for institutional climate action from U.S. higher education

  • Hamilton College-Clinton.NY (NY)
  • Smith College (MA)
  • Ceres (MA)

Climate action pledges have increasingly taken the form of commitments to net carbon neutrality. Higher education institutions (HEIs) are uniquely positioned to innovate in this area, and over 800 United ...


Calvin Energy Recovery Fund (CERF)

  • Calvin University (MI)

The Calvin Energy Recovery Fund (CERF) is a revolving fund used to improve energy efficiency and reduce carbon dioxide emissions on campus. Plus, the cost savings from CERF projects are ...

  • Posted Sept. 21, 2021
  • Green Funds
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President's Sustainability Research Fellowship 20-21: Carbon Offsets

  • Swarthmore College (PA)

The 2020-2021 President's Sustainability Research Fellowship Carbon Offsets project was conducted by Olivia Stoetzer '23 over the 2020-2021 Academic Year. The purpose of the project was to help Swarthmore ...


Developing University-Initiated Offsets and Using Peer Verification

  • Duke University (NC)
  • University of California, Berkeley (CA)
  • University of California, Davis (CA)
  • AASHE (PA)

The Offset Network is an online platform for colleges and universities considering the development of their own emission-reducing projects to fulfill carbon neutrality commitments. Self-generated offsets offer greater flexibility than ...

  • Posted Oct. 15, 2020
  • Videos & Webinars
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Achieving Carbon Neutrality at Arizona State University

  • Arizona State University (AZ)

In 2019, Arizona State University achieved carbon neutrality for scope 1 and 2 emissions. Through this accomplishment, ASU seeks to inspire immediate action to address the climate emergency. Despite reaching ...


Is Skidmore Carbo-loading? Establishing a Baseline Carbon Inventory of Skidmore’s Northern Lands

  • Skidmore College (NY)

Approximately half of the world’s terrestrially sequestered carbon is held in forests and wetlands. Landowners and institutions can manage forests to maximize their sequestration potential for the purpose of ...

  • Posted March 6, 2020
  • Publications
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Student Governments as Platforms for Sustainability Efforts

  • University of Denver (CO)

Many sustainability efforts on college campuses are student-driven, however, the majority of the students leading these efforts tend to be involved in sustainability-related organizations or employees of their university's ...

  • Posted Dec. 4, 2019
  • Conference Presentations
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University Sustainability Initiatives: Utilizing Carbon Offsets to Achieve Sustainability Goals

  • Element Markets (TX)

New initiatives by campus sustainability teams are increasingly focused on reducing their carbon footprint. Through initiatives like on-campus solar, energy efficiency projects, and recycling programs, universities are implementing new measures ...

  • Posted Dec. 4, 2019
  • Conference Presentations
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Carbon Offsets 101: Campus Sustainability Initiatives

  • Element Markets (TX)

Universities across the globe are committed to mitigating climate change impacts from campus activities. Solutions such as on-site solar, energy efficiency, recycling programs, or student-led environmental initiatives serve as a ...

  • Posted Dec. 4, 2019
  • Conference Presentations
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Going Carbon Neutral - Giving Everyone a Voice, With Students Leading the Charge

  • University of Victoria (BC)

Dr. Simon Pek and Dr. Rick Cotton will take you on Gustavson School of Business' journey to carbon neutrality. In sharing the story of this success their aim is to ...

  • Posted Dec. 4, 2019
  • Conference Presentations
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University of Californiac's RFI for Campus-initiated Offsets & the Offset Network Peer Verification

  • Duke University (NC)
  • University of California, Berkeley (CA)
  • University of California, Davis (CA)
  • Second Nature (MA)

The Offset Network is an online platform for colleges and universities considering the development of their own emission-reducing projects to fulfill carbon neutrality commitments. Self-generated offsets offer greater flexibility than ...

  • Posted Dec. 4, 2019
  • Conference Presentations
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Harvard's Challenge: Institutional Green Power

  • Harvard University (MA)

This case study examines the options that Harvard University has for complying with one aspect of its Climate Action Plan, which was announced in February 2018. It specifically focuses on ...

  • Posted March 1, 2019
  • Case Studies
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Offsets and RECs: What's the Difference?

  • U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (DC)

In encouraging organizations to choose green power for their electricity, the Green Power Partnership frequently explains renewable energy certificates (RECs) - what they are, why they are needed for green power ...

  • Posted Feb. 25, 2019
  • Publications
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Mitigating Air Travel Emissions: Measuring, Pricing and Collaboration

  • Arizona State University (AZ)
  • Duke University (NC)
  • University of California, Los Angeles (CA)
  • University of Maryland, College Park (MD)

Presenters will discuss their approaches to tracking airline miles, estimating emissions, and counter-acting these emissions. Carbon neutral air travel requires data availability to accurately estimate emissions, but perhaps a larger ...

  • Posted Nov. 5, 2018
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Beyond Offsetting: Onsetting Scope 3 Emissions and Supporting Innovative Local Projects

  • Earth Deeds (MA)

Universities struggle to find meaningful ways to address their Scope 3 emissions, especially with regard to staff travel and study abroad. This session will explain carbon 'onsetting' as a positive ...

  • Posted Nov. 5, 2018
  • Conference Presentations
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OffsetNetwork.org: Higher Ed's Hub for Self-Generated Offset Projects and Peer Verification

  • American University (DC)
  • Duke University (NC)
  • Second Nature (MA)

The Offset Network is an online platform for colleges and universities to share experience, lessons learned and tell the stories behind developing their own carbon offset projects. The site provides ...

  • Posted Nov. 5, 2018
  • Conference Presentations
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Approaches to Carbon Offset Procurement

  • Colgate University (NY)
  • Duke University (NC)
  • University of California, Berkeley (CA)
  • Second Nature (MA)

This presentation will feature a diversity of institutions and their approaches to carbon offset procurement in pursuit of carbon reduction goals. The institutions represented on this panel share the perspective ...

  • Posted Nov. 5, 2018
  • Conference Presentations
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Paradigm Project

  • American University (DC)

A woman outside Nairobi, Kenya holds a wood-burning, efficient cookstove from the Paradigm Project.


American University Achieved Carbon Neutrality Two Years Ahead of 2020 Target

  • American University (DC)

In 2018, American University became the first university, first research university, and first urban higher education campus to achieve carbon neutrality. This major goal was reached two years ahead of ...


SIMAP: Sustainability Indicator Management and Analysis Platform

  • University of New Hampshire (NH)

SIMAP™ is a carbon and nitrogen accounting platform that can track, analyze, and improve your campus-wide sustainability. Our proven algorithms, based on nearly two decades of work supporting campus inventories ...


SUNY Polytechnic Institute Campus Forest Carbon Inventory Report and Sequestration Estimates

  • State University of New York Polytechnic Institute (NY)

This report takes initial measurements for existing SUNY Polytechnic Institute campus forest carbon stocks and estimates projections for annual rates of carbon sequestration. Establishing a baseline for campus forest carbon ...


Purchasing Carbon Offsets 101

  • Second Nature (MA)

"Join this webinar for an introduction to purchasing carbon offsets through the voluntary carbon market. The webinar will cover how schools can use verified carbon offsets to meet emissions reduction ...

  • Posted May 8, 2018
  • Videos & Webinars
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Arizona State University Urban Forestry and Carbon Offsets Pilot

  • Arizona State University (AZ)

In 2017, the University Sustainability Practices (USP) office at Arizona State University (ASU) piloted a new urban forestry program to explore the viability of generating carbon offsets through local tree ...

  • Posted Feb. 15, 2018
  • Case Studies
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Carbon lock-in: an obstacle in higher education’s decarbonization pathways

  • University of Dayton (OH)

Carbon lock-in describes a force that perpetuates the fossil fuel energy system despite known risks and cost-effective alternatives, a consequence of which is the slow rate of diffusion of low-carbon ...

  • Posted Feb. 12, 2018
  • Publications
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Uncovering Risk in the Voluntary Carbon Market

  • AASHE (PA)
  • Urban Offsets, Inc.

Carbon offsets are often viewed by voluntary buyers as untrustworthy and providing little to no overall value to their core business. Six billion metric tons of carbon offsets trade annually ...

  • Posted Feb. 1, 2018
  • Videos & Webinars
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Beyond Offsetting: Onsetting Scope 3 Emissions and Supporting Innovative Local Projects

  • Earth Deeds (MA)

Universities struggle to find meaningful ways to address their Scope 3 emissions, especially with regard to staff travel and study abroad. This session will explain carbon onsetting as a positive ...

  • Posted Dec. 1, 2017
  • Conference Presentations
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Offsetting University Travel Through Energy Efficiency on Campus

  • Portland State University (OR)

At Portland State University (PSU), business travel is responsible for approximately 6,009 metric tons of carbon emissions, or 1,265 cars on the road, each year. Acknowledging that travel ...

  • Posted Dec. 1, 2017
  • Conference Presentations
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Bundled Offsets: Manage Risk and Benefit Local Communities

  • Duke University (NC)
  • Urban Offsets, Inc.

The strategy of offset bundling involves pairing 3rd party verified carbon offsets with local high co-benefit projects to assure climate impact and build local resilience. Tani Colbert-Sangree, of The Duke ...

  • Posted Dec. 1, 2017
  • Conference Presentations
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Getting Started with Local Carbon Offsets: Spotlight on Urban Forestry

  • Davidson College (NC)
  • Duke University (NC)

For many schools working towards carbon neutrality, carbon offsets will play an important role. While offsets can be purchased on the open market, it is possible to have an even ...

  • Posted Dec. 1, 2017
  • Conference Presentations
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Climate Leadership Network Carbon Offset Projects Networking

  • Duke University (NC)
  • Second Nature (MA)

This networking meeting will focus on the development of 'peer reviewed' and 'innovative' carbon offset projects for colleges and universities. Please join us if you are interested in exploring options ...

  • Posted Dec. 1, 2017
  • Conference Presentations
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Utilizing Innovative and Peer Reviewed Carbon Offsets with the Second Nature Climate Leadership Commitments

  • Duke University (NC)
  • Second Nature (MA)

Many institutions use carbon offsets to help them attain carbon neutrality and achieve their goals under the Second Nature Climate Leadership Commitments. Since 2008, Second Nature has provided guidelines for ...

  • Posted Dec. 1, 2017
  • Conference Presentations
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Developing Carbon Credits on Your Campus through the Voluntary Carbon Market

  • University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee (WI)
  • Second Nature (MA)

For the past year, a handful of schools have been third party verifying and selling carbon credits on the Voluntary Carbon Market through Second Nature's Carbon Credit and Purchasing ...

  • Posted Dec. 1, 2017
  • Conference Presentations
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Carbon Markets & Offsets Guidance

  • Second Nature (MA)

This document was developed as a resource for higher education institutions implementing one of the Presidents’ Climate Leadership Commitments. It outlines the concept of carbon offsets, how offsetting can be ...