Air & Climate
Introduction
Global climate change is having myriad negative impacts throughout the world, including increased frequency and potency of extreme weather events, sea level rise, species extinction, water shortages, declining agricultural production, and spread of diseases. The impacts are particularly pronounced for low-income communities and countries. In addition, institutions that inventory and take steps to reduce their air pollutant emissions can positively impact the health of the campus community, as well as the health of their local communities and regions.
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A Call for Climate Leadership: Progress and Opportunities in Addressing the Defining Challenge of our Time
- Second Nature (MA)
- AASHE (MA)
- ecoAmerica (DC)
Higher Education has a unique role in society. It has been granted tax-free status, the ability to receive public and private funds, and academic freedom, in exchange for educating students …
- Posted Feb. 24, 2016
- Publications
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Campus Climate Action and Multilevel Environmental Governance
The growing recognition that the future of the climate regime may also lie in strong local and regional initiatives (Dimitrov, et al., 2004) stems from the belief that our familiar …
- Posted Feb. 24, 2016
- Publications
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Higher Education: Good for the Planet?
- Pennsylvania State University (PA)
It is clear that humans face an urgent challenge to learn how to live in a manner that does not endanger the Earth. Even as universities teach students that the …
- Posted Feb. 24, 2016
- Publications
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Climate@Emory: an inter-disciplinary, university-wide initiative to advance climate change scholarship, teaching, partnership, and engagement at Emory and beyond
- Emory University (GA)
Climate@Emory is a university-wide initiative at Emory University with the mission of advancing climate change scholarship and teaching. This interdisciplinary initiative involves more than 50 faculty from 20 departments throughout …
- Posted June 11, 2015
- Case Studies
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To Green and Beyond: Excellence Through Sustainability at University of Illinois at Chicago
- University of Illinois Chicago (IL)
The Sustainability Strategic Thinking process -To Green and Beyond- was undertaken to innovatively weave together the UIC Climate Action Plan and its other broad strategic plans and look beyond commonly-held …
- Posted June 11, 2015
- Case Studies
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Duke University Carbon Offsets Initiative - Working with students, staff, and faculty to reduce GHG emissions through rooftop solar
- Duke University (NC)
In Spring 2015, Duke University launched a pioneering, renewable energy discount program for University employees. This program, developed by the Duke Carbon Offsets Initiative (DCOI) and its partners, helps reduce …
- Posted June 10, 2015
- Case Studies
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AC Climate Aware
- Algonquin College (ON)
AC Climate Aware is a collaborative grassroots effort designed to promote sustainability and internationalization. Under the leadership of SEATS, the campaign encourages dialogue within the Algonquin College community about these …
- Posted June 10, 2015
- Case Studies
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Climate Quest
- University of Wisconsin-Madison (WI)
Climate Quest is a team-based challenge to design practical, high-impact solutions to mitigate or adapt to climate change. After launching in April 2014, 25 teams were selected from a pool …
- Posted June 8, 2015
- Case Studies
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Neutral Gator
- University of Florida (FL)
Neutral Gator provides UF with high-impact, local carbon offsets by performing energy efficiency upgrades of low-income families' homes and planting indigenous trees on conservation land in Gainesville, FL. Through this …
- Posted April 10, 2014
- Case Studies
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Should Higher Ed. Go Carbon Neutral: A Look at Forest Carbon
- Clarkson University (NY)
This project analyzes the benefits, barriers, and perceptions that institutions of higher education have for forest carbon offset projects. In particular the benefits of investing in certified offsets were weighed …
- Posted March 28, 2014
- Case Studies
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Advanced Climate Action: Stanford Energy and Climate Plan
- Stanford University (CA)
Stanford has historically done much to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) impacts and in late 2007, the university set out to develop a formal action plan incorporating existing best practices in …
- Posted May 17, 2013
- Case Studies
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Communicating Carbon: Visualizing Energy Inputs, Activities, and Greenhouse Gas Emissions
- University of Oregon (OR)
Sustainability decision-making requires both accurate and informative data, and effective stakeholder communication. Higher education sustainability professionals must not only estimate energy inputs, activities, and greenhouse gas emissions data, they must …
- Posted April 30, 2013
- Case Studies
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Implementing UBC's Climate Action Plan
- University of British Columbia (BC)
The University of British Columbia (UBC)'s comprehensive Climate Action Plan, launched in 2010, is the result of a multi-year planning process that involved over 200 students, staff and faculty. In …
- Posted July 9, 2012
- Case Studies
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Duke Carbon Offsets Initiative
- Duke University (NC)
The Duke Carbon Offsets Initiative (DCOI) was established in 2009 in order to help Duke University achieve carbon neutrality by 2024. Duke University is one of the only universities in …
- Posted June 29, 2012
- Case Studies
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DukeEngage Carbon Offsets Pilot Project at Duke University
- Duke University (NC)
In May 2010, DukeEngage collaborated with Sustainable Duke and the Duke Carbon Offsets Initiative to offer the students, faculty and staff of DukeEngage the opportunity to go "carbon neutral" with …
- Posted July 1, 2010
- Case Studies
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Pulling it all together: a comprehensive approach to climate neutrality
- University at Buffalo (NY)
The University at Buffalo has charted a course toward climate neutrality that - however trite the terms might have become - is both strategic and holistic. It is designed to …
- Posted July 1, 2010
- Case Studies
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This tab provides access to data collected through AASHE’s Sustainability Tracking, Assessment & Rating System™ (STARS). STARS is a transparent, self-reporting framework for colleges and universities to measure their sustainability performance. STARS enables meaningful comparisons over time and across institutions using a common set of measurements developed with broad participation from the campus sustainability community.
All responses reference content from reports under the latest version of STARS, version 2.2. AASHE membership and log-in is required.
OP 1: Emissions Inventory & Disclosure
- Description of the methodology and/or tool used to complete the GHG emissions inventory
- GHG emissions inventory (upload)
- Brief description of the GHG inventory verification process
- Brief description of the methodology for completing an air emissions inventory
OP 2: Greenhouse Gas Emissions
- Adjusted net Scope 1 and 2 GHG emissions per weighted campus user, performance year
- Adjusted net Scope 1 and 2 GHG emissions per unit of EUI-adjusted floor area, performance year
- A brief description of the institution’s GHG emissions reduction initiatives
- Website URL where information about the institution's GHG emissions is available
Additional analysis on scores and quantitative fields can be conducted using the STARS Benchmarking Tool.