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.

1187 resources

Step Changes in Climate Action: Data-Driven Plans to Decarbonize Campus Energy Systems

  • Amherst College (MA)
  • Smith College (MA)
  • Integral Group (CA)

Answering the call to address the climate crisis is one of the central themes of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. Colleges and universities have been working to deploy energy ...

  • Posted Nov. 5, 2018
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Sustainability Goal Setting at Universities: A Nitrogen Action Plan at the University of Virginia

  • University of Virginia (VA)

A nitrogen (N) footprint is the amount of reactive N released to the environment as a result of an entities' resource use. In 2010, the University of Virginia (UVA) became ...

  • Posted Nov. 5, 2018
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Resiliency in the Face of Global Change: Developing a Sustainability Program That Thrives

  • Dartmouth College (NH)

In December 2017, China announced a waste importing ban that upended the global recycling markets. In January 2018, the U.S. imposed a 30% tariff on solar equipment manufactured abroad ...

  • Posted Nov. 5, 2018
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Three Zeros Environmental Initiative at UNC Chapel Hill: The Chancellor's Sustainability Charge

  • University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (NC)
  • SmithGroup (MI)

The University of North Carolina (UNC) has set a new global standard for sustainability in higher education's constantly evolving environment. UNC is scaling its impact through the Three Zeros ...

  • Posted Nov. 5, 2018
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Designing a Realistic, Challenging, and Effective Climate Action Plan: Options and Best Practices

  • Concordia College - Moorhead (MN)

This session will present the results of a research project aimed at understanding how institutions of higher education have developed and structured their Climate Action Plans. The goal of the ...

  • Posted Nov. 5, 2018
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Organizing a Campus-Community Resilience Building Workshop

  • Second Nature (MA)
  • The Nature Conservancy (VA)

This workshop will train participants in how to organize and facilitate a Community Resilience Building (CRB) Workshop. The CRB Workshop is a community-driven process, rich with information, experience, and dialogue ...

  • Posted Nov. 5, 2018
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Projection and Scenario Analysis for Climate and Nitrogen Action Planning

  • University of New Hampshire (NH)
  • University of Virginia (VA)

Campuses are now calculating their carbon and nitrogen footprints together in SIMAP, a web-based platform launched in fall 2017. Once you have calculated your campus' footprints, how might you use ...

  • Posted Nov. 5, 2018
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Achieving SDG Targets: The European Approach: Compliance - The Case of Energy & Irish Universities

  • Chatham University (PA)
  • Technological University Dublin (Dublin)

Ireland, as a nation, has signed up to the SDGs. The main drivers in reaching these targets will be through a set of interventions that are encompassing - legislation - compliance to ...

  • Posted Nov. 5, 2018
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How Do Sustainability and Resilience Work Together in Practice?

  • Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MA)
  • University of New Hampshire (NH)

Resilience and sustainability have had a confusing relationship over the past decade. While resilience has long been an important element of sustainability, for example going back to the work of ...

  • Posted Nov. 5, 2018
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Resilience Bootcamp - Turning Threats into Opportunities

  • Rochester Institute of Technology (NY)
  • St. Lawrence University (NY)
  • Second Nature (MA)

Resilience is a hot topic for those who work within the campus operational and built environment. But what does it really mean for a campus community and how does it ...

  • Posted Nov. 5, 2018
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Breaking Down 'Drawdown' - Explaining Global Sustainability Solutions at the Community Level

  • University of Virginia (VA)

There's a new framework for climate action in town - Project Drawdown is self-described as a comprehensive efforts to 'identify, research, and model the 100 most substantive, existing solutions to ...

  • Posted Nov. 5, 2018
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The Fossil Fuel Divestment Movement and Student Activism at Syracuse University and SUNY-ESF

  • The Ohio State University (OH)

On April 1, 2015, Syracuse University announced that it would divest its $1.18 billion endowment from fossil fuels. Shortly thereafter, its partner institution, SUNY-ESF, made the same commitment. These ...

  • Posted Nov. 5, 2018
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Achieving Large-Scale Campus Emissions Reductions: The Plan, Team, & Relationships Required

  • University of Dayton (OH)

After President Trump announced plans to withdraw the United States from the Paris Climate Accord, numerous Institutions indicated they would rise to the challenge by signing the 'We Are Still ...

  • Posted Nov. 5, 2018
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Carbon Pricing on Campus: Four Models for Higher Ed Engagement on a Climate Solution

  • Smith College (MA)
  • Swarthmore College (PA)
  • University of Oregon (OR)
  • Yale University (CT)

To combat climate change, schools are using carbon pricing as a powerful tool for reducing campus emissions and advancing national policy solutions. Pricing has been used by both governments and ...

  • Posted Nov. 5, 2018
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Do It Yourself Green Challenge - Cost Effective Way to Improve Health, Environment, & Climate Change

  • My Open Road (CA)

87% of all human produced CO2 emissions comes from burning fossil fuel for electricity/heat, transportation, and industry. The transportation sector is the second largest source of CO2 emission. The ...

  • Posted Nov. 5, 2018
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GHG Accounting in Higher Education - The Case for Forging Our Own Path

  • Amherst College (MA)

Quantifying Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emission inventories and setting reduction goals started at the national level in the 1990's with the formation of UNFCCC and the first guidelines for inventory ...

  • 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
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Creative Approaches for Engaging People in Climate Action

  • Care About Climate, Inc (AZ)

During this workshop participants will discuss innovative ways to engage both their campus population and general public in climate action initiatives. These approaches may include incentivizing people to take responsible ...

  • Posted Nov. 5, 2018
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Understanding the Entire Campus Carbon Footprint: How and Why to do Comprehensive Scope 3 Reporting

  • University of New Hampshire (NH)
  • University of Texas at Austin (TX)

Scope 3' emissions (i.e., those from upstream and downstream activities, such as producing the goods purchased by a campus, extracting and refining fuels, or commuting/business travel) are notoriously ...

  • Posted Nov. 5, 2018
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Profitable Carbon Capture Technology for Campus Power Plants

  • University of Maryland, College Park (MD)

The University of Maryland is pursuing a partnership with technology firm, HY-TEK Bio, to install an algae based carbon capture system to mitigate emissions from UMD's combined heat and ...

  • Posted Nov. 5, 2018
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Examining Data from Across Higher Ed: Does a Commitment Drive More Progress?

  • University of New Hampshire (NH)

In November 2017, the University of New Hampshire (UNH) launched the Sustainability Indicator Management and Analysis Platform (SIMAP™), a new inventory tool replacing the Campus Carbon Calculator and the CarbonMAP ...

  • Posted Nov. 5, 2018
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Climate Resiliency Planning: What We're Learning

  • Black Hills State University (SD)
  • Verdis Group (NE)

Black Hills State University is in the process of creating a Climate Resiliency Plan in partnership with city and county partners and facilitated by Verdis Group. The planning process will ...

  • Posted Nov. 5, 2018
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NE Drawdown: A Multi-College Effort to Adapt & Implement Impactful Regional Climate Change Solutions

  • Amherst College (MA)
  • Smith College (MA)
  • Williams College (MA)

This past summer, students from Amherst, Smith, and Williams colleges investigated the global Drawdown methodology, compiled regional climate data to determine the top priorities for the area, and conducted a ...

  • Posted Nov. 5, 2018
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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
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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
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Boston University's Climate Action Plan and The Public Process

  • Boston University (MA)

Boston University's Climate Action Plan provides a roadmap to address energy use and sourcing, resiliency and climate preparedness, transportation, supply chain, and waste. Moreover it recommends the creation of ...

  • Posted Nov. 5, 2018
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From Incremental to Transformative Climate Action: Lessons Learned From Addressing Barriers

  • University of California, Office of the President (CA)
  • University of California, Los Angeles (CA)

What are the most fundamental and challenging barriers to achieving carbon neutrality at a large research university? The first University of California campus to publish a climate action plan (CAP ...

  • Posted Nov. 5, 2018
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Leverage Your Renewable Energy Impact Through Emerging Avoided Emissions PPA Strategies

  • Boston University (MA)
  • Carnegie Mellon University (PA)
  • Edison Energy (CA)
  • WattTime (CA)

Renewable energy procurement is a critical strategy for reducing an institution's greenhouse gas emissions. However, not all renewable energy projects avoid the same amount of GHG emissions per kWh ...

  • Posted Nov. 5, 2018
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Creating Positive Impact and Achieving Sustainability Goals through Custom Carbon Reduction Projects

  • Native (VT)

How can your institution achieve more through your climate goals? Carbon offsets and RECs have long been an effective way of addressing the environmental impacts of running an academic institution ...

  • Posted Nov. 5, 2018
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Assessing Campus and Community Resilience in Rural America

  • Central Community College (NE)
  • Green Mountain College (VT)
  • Second Nature (MA)

Rural colleges and universities face unique considerations when assessing campus and community climate resilience. While there are common elements to resilience at any institution, the political and economic landscape for ...

  • Posted Nov. 5, 2018
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Putting A Price On Carbon: Fighting for Strong Climate Policy on the Campus, State and Federal Level

  • Our Climate (OR)

We already face the disastrous impacts of climate change: unprecedented droughts and heatwaves, stronger hurricanes, ocean acidification, sea level rise, the spread of infectious disease. The cost of these changes ...

  • Posted Nov. 5, 2018
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The Role of Campuses in Driving Climate Resilience Planning

  • Dickinson College (PA)
  • University of California, Los Angeles (CA)
  • University of Illinois Chicago (IL)
  • Second Nature (MA)

As impacts from climate change intensify, a growing number of initiatives are emerging to increase resilience locally and globally. Campuses across the US are stepping up to prepare for climate ...

  • Posted Nov. 5, 2018
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Advancing Carbon Pricing at Your Institution

  • Smith College (MA)
  • Swarthmore College (PA)
  • Yale University (CT)

Carbon pricing is a fair, feasible, and powerful solution to accelerate a transition to a clean energy economy. With a growing number of carbon pricing policies around the world and ...

  • Posted Nov. 5, 2018
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Campus & Community Resilience: Experiences from Community College & University Partnerships

  • Arizona State University (AZ)
  • California State University, Northridge (CA)
  • Portland State University (OR)
  • Second Nature (MA)

Campuses in Portland, Los Angeles, and Phoenix were involved in the Climate Resilience in Urban Campuses + Communities (CRUX) project to support the implementation of resilience-related elements of the colleges and ...

  • Posted Nov. 5, 2018
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Greenhouse Gas Inventory of the University of Pittsburgh

  • University of Pittsburgh (PA)

As greenhouse gases continue to accumulate in the atmosphere and have an impact on climate, identifying and monitoring the sources of these emissions becomes increasingly important. Because residential and commercial ...

  • Posted Nov. 5, 2018
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Climate adaptation planning in the higher education sector

  • RMIT University

Purpose There is a growing interest in climate change action in the higher education sector. Higher education institutions (HEIs) play an important role as property owners, employers, education and research ...

  • Posted Oct. 23, 2018
  • Publications
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Making the Shift to Climate-Friendly Food Service

  • University of Massachusetts Amherst (MA)
  • University of New Hampshire (NH)
  • AASHE (PA)
  • Friends of the Earth (DC)

The webinar will provide information covering broad menu-based strategies to reduce the carbon footprint of dining service. Friends of the Earth’s Food & Agriculture program consultant will introduce the ...

  • Posted Oct. 18, 2018
  • Videos & Webinars
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The Climate-Friendly Global Academic Conference with a Human Touch

  • Swarthmore College (PA)
  • Tufts University (MA)
  • University of California, Santa Barbara (CA)
  • AASHE (PA)
  • University of Graz

Aviation is responsible for a large proportion of the climate impact of professional life in university communities. One much-discussed option for reducing this climate impact is to shift some conferencing ...

  • Posted Sept. 13, 2018
  • Videos & Webinars
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Global academic conferencing: A semi-virtual approach

  • University of Graz

Scholars and their institutions contribute significantly to global warming by flying to conferences. An intercontinental return flight in economy class can be compared with burning a ton of fossil carbon ...

  • Posted Sept. 12, 2018
  • Case Studies
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California State University East Bay Climate Action Plan 2018

  • California State University, East Bay (CA)

Cal State East Bay made a commitment to climate neutrality when President Morishita signed the Carbon Commitment (formerly the American Colleges and Universities Presidents’ Climate Commitment) in January 2015. Once ...

  • Posted Aug. 30, 2018
  • Publications
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Applied Climate Science (BS)

  • University of Nebraska - Lincoln (NE)

The applied climate science major provides an interdisciplinary approach with courses in biology, chemistry, soils, water, ecology, mathematics and statistics, and Geographic Information Science (GIScience). These courses provide students with ...

  • Posted Aug. 30, 2018
  • Academic Programs
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Carbon Neutral Campus: Solar Research

  • University of Illinois Chicago (IL)

This project was set out to analyze two UIC buildings, the Student Services Building and the Pharmacognosy Field Station, in order to determine their potential for solar energy along with ...

  • Posted Aug. 10, 2018
  • Case Studies
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1 MegaWatt Battery Energy Storage System

  • California State University, Long Beach (CA)

In 2017, California State University, Long Beach installed a 1 Megawatt energy storage system on campus as part of a multiphase project with Advanced Microgrid Solutions (AMS) made possible through ...


Pathways to carbon neutral energy systems at the University of California, Davis

  • University of California, Davis (CA)

To achieve carbon neutrality by 2025 the University of California, Davis (UCD) seeks to eliminate its dependence on fossil energy sources. This study outlines a methodology to identify optimal equipment ...


Strategic leadership for sustainability by higher education: the American College & University Presidents' Climate Commitment

  • Greenland Enterprises (MA)

Higher education has a strong influence in shaping the mental models of many of society's professionals and leaders and is a critical leverage point in creating a sustainable society ...


Nitrogen Footprint Network Workshop

  • University of Virginia (VA)

Fifth annual Nitrogen Footprint Network meeting, hosted by the University of Virginia.


University of Virginia Renewable Energy

  • University of Virginia (VA)

Renewable energy (PV panels on Clemons library) helps reduce UVA's nitrogen footprint, in addition to UVA's greenhouse gas footprint.


Dickinson College Solar Array

  • Dickinson College (PA)

Dickinson’s new (2018), 12-acre solar array project—designed and built by Tesla—is projected to generate approximately 5,200,000 kwh per year, representing more than 25 percent of ...


University of Dayton Energy GPA

  • University of Dayton (OH)

The Energy GPA program provides students in University-owned student neighborhood houses with a grade of their monthly energy use. Monthly "report cards" include electricity and gas usage and a monthly ...


Climate Change Commitment Wall

  • American University (DC)

American University student signs chalkboard commitment wall to fight climate change.

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

OP 2: Greenhouse Gas Emissions

Additional analysis on scores and quantitative fields can be conducted using the STARS Benchmarking Tool.

Air & Climate Partners