****
*Cornell announces Climate Action Plan to achieve campus climate
neutrality by 2050*
* Web-based plan features a video message from Cornell President David
Skorton *
*www.sustainablecampus.cornell.edu/climate*
**
*
Learn more...
**Upcoming Climate Action Plan presentations -*
http://www.sustainablecampus.cornell.edu/events.cfm
*Cornell Chronicle story - * www.news.cornell.edu/stories/Sept09/CAP.html
*Chronicle of Higher Education story -
*http://chronicle.com/article/Colleges-Map-Hazy-Routes-to/48378/
*Download the Climate Action Plan Summary Report (15MB)*
http://www.sustainablecampus.cornell.edu/climate/docs/CornellClimateActionPlanSummaryReportHiRes.pdf
--
_*
Making Climate Neutrality a Reality by 2050 *_
The Climate Action Plan is the culmination of over a year of
community-wide engagement and technical planning that involved hundreds
of Cornell staff, students, and faculty, along with community members
and consultants. Unlike many large plans that sit on a shelf, the
Cornell Climate Action Plan was designed as an educational experience on
the internet. A grant from the New York State Energy Research and
Development Authority <http://www.nyserda.org/> provided funding so that
the planning processes and tools created to develop Cornell's Climate
Action Plan could be easily shared with other institutions and
municipalities.
The Climate Action Plan website
<http://www.sustainablecampus.cornell.edu/climate> will allow for the
Cornell community, the public, and peer institutions to take a quick
glance at how Cornell plans to achieve climate neutrality, what
individuals can do, and dig deep into the details of technical briefs
and triple bottom line decision-making including financial analysis,
future carbon costing, community and institutional impact, and other
important decision-making criteria.
The website features:
* Unique info-graphics that communicate complex carbon reduction
activities
* Graphs and charts that explain anticipated future carbon costs,
carbon footprint, and carbon reduction strategies
* Visually rich, and in-depth pages on all 19 recommended actions in
green development, energy conservation, fuel mix and renewable
energy, transportation, carbon offsetting actions
* Links to exciting resources and experts across campus and around
the world
*_Background_*
In 2007, President David Skorton represented the aspirations of
thousands of students, faculty, staff, and alumni by signing the
American College and University Presidents Climate Commitment, pledging
Cornell University to a path toward climate neutrality---eliminating net
greenhouse gas emissions and enhancing our land-grant mission in support
of a socially, economically, and environmentally sustainable society.
As a comprehensive response to that challenge, groups of Cornell
faculty, staff, and students---working with the President's Climate
Commitment Implementation Committee---have developed this Climate Action
Plan, which seeks to engage the campus community in these efforts.The
actions proposed in the Climate Action Plan seek to reduce our effective
greenhouse gas emissions from 319,000 metric tons (CO2 equivalent
emissions) to net zero level by 2050, even with continued campus growth.
In addition, over the next 40 years the overall plan could produce
savings---in avoided capital, operating expenses, and energy---that
would result in a net positive return of millions of dollars. Actions
are recommended in five areas:
. green development
. energy conservation
. fuel mix and renewable energy
. transportation
. carbon offsetting actions
Technical Consultants:
Affiliated Engineers, Inc. <http://www.aeieng.com>
Energy Strategies <http://www.energystrat.com>
Martin/Alexiou/Bryson <http://www.mabtrans.com>
About the American College and University Presidents' Climate Commitment
<http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?et=1102697905631&s=1286&e=001jWDJMj5XkSpOMfVJCEuvqAMcHJ38RVdXUpTz_Tsn9y_QAQWWiCftcAaJQTZHL22RUv4wZkaed0QM6emceI2TKBXndz7nCbA8lVn7ZC2OONowknprd-bHoQErd92osqoipiVboXwx4cw=>
Launched in 2007, the American College and University Presidents'
Climate Commitment is a network of 650 signatory schools, representing
all fifty states and the District of Columbia. This high-visibility
effort to address global warming garners institutional commitments to
neutralize greenhouse gas emissions and accelerate the research and
educational efforts of higher education to equip society to re-stabilize
the earth's climate. The ACUPCC is led by a Steering Committee
comprised of more than 20 university and college presidents, including
three co-chairs: Michael Crow, President of Arizona State University;
Mary Spangler, Chancellor of Houston Community College; and David Shi,
President of Furman University. The lead supporting organization of the
initiative is the national nonprofit Second Nature
<http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?et=1102697905631&s=1286&e=001jWDJMj5XkSprsyA1otMi7FGhWnxZqVw2OPHExMRQ9oaJ5zKEqDuPK7SCUMNjqyHBSgYgYEDz8LyvEaP5X0mMgEqHWL9r51FW-H-gwxjjNS-cmn_pBEMOzQ==>,
based in Boston. For more information, visit
www.presidentsclimatecommitment.org
<http://www.presidentsclimatecommitment.org>
--
Daniel Roth
Sustainability Coordinator
Office of Environmental Compliance and Sustainability
Cornell University
www.sustainablecampus.cornell.edu
Youth Action Team Co-Chair
US Partnership for Education for Sustainable Development
www.uspartnership.org
607-254-8077 (office)
607-280-2312 (cell)
607-255-8461 (fax)
395 Pine Tree Road, Suite 230
Ithaca, NY 14850
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