Columbia Pledges That All Future School Construction Will Be Fossil Free
This story originally appeared in Columbia News.
As Climate Week NYC starts, the university checks out developing a totally amazed school. The Columbia Climate School is university partner of the weeklong environment display.
Columbia University announced today that it will no longer set up brand-new nonrenewable fuel source connections in any new construction, refresh, or restoration tasks. To support this shift, the University will examine how to totally energize the campus by changing the onsite combustion of nonrenewable fuel sources with clean, renewable resource sources.
The University will continue to boost its design, construction, and preparation practices to speed up the end of fossil fuel combustion on campus. These actions are important if Columbia is to remain within maximum cumulative emissions targets on the method to ending up being net no by 2050, and, second, surpass the requirements of Local Law 97 in New York City. Columbias work to eliminate on-campus nonrenewable fuel source combustion and electrify the school is supported by actions across New York State to green the electrical grid and to accomplish the States goals of 70% of electrical power from renewable sources by 2030, and 100% carbon-free electricity by 2040.
The announcement corresponds with the start of Climate Week NYC 2021, a weeklong call to action and display for environment solutions. The Climate Group picked Columbia Climate School as the university partner for Climate Week NYC 2021 and made Columbia a venue for a series of top-level events and conversations. Columbia Climate School is a center for research, learning and action, and reflects Columbias extensive institutional dedication to tackling the climate crisis.
” Our vision for Columbia Climate School, the first new Columbia school in a quarter century, has been for it to harness the world class resources Columbia uses, to constantly develop to meet the obstacles prior to us, and to possess a scale commensurate with the threat we face,” stated Lee C. Bollinger, Columbias President and the Seth Low Professor of the University. “We welcome the opportunity to act as the university partner for Climate Week NYC, as we continue to accelerate all of our efforts to deal with the climate crisis.”
” It is incumbent on us to work together and lead in creative new methods to deliver on this vital commitment,” said David Greenberg, Executive Vice President for University Facilities and Operations. “In the coming year a clear policy and upgraded standards will be developed to ensure every part of our style, building and preparation procedure focus on the departure from nonrenewable fuel sources to show our new method of operating.”
” This is the crucial decade to attain deep reductions in carbon pollution and avoid the most disastrous impacts of environment modification,” stated Daniel Zarrilli, Special Advisor on Climate and Sustainability at Columbia University. “By ending the expansion of nonrenewable fuel source facilities on school and pursuing electrification, we are taking the essential steps to align the university with the goals of the Paris Agreement, tidy the air in our surrounding neighborhoods, and end the worlds dependency to nonrenewable fuel sources– all part of our commitment to empowering the next generation of climate leaders.”
The University has in current years drastically decreased its GHG emissions through continuous investments in eco-friendly energy, constructing retrofits, electrical lorries, shifts in commuter behavior, and composting of natural products. Building on Columbias 2017 sustainability strategy, Columbias Plan 2030 is, in part, a roadmap for the University to achieve net no emissions by 2050. Plan 2030 was developed in combination with Columbia scientists and professors, using assistance from the Science Based Target initiative (SBTi) and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) to establish quantifiable targets for achieving the Universitys goals.
Recent successes include:
The University will continue to enhance its construction, style, and preparation practices to expedite the end of fossil fuel combustion on school. Columbias work to get rid of on-campus fossil fuel combustion and electrify the campus is supported by actions across New York State to green the electric grid and to attain the States goals of 70% of electricity from renewable sources by 2030, and 100% carbon-free electricity by 2040.
Columbia Climate School is a hub for research, finding out and action, and reflects Columbias profound institutional commitment to taking on the climate crisis.
Structure on Columbias 2017 sustainability plan, Columbias Plan 2030 is, in part, a roadmap for the University to achieve net zero emissions by 2050. Plan 2030 was established in conjunction with Columbia researchers and faculty, using guidance from the Science Based Target initiative (SBTi) and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) to develop measurable targets for achieving the Universitys goals.
Energy: Columbia achieved zero-emissions electrical power in 2018 and exceeded its 2020 objectives by reducing absolute GHG emissions by over 40% through a mix of fuel changing, energy preservation measures (ECMs), retro-commissioning measures (RCMs), and the purchase of hydropower and eco-friendly energy credits (RECs).
GHG Emissions Management: As of 2020, Columbia revamped its GHG inventory using global GHG accounting standards through The Climate Registry (TCR). The Universitys GHG inventory is public on TCRs website and is third-party verified.
Transportation: Columbia has lowered emissions from on-campus fleet lorries through increased use of hybrid and electric vehicles, with a 100 percent transition from diesel to electric University shuttle in 2018.
Waste: The University just recently overhauled waste receptacles with brand-new signs, developed in collaboration with members of the Sustainable Leaders Network, and eliminated personal desk-side bins in our workplaces to motivate mindfulness around waste. The expansion of organics collection on campus has added to the University sending just 5% of waste to garbage dumps.
Cooperation and Participation: Each of Columbias campuses has actually set its own targets for shrinking carbon footprints ahead of the next round of international climate talks. Achieving these targets requires the capability to model sustainable values throughout all parts of the University and in every element of its culture– the way it informs, operates, designs, constructs, and handles resources.
Habits Change: Columbia produced the Sustainable Leaders Network Workspace Certification Program, a list of “green” work spaces across Columbias schools, which has actually grown to over 200 participants in 3 years. The University has actually also actively engaged with trainees through graduate and undergraduate capstone jobs, checking out a variety of topics from water preservation to transportation emissions decrease techniques.
This extensive method to minimizing campus emissions operates in performance with the work of Columbia Climate School, the Universitys historical and continuous contributions to climate science and research, and essential changes in University financial investment policy.
Structure on the decision in 2017 to divest from thermal coal, Columbia has actually embraced a policy of non-investment in openly traded oil and gas companies. The University does not hold any direct financial investments in openly traded oil and gas business, and is formalizing this policy of non-investment for the foreseeable future.