What is the American College & University Presidents Climate Commitment?
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Syracuse University President's Climate Commitment
To preserve the surrounding environment, University leadership is committed to work toward an effective and efficient plan to ensure a healthy and sustainable lifestyle.
By signing the American College and University President's Climate Commitment in February 2007, Chancellor Cantor created another page in the book of Syracuse University's history. This commitment made SU one of the largest private universities committed to zero net greenhouse gas emissions.
The scientific consensus is clear: we must cut greenhouse gas emissions 80% by mid century to restore the climate stability. Achieving this goal will require major social and economic changes, innovative energy resources, dedication to conservation and an awareness by every individual that their participation, no matter how large or small will be our catalyst to change.
We at Syracuse University have already begun our campaign, paving the way to a better future for our buildings, our community and our lifestyle. We are retro-fitting buildings around campus to meet LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) standards.
By committing ourselves to planning ahead for positive future change, we strive to leave a legacy and lifestyle behind for the next generations.
Syracuse University’s Climate Action Plan – 2009
Achieving Climate Leadership
on a Sustainable Campus
Today, Syracuse University released its Climate Action Plan (CAP), an institutional blueprint and timeline for becoming climate neutral. SU has submitted its CAP to the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education as part of its commitment to the American College & University Presidents Climate Commitment (ACUPCC), of which Chancellor Nancy Cantor and SU was a charter signatory in 2007.
The completion of the CAP is SU's recognition of the profound implications that global warming and climate change can have on the environment, economy and quality of life—on campus, locally, nationally and globally—and what new, sustainable steps the University will take to curtail these negative environmental changes.
The University’s Climate Action Plan is notable for its achievable, incremental goals for reaching climate neutrality in 2040, or before.
SU's CAP has three key distinctions:
1. It can be fully implemented with existing technologies, while positioning the University to accelerate its timeline to achieve climate neutrality as new, cost-effective technologies emerge.
2. It is responsive to SU’s intent to increase its engagement with the community and the world; it recognizes and allows for future growth of the University both in square footage and in student
3. Lastly, the CAP is managerially responsible in that it accounts not only for the initial cost of implementing improved technologies to achieve required energy savings, but also for the ongoing costs of maintaining the new infrastructure and eventually replacing or upgrading it.
“We are proud of our Climate Action Plan, as it is notable for its very realistic assumptions and methods, as well as its achievable, incremental goals for reaching climate neutrality,” says SU Chancellor and President Nancy Cantor. “We are emphasizing both energy conservation using proven technologies and behavioral change, which will yield savings that increase over time while avoiding reliance on speculative assumptions about possible future technologies. At the same time, SU is playing an integral role in developing the very innovations that can accelerate our progress toward climate neutrality—for example, through the Syracuse Center of Excellence in Environmental and Energy Systems (CoE) and the Near West Side Initiative right here in Syracuse.”
Sponsored by Vice Chancellor and Provost Eric F. Spina and Executive Vice President and CFO Lou Marcoccia, the Presidents Climate Commitment Steering Committee was chaired by Maxwell School Dean Mitchel Wallerstein, drawing on scientific, cultural, and managerial expertise from every part of the University and including corporate partners such as Constellation Energy, the local engineering consulting firm of O’Brien & Gere, and public partners such as the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA). Tim Sweet, director of Energy and Computing Management, oversaw research and composition of the plan, with guidance and contributions from the entire committee and SU support staff.
To view SU's Climate Action Plan and information on the University's participation in the ACUPCC, visit SU's Sustainability Division website: http://greenuniversecity.syr.edu. To view the news release on the announcement, visit: http://insidesu.syr.edu/2009/09/15/climateactionplan.
To view the Climate Action Plan
To view a condensed version of the Climate Action Plan
Carbon Audit
Green House Gas Inventory
Syracuse
University has completed its first inventory of greenhouse gases emitted,
fulfilling a major obligation under the terms of the American College and
University Presidents Climate Commitment. This inventory covers academic years
from 2000-2001 through 2006-2007. It
includes emissions of carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, hydrofluorocarbons, perfluorocarbons,
and sulfur hexafluoride resulting from such activities as building operations,
heating and cooling; electrical generation for on-campus use; operation of SU’s
assorted fleet of vehicles (including on-campus Centro service); commuting of
students, faculty and staff; and university-paid travel away from Central New
York. For simplicity and consistency, all GHG emissions have been calculated in
terms of global-warming-equivalence of metric tonnes of carbon dioxide.
Summary breakdown of SU’s GHG
emissions for academic year 2006-2007:
Activity/Source |
Percent Gross GHG |
Electricity |
41% |
Steam/Chilled Water |
18% |
Air travel |
18% |
Commuting |
16% |
Other |
7% |
Rick Martin
Syracuse University
(315) 443-3953
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