Global Links

Campus Global Warming Commitments

"Never mind what you've heard about global warming as a slow-motion emergency that would take decades to play out. Suddenly and unexpectedly, the crisis is upon us." - Time Magazine

"Why doesn't every college make it a goal to become carbon-neutral - that is, reduce its net CO2 emissions to zero? This should be a national movement. After all, today's students will be profoundly affected by climate change, the coming energy wars and the rising danger of petro-authoritarian states, such as Iran."- Thomas Friedman, New York Times

In light of the growing popular concern about global warming, and the critical need for campuses to take responsibility for their contributions to global warming, AASHE is pleased to make available this resource highlighting campuses that have made commitments to reducing their greenhouse gas emissions.

This resource lists campus global warming commitments with specific reduction goals and target dates for achieving them. Campuses that may have committed to climate neutrality by signing the American College & University Presidents' Climate Commitment, but have not yet adopted target dates, are not listed here.

Campus commitments are listed to the extent possible in order of relative strength, with the strongest commitments listed first.

Institution Commitment Date of Commitment
College of the Atlantic Net Zero (achieved) 1 Oct. 2006
Middlebury College 8% below 1990 levels by 2012 on a per student basis and carbon neutrality by 2016 May 2004 and May 2007
Colorado State University Carbon neutral by 2020 Sept. 2008
University of Maine Farmington Carbon neutral by 2030 Jan. 2010
Cornell University Carbon neutral by 2050 2011
Tufts University 7% below 1990 levels by 2012 and 4% below 1998-2001 baseline by 2006 Apr. 1999 and 2004
UC Berkeley 1990 levels by 2014 May 2007
Stanford University 20% below 1990 levels by 2020 Oct. 2009
Yale University 10% below 1990 levels by 2020 Oct. 2005
Williams College 10% below 1990-91 levels by 2020 Jan. 2007
University of British Columbia 25% below 2000 levels by 2010 (only for emissions from buildings; adjusted for growth) 2006
Dartmouth College 20% below 2005 levels by 2015; 25% reduction by 2020; 30% reduction by 2030 Sept. 2008
Brown University 42% below 2007 levels by 2020 Jan. 2008
Harvard University 30% below 2006 levels by 2016 July 2008
Barnard College 30% by 2017 June 2007
Columbia University 30% by 2017 June 2007
Fordham University 30% by 2017 June 2007
New York University 30% by 2017 June 2007
Pace University 30% within the next 10 years Nov. 2008
Bowdoin College 11% below 2002 levels by 2010 1 Jan. 2006
University of Oklahoma 4% below 1998-2001 baseline by 2006 2 Jan. 2004
Michigan State University 6% below 1998-2001 baseline by 2010 Nov. 2006
University of California System 2000 levels by 2010, 1990 levels by 2020, and 80% below 1990 levels by 2050 Jan. 2006
Princeton University 1990 levels by 2020 Feb. 2008
Washington University in St.Louis 1990 levels by 2020 [i.e., 27% reduction of 2009 levels] April 2010
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill 10% below 2005 levels by 2015; 20% by 2030; 30% by 2040; 45% by 2045; 60% by 2050 June 2006
Johns Hopkins University 51% below 2008 levels by 2025 May 2009

1 - Participant in the Maine Governor's Carbon Challenge
2 - Member of the Chicago Climate Exchange

Please email resources@aashe.org with any suggestions, additions or updates.