ACUPCC Reporting System

Climate Action Plan for University of Vermont

Submitted on December 29, 2010; last updated on March 12, 2012

Climate Action Plan Details

Climate Action Plan University of Vermont 2010 Climate Action Plan
October 29, 2010
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Emissions Targets

Climate Neutrality Target
2025
If you have any qualifying statements with regard to the climate neutrality target date, please include them here, and/or if you have chosen "TBD" and not specified a neutrality date, please enter the reason and explain the process for establishing a target date in the future.

The focus between 2010 and 2020 is on scope 1 and 2 emissions. The target dates are 2015 for 100% carbon neutral electricity and 2020 for carbon neutral heating, cooling, and fleet. We expect increasing attention to scope three emissions reporting and management with each successive climate action plan revision to achieve a target of net zero emissions from scope three sources by 2025.

Interim Milestone Emission-Reduction Target Target Date Baseline
100% reduction in Total Scope 2 Emissions by 2015 relative to baseline emissions in 2009
100% reduction in Total Scope 1 Emissions by 2020 relative to baseline emissions in 2009
100% reduction in Total Scope 3 Emissions by 2025 relative to baseline emissions in 2009
66% reduction in Total Scopes 1, 2, 3 Emissions by 2020 relative to baseline emissions in 2009
100% reduction in Total Scopes 1, 2, 3 Emissions by 2025 relative to baseline emissions in 2009
Nonstandard Emissions Targets
Please enter below any targets that do not fit into the above format.

No information provided

Narratives

Please describe your institution's greenhouse gas mitigation strategies.

a. Continue focus on reducing energy use
-Keep funding priority of energy management and demand reduction in capital and budget plans

b. Switch from primarily fossil fuels to primarily local, renewable energy
-Educate the campus about energy use and renewables with the Clean Energy Fund
-Identify new funding mechanisms to switch buildings to primarily renewable energy sources by 2020
-Incorporate targets into all strategic planning processes by 2012

c. Engage with the energy and carbon markets
-Purchase 100% renewable electricity in 2015
-Explore innovative financing for renewables and carbon management
-Offset remaining emissions using clear criteria

Please describe your institution's plans to make sustainability a part of the curriculum for all students.

-Continue to support development of diverse academic sustainability programs and initiatives
-Infuse sustainability into new courses by continuing Sustainability Faculty Fellows program with campus-wide scope
-Consult with faculty to define and document sustainability in academics using STARS assessment system
-Define ways to incorporate sustainability into general education requirement

Please describe your institution's plans to expand research efforts toward the achievement of climate neutrality.

-Continue to build Transdisciplinary Research Initiative focus on Food Systems
-Describe the sustainability-focused research activity on university website using STARS
-Address energy use of research buildings with five-year plan

Please describe your institution's plans to expand community outreach efforts toward the achievement of climate neutrality.

-Further strengthen service-learning program’s connections with community sustainability efforts
-Continue full representation of Eco-Reps in residence halls