Welcome to Sustainable Columbia
Welcome new students, and welcome back to those returning to campus for a new Fall semester! There's no better time to provide an overview of the myriad climate and sustainability initiatives at Columbia. Along with University partners like the Columbia Climate School, Facilities and Operations — and the students who use our campus as a living lab for research, education, and operational progress each semester — climate and sustainability are embedded into each aspect of campus life.
What is Sustainable Columbia?
Sustainable Columbia is the initiative that unites the Office of Sustainability, University schools, and operating departments. Sustainable Columbia connects the many programs that contribute to the success of our campus sustainability efforts by helping meet the goals set forth in Columbia's sustainability plan.
Meet the Team
In July, 2024, Daniel Zarrilli was appointed as Columbia’s first ever Chief Climate & Sustainability Officer. Dan oversees the University's climate commitments and sustainability initiatives, with the goal of embedding climate action and sustainability excellence into everything we do at the University.
Jessica Prata, Assistant Vice President in the Office of Sustainability, led the creation of the University's first ever sustainability plan in 2017 and ensured the second plan, Plan 2030, set science-based targets to put the University on a path to achieve net zero emissions by 2050 or sooner.
Samreen Afzal is the first to fill the role of Director, Sustainability Analytics, responsible for creating and implementing a strategic plan to centralize sustainability metrics and employ more rigorous and frequent analytics that ensure Columbia achieves Plan 2030 goals.
Daniel Allalemdjian is the Director of Sustainability and Transportation, managing the University’s campus engagement strategies for sustainability. This includes initiatives to decrease Scope 3 emissions sources like business travel, supply chain, waste, and commute travel.
Helen Bielak is the Operations Manager, focusing on responsible materials management initiatives to minimize waste-to-landfill and educate Columbians about proper recycling practices. Helen leads campus-wide programs like Know Where to Throw, Clean + Go Green, and the University's ReUse Program.
Janice Erskine is the Office Manager, overseeing accounts, contracts, and change orders for the Office of Sustainability. Janice also manages the calendar and travel expenses for the department.
What is Columbia's Sustainability Plan, Plan 2030?
Grounded in climate science to achieve net zero emissions by 2050, the plan was developed in conjunction with Columbia’s own Earth Institute scientists and faculty. It uses frameworks like the Science Based Target initiative (SBTi) and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) to establish principles and measurable targets, and aligns with the Paris Agreement to limit global temperature rise to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels.
Plan 2030 unifies goals, progress, and actions for Morningside, Manhattanville, Columbia University Irving Medical Center (CUIMC), and Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory (LDEO) in one overarching goal: reach net zero emissions by 2050 with interim science-based targets.
Columbia's Emission Reduction Targets
In 2021, Columbia committed to ambitious, science-based targets for greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction. Current targets reduce GHG emissions from combustion and electricity use (Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions) from a 2019 baseline.
- 15% by 2025
- 42% by 2030
- 63% by 2035
- 100% by 2050 or sooner
Every year, Columbia releases an Annual Sustainability Progress Report to provide updates on these goals. This year's report will be released later this fall.
Stay Connected
Visit our news archive to read past articles about Columbia’s climate and sustainability progress. And be sure to follow us on Instagram to stay up-to-date on the latest happenings, new initiatives, and upcoming events.