The information below is provided to support your decision-making and to encourage Columbia affiliates to make environmentally responsible decisions in this time of change.
Columbia released today a new sustainability plan outlining actions the University will take over the next 10 years to reach net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. The plan provides a set of operational strategies and benchmarks, grounded in climate science. Click here to read the full newsletter from April, 2021.
The plan provides a set of operational strategies and benchmarks, grounded in science, for Columbia to achieve its ambitious sustainability goals.
Columbia University ranked third in the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)’s Top 30 College and University green power users across the United States as part of their Green Power Partnership (GPP). Columbia’s 100 percent zero emissions electricity from various sources, including solar and wind, provided 277,892,000 kilowatt-hours (kWh) of green power in 2020, behind the University of California and Arizona State University.
New York, NY – Columbia University was awarded Climate Registered™ Gold by The Climate Registry, a nonprofit organization that is governed by U.S. states and operates the Carbon Footprint Registry, which is North America’s largest voluntary registry for greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Columbia earned this recognition by publicly reporting a third-party verified GHG emissions inventory for its operations. This data will enable them to track their climate initiatives and GHG reductions credibly over time.
Columbia University was recently recognized by the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) as a Reforming the Energy Vision (REV) Campus Challenge leader for its efforts in implementing clean energy solutions across its campuses.
When it came time to replace the chilled water system in its Geochemistry building, Columbia University's Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory chose an energy-efficient upgrade.
As Columbia welcomes both new and returning students, faculty, and staff who may have been learning and working remotely throughout the spring and summer months, we’re faced with a campus environment that is in many ways different than we left it in March.