Background

As the risks and impacts of climate change become more visible every year, the call for net zero emissions is no longer restricted to country-level commitments. It has become equally important for non-state actors, like business corporations and large institutions, to establish targets and pathways to net zero by mid-century or sooner.

Universities and colleges across the world have the unique opportunity in this race to zero, to not only build strategies to reduce emissions within their operations, but to also champion knowledge, climate research, and action within their communities.

As universities and colleges across the world continue to commit to reaching net zero emissions, it is crucial that lessons and resources are shared in a comprehensive and intentional manner to accelerate campus decarbonization efforts. Thus, SDSN, the Climateworks Centre, and Monash University have come together to leverage their expertise and networks of academic institutions around the world to develop a guide to net zero campuses and and accompanying online toolkit. Both serve as timely and valuable resources that build on frameworks and tools developed by universities at the forefront of climate action around the world.

Online Toolkit and Case Studies

As an appendix to the guide, the online toolkit provides a wide array of examples of open-source resources that can support the planning and implementation of decarbonization efforts on college and university campuses worldwide. The online toolkit offers both resources and case studies that are categorized by each campus action area: energy, mobility, facilities, waste and recycling, procurement, and beyond campus operations. This toolkit aims to serve as a central repository of key existing resources for net zero campus efforts that would otherwise need to be found and accessed separately.

Universities and colleges that have already implemented campus decarbonization initiatives are warmly invited to share their experiences via a case study submission. To do so, please continue by filling out the following form.

Please be aware that you must sign up for a free Submittable account to upload your submission.