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Key Objective: 1.0 2015 Illinois Climate Action Plan

In 2008, our campus signed the American College and University Presidents’ Climate Commitment, formally committing to become carbon neutral as soon as possible, and no later than 2050. 

Explanation

  • Goals are the long-term targets, including the primary goal for our campus to become a global model of sustainability by creating effective, positive change.  These overarching goals may be specifically related to our previously defined Climate Commitment, or they may be aspirational goals such as mitigating our contribution to the hypoxic “Dead Zone” in the Gulf of Mexico. 
  • Objectives are defined to be specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound.  The campus commits to these objectives and will annually account to the community for progress for each.  iSEE, in collaboration with F&S and other campus units, will measure progress toward these objectives and work with campus and university budgetary authorities to identify funding to implement them, while striking an appropriate balance with other mission-critical budgetary priorities.  Generally, the objectives include short-term targets, such as to decrease energy consumption 30% by FY20. 
  • Potential Strategies are methods that the campus could consider to aid in reaching the specific objectives, and many of the potential strategies were motivated by aspirational goals, beyond the formal Climate Commitment. 

Project History

  • 8/10/2020

    iSEE intern, Julija Sakutyte, and Meredith Moore have conducted preliminary research into successful local carbon offset programs, including what other institutions have implemented (summary attached).

  • 10/24/2019

    The Energy SWATeam's second and final October meeting involved discussions on the reorganized draft 2020 iCAP Objectives created by the SWATeam members. Final edits prior to the first submition to the iWG were made.