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Penn Climate and Sustainability Action Plan 3.0 2019-2024  

I am pleased to present the University of Pennsylvania’s Climate & Sustainability Action Plan 3.0, our roadmap for Penn’s next great step forward in environmental sustainability. We launched our first sustainability plan in 2009. Since then, as global environmental challenges have become increasingly acute, we have accomplished much. But more remains to be done. Penn continues to set its sights ever higher, and this newest plan will challenge our ingenuity and commitment as we move purposefully toward our commitment of a 100% carbon neutral campus by 2042.

This is, in a sense, Penn’s own moon landing—an enormous challenge of great logistical and technical complexity. In this effort, our greatest asset is the depth of faculty, student and staff commitment to solving these problems. Just since 2009, we have opened eight new faculty research centers across five schools, each of which focus on some aspect of environmental performance to help meet the global climate crisis. We are creating new lines of research in energy and data science, which will be housed in buildings that reflect our ambitious sustainability aspirations. Penn students are especially passionate about environmental issues, creating an ever-increasing number of interest groups and clubs to explore issues and advocate for improved environmental performance. We welcome their input and enthusiasm.

I hope you will take time to read through this report carefully. The next five years will see our carbon emissions reduced even further, our campus building efficiency improve and a sustained effort to invest in environmental improvements through additional retrofits, renewal projects and expanded recommissioning efforts in our labs, classrooms and offices. Concurrent with that effort, our waste minimization programs, sustainable purchasing strategies and expanded transportation options will build on the current success of initiatives already in place.

Penn’s leadership sets a national model. Our concern is unflagging, and our commitment is resolute: We are embarking on the next step in addressing the urgent environmental challenges of 2019 and beyond.

Amy Gutmann
Penn President

 

Introduction

Penn’s Climate and Sustainability Action Plan 3.0 represents a vision for our University’s environmental future. 

Penn’s remarkable transformation into one of the world’s premier teaching and research institutions has been fueled by enormous growth in capabilities, means and influence. The implementation of President Amy Gutmann’s Penn Compact puts the University in a strong position to address the environmental challenges ahead. Penn will continue to lead through inclusive climate change scholarship, innovative policy formation and adoption of best practices to dramatically impact campus efficiency and reduce emissions. 

Through deliberate assessment, analysis and planning, Penn is taking action to mitigate climate impacts, adapt to emerging environmental conditions and prepare our University—and our students—to lead in a rapidly evolving world. The CSAP 3.0 recommends goals to:

  • Expand the scope of sustainability research in Penn’s academic centers, and connect students to Penn’s abundant resources in this field;
  • Continue to reduce carbon emissions and explore expanded use of renewable energy to mitigate the impacts of climate change;
  • Embrace circular economy principles to reduce waste and single-use products;
  • Make sustainable choices in transportation, purchasing and business operations; and
  • Inform, educate and empower the Penn community to participate in Penn’s climate change and sustainability goals. 

Penn has made remarkable progress since the launch of its first Climate Action Plan in 2009. Engagement on environmental issues from students and faculty has grown dramatically. 

Accurate and timely reporting of key indicators by the Sustainability Office allows Penn’s leaders to make informed decisions: improving energy efficiency, reducing carbon emissions, streamlining workflow, managing costs and prioritizing investment. Highlights since 2009 include: 

  • Expansion of scholarship, research and course offerings on sustainability, including eight new environmentally-focused academic centers;
  • Building-related emissions reductions of over 27%—a result of on-campus conservation strategies plus a lower-carbon energy supply;
  • Certification of Penn’s main academic campus as a Level II arboretum and the adoption of LEED Silver minimum standards; 
  • 28% waste diversion rate due to innovative purchasing and diversion strategies;
  • Recognition of individuals and teams across Penn who develop innovative ideas to improve purchasing sustainability;
  • Adoption of sustainable options by nearly 50% of all commuting subsidy recipients; and
  • Continued engagement and education of the campus community through social media, newsletters, campaigns and affinity groups.

Penn’s CSAP 3.0 goals will test the ingenuity of the campus community as we continue to reduce our ecological footprint while prioritizing environmental health and resiliency. The focus is on Penn’s 100x42 carbon neutrality pledge—an ambition worthy of Penn’s commitment, and feasible given the University’s resources and expertise. 

The CSAP 3.0 will translate Penn’s ambitions into action and our shared values into accomplishments.

Executive Summary 

The Climate and Sustainability Action Plan 3.0 (CSAP 3.0) outlines Penn’s goals for improved environmental performance from 2019 to 2024. As with the first two iterations of Penn’s Climate Action Plans, this plan’s five-year horizon ensures both that we hold ourselves accountable for progress, and that we make timely and accurate reports to our stakeholders, including students, faculty, administrators, alumni and trustees. 

The plan that follows is the result of deliberative discussions stretching over 15 months that involved over 180 students, faculty and staff members of the seven subcommittees of Penn’s Environmental Sustainability Advisory Committee (ESAC). 

Two aspects of the CSAP 3.0 are different from Penn’s previous two climate plans. The first is the plan’s title: members of Penn’s ESAC Academic Subcommittee advised that the term “sustainability” be included, as many of the areas in which Penn has made progress encompass more than carbon mitigation. Penn’s ongoing efforts to reduce waste, make responsible purchasing and consumption choices and improve options for sustainable commuting have modest impact on carbon emissions, but lead to improved ecological health of our region—clearly a part of Penn’s sustainability ambitions. The expansion of our academic offerings, internships and environmental research also greatly expand the Penn’s leadership on sustainability—and support for this work is a key feature of the CSAP 3.0

The second difference in CSAP 3.0 is a result of deeper understanding of the urgency of climate change mitigation. The October 2018 release of the International Panel on Climate Change’s Special Report on Global Warming of 1.5°C stated that only unprecedented emissions reductions within the next ten years will keep this century’s a global temperature rise below 1.5°C. Even a half a degree more of warming would have devastating impacts on our shared environment and on civilization: mass extinctions, drought, floods, extreme heat, increasingly severe storms and exacerbated poverty for hundreds of millions of people. Penn’s ESAC members, and the entire campus community, is responding by redoubling its efforts to reduce campus emissions, consistent with President Amy Gutmann’s 100x42 carbon neutrality pledge—a 100% carbon neutral campus by 2042.

Plan Organization 

The CSAP 3.0 is organized around seven initiatives, each developed by an ESAC subcommittee. Each section begins with the subcommittee’s mission statement and an introduction of initiatives’ themes, detailing how the work contributes to Penn’s sustainability agenda. A chart outlines the five-year goals and respective strategies. Following the goals, each section acknowledges Penn’s successes from the previous two climate action plans, including initiatives that have become integrated into Penn’s best practices, highlights of key successes and graphic representations of progress. 

Academic goals include

  • Campus as Lab initiatives;
  • Advancing the regional sustainability through faculty leadership and student internships;
  • Improving climate literacy on campus;
  • Expanding tracking and reporting of sustainability majors, minors and concentrations; and
  • Improving opportunities for cohesive sustainability education at Penn. 

Key highlights of Penn’s CAP and CAP 2.0 accomplishments in academics include a tripling of courses included in Penn’s Sustainability Course Inventory, the considerable growth of academic centers focused on environmental issues and the development of robust programs for undergraduate and graduate/professional sustainability internships and research fellowships.

The Utility and Operations section has a single goal: 

  • To reduce the campus overall carbon emissions, in accordance with Penn’s carbon neutrality target of 2042. 

Highlights of past Utility & Operations work include the development of robust recommissioning programs, vastly improved utility data metering and reporting and the implementation of the $200 million century bond program of lighting upgrades and deep energy retrofits.

The Physical Environment goals include: 

  • Updating campus design and management standards to incorporate best sustainable practices;
  • Advancing ecological stewardship of the campus landscape; and
  • Improved environmental performance of Penn’s real estate holdings, including energy efficiency, green leasing policies and sustainable practices for landlords. 

Past highlights include the adoption of the LEED Silver standard for capital projects, the creation of Penn’s Ecological Landscape Stewardship Plan, and the designation of Penn’s West Philadelphia academic campus as a Level II arboretum in the international ArbNet Certification standard. 

The Waste Minimization and Recycling goals include: 

  • Increasing Penn’s waste diversion and minimize landfill waste; and
  • Supporting the city’s 2035 Zero Waste initiative by registering campus buildings to report waste and recycling data and aligning waste minimization and diversion strategies with those outlined by the city. 

Highlights of past work include improved tracking and reporting of waste and diversion, routine recycling of construction and demolition waste and launching food-waste composting programs in local restaurants, academic buildings and all student cafes.

The Waste Minimization and Recycling goals include: 

  • Increasing Penn’s waste diversion and minimize landfill waste; and
  • Supporting the city’s 2035 Zero Waste initiative by registering campus buildings to report waste and recycling data and aligning waste minimization and diversion strategies with those outlined by the city. 

Highlights of past work include improved tracking and reporting of waste and diversion, routine recycling of construction and demolition waste and launching food-waste composting programs in local restaurants, academic buildings and all student cafes. 

The Purchasing goals include: 

  • Increasing procurement of sustainable food products;
  • Encouraging purchase of low- or zero-emissions vehicles across campus;
  • Evaluating mechanisms to reduce or offset emissions from Penn-sponsored air travel; and
  • Expanding sustainable office equipment leases and purchases. 

Past highlights include elimination of cardboard from office product deliveries, the launch of Penn’s Green Purchasing Awards and integration of sustainability goals within service, purchasing and procurement contracts.

The Transportation goals include: 

  • Creating an accessible, integrated and multi-modal transportation system for Penn students, staff and faculty;
  • Supporting an accessible and safe campus for cyclists and pedestrians;
  • Improving efficiency of parking and transportation facilities; and
  • Introducing more electric and low-emitting vehicles into Penn’s fleet. 

Past highlights include the development and promotion of incentives for sustainable commuting, adoption of best practices in fleet management and the development of a robust cycling and pedestrian infrastructure. 

The Outreach and Engagement goals include: 

  • Expanding and strengthening existing outreach programs; and
  • Engaging with Penn’s leadership to continue to serve as sustainability champions by participating in and promoting sustainability initiatives 

Past highlights include the creation and growth of campus engagement programs such as the Penn Green Fund, Student Eco-Reps, Staff and Faculty Eco-Reps, the development of the Sustainability Coordinator’s Group and support for student extracurricular organizations through the Student Sustainability Association at Penn. 

The Penn Sustainability Office has developed an assortment of campus-wide outreach and education programs, including the Power Down Challenge, ReThink your Footprint, Move-In Green, the Penn MOVES recycling program and the 30x30 nature awareness program. 

With the Climate and Sustainability Action Plan 3.0 as the blueprint, Penn embarks on another five years of environmental leadership. We are responding to today’s urgent call for action, guided by a long-term vision and supported by strong commitment from Penn’s senior leadership, alumni, students, staff, and faculty. We look forward to your engagement and support for our work and in the challenging journey ahead.

For the full report see https://www.sustainability.upenn.edu/sites/default/files/CSAP_3_Final2.pdf

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