Six HEIs to Receive $5M for Climate Resilience Centers
Michigan Technological University; Morgan State University; North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University; Northern Arizona University; San Jose State University; and University of California, Merced will receive $5 million in funding from the U.S. Department of Energy for six projects that will increase the use and utility of research to improve climate resilience, particularly in vulnerable communities.
New York U to Divest From Fossil Fuels
In a letter to the fossil fuel divestment campaign student activist group, the university committed to avoid any direct investments in any company whose primary business is the exploration or extraction of fossil fuels and not to renew or seek out any dedicated private funds whose primary aim is to invest in the exploration or extraction of fossil fuels.
Indiana U Publishes Climate Action Plan
The university's new Climate Action Plan establishes a 2040 carbon neutrality goal. It contains 12 recommendations across six categories–utility grid, infrastructure, renewables, behavior, financing and implementation.
AASHE Releases 2023 Sustainable Campus Index
AASHE recently published the 2023 Sustainable Campus Index, spotlighting sustainability achievements and celebrating top-performing colleges and universities in 17 impact areas. Powered by the Sustainability Tracking, Assessment & Rating System (STARS), this annual report includes a new Trends & Innovations section identifying innovations and trends that are shaping the field of sustainability in higher education, including progress toward carbon neutrality, large-scale renewable energy transitions, advancing racial equity & social justice, closing the sustainability skills gap, major investments in sustainability research, and dissociation from fossil fuel companies.
U California Awards $80M Toward Climate Priorities
As part of a historic partnership between the University of California (UC) and the state of California, the university in August announced it is awarding over $80 million in climate action grants to spur implementation of solutions that directly address state climate priorities. The selected projects aim to improve the health of farmworkers; increase resilience of state water and power systems; and identify innovative nature-based solutions toward biodiversity degradation, sea level rise, and wildfire risk.
