SU moves up net-zero emissions target by 8 years
Leanne Rivera | Staff Photographer
Syracuse University's new sustainability goals, including a reduction of single-use plastics and the creation of a sustainability research competition, draw from a referendum in SA's spring election urging the university to move its net-zero emissions target date up by a decade from 2040 to 2030.
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Syracuse University announced it will now pursue net-zero carbon emissions by 2032, eight years earlier than its previous target. This comes alongside a new set of additional sustainability goals released Thursday, which SU agreed upon with the Student Association.
The new goals draw from SA’s sustainability report, released in December 2022, which called upon the university to move its net-zero emissions target year up a decade from 2040 to 2030. In the association’s spring election, nearly 93% of voting students affirmed the report’s goals in a referendum. Additional goals approved in the referendum include a significant reduction of single-use plastics on campus and the creation of an annual sustainability research competition.
“These ambitious new goals set a high standard for where the university needs to be in terms of our climate action plan. We are committed to creating a more sustainable campus,” Chancellor Kent Syverud wrote in an SU news release.
To achieve its new target, the university will create a Sustainability Oversight Council to oversee and audit the university’s Sustainability Management Office. The council will include representatives from SA and the Board of Trustees, Syverud and an undetermined faculty member with expertise in sustainability, according to the release.
The annual sustainability research competition will allow students to submit proposals for how SU can reduce carbon emissions to be reviewed by a panel. Faculty can also submit similar proposals.
“As members of the University community, and as part of the greater community, students play a role in helping to move forward ideas and promoting decisive action in creating a more sustainable future,” David Bruen, SA’s president, said in the release. “With the university’s commitment and collaboration of our students, these goals are not only achievable but will be realized by all of us and make Syracuse University a national leader in sustainability.”
Published on April 14, 2023 at 2:15 pm
Contact Stephanie: spwright@syr.edu
