Michigan State University is one of more than 200 colleges and universities that have signed the American Campuses Act on Climate Pledge, demonstrating their support for strong climate action by world leaders taking part in the Conference on Climate Change in Paris.
The institutions signing the pledge are taking significant actions to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, increase campus sustainability and resilience, and incorporate environmental action into academic curriculum.
“As MSU moves to reduce energy consumption and transition to more renewable sources, it is clear that the university’s hundreds of buildings must operate more efficiently,” said Ann Erhardt, director of MSU Sustainability. “To do this, MSU is leading the way with several significant energy-conservation initiatives. These will build the foundation needed to make the transition to renewable energy sources and meet campus energy-conservation goals.”
Michigan State University’s climate pledge includes the following.
- Reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 45 percent by 2020.
- Increasing energy efficiency in buildings by 20 percent by 2020.
- Increasing the university’s renewable energy portfolio to 20 percent by 2020.
- Ceasing the burning of coal at the campus power plant by the end of 2016.
For more information, please visit http://sustainability.msu.edu/.