Measures of Success

  • By 2014, UC Santa Barbara had already met the goal of reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions below 1990 levels by 2020. In 2017, campus GHG emissions were 19% below 1990 levels despite an almost doubling in campus building space. UCSB also has 6.2 megawatts (MW) of on-site solar energy, which is ten times the amount of solar generation the campus had in 2016. Solar energy will now meet approximately 15% of UCSB’s electrical demand and up to 35% on clear Spring and Summer days days.

Commitments

  • In March 2007, University of California (UC) President Robert C. Dynes signed the American College and Universities Presidents Climate Commitment (ACUPCC)on behalf of all UC Chancellors. In November of 2013, UC President Janet Napolitano announced an initiative to achieve complete carbon neutrality in University of California operations by 2025.
  • In the fall of 2015, ahead of the UNEP 2015 Conference of Parties (COP 21) in Paris, Chancellor Henry Yang signed a pledge affirming UCSB’s commitment to carbon neutrality by 2025.

Ongoing Practices and Programs

  • UCSB reports and seeks verification of our greenhouse gas emissions annually.  To date, emissions inventories have been submitted and verified for calendar years (CY) 2004 through 2015. In the first three years, the inventory specifically examined CO2 emissions. Beginning in CY 2007, the inventory included all six Kyoto Protocol gases for scope 1 and 2 emissions.
  • Invest in energy efficiency projects through the Strategic Energy Partnership Program
  • UCSB created a Climate Action Plan (CAP), approved by the Chancellor’s Sustainability Advisory Committee in August 2009. The CAP continues to be updated on a bi-annual basis.

Initiatives

  • UCSB encourages the use of video conferencing and has multiple options, ranging from webX and GoToMeeting to polycom systems and fully staffed videoconferencing facilities to select from. The campus has been exploring systemwide options to further streamline these offerings and help incentivize travel as a secondary option.

More Information