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The Presidents’ Climate Leadership Commitments provide frameworks to advance campus climate action. While each institution determines their own goals and actions, there are key steps needed to fulfill the intention of the commitments. Please use this Implementation Handbook to review the requirements and find links to in-depth resources for implementation.
Please use this section of the Implementation Handbook to review the timeline and requirements. More in-depth resources for implementation can be found on the Implementation Resources page and Resources section of Second Nature’s website.
Create internal institutional structures to guide the development and implementation of the Plan
Actively support a joint campus-community task force (or equivalent) to ensure alignment of the Plan with community goals and to facilitate joint action.
Conducting and publicly disclosing GHG inventories is part of the Climate Commitment.
Within one year of the implementation start date, and we recommend every year thereafter, complete a greenhouse gas inventory.
Conducting an initial campus-community Resilience Assessment is part of the Climate Commitment and the Resilience Commitment.
Within two years of the implementation start date, lead and complete an initial campus-community Resilience Assessment, including initial indicators and current vulnerability.
Develop a comprehensive Climate Action Plan. Within three years of the implementation start date, complete the Plan (also reflecting joint community-campus components), which will include: 1) Target date for achieving carbon neutrality and/or decarbonization targets as soon as possible, 2) Target date by which defined thresholds of resilience will be met, 3) Target dates for decarbonization including stationary combustion and renewable energy, 4) Mechanisms and indicators for tracking progress (including those that cut across campus-community boundaries), 5) Interim target dates for meeting decarbonization and resilience milestones, 6) Identify Climate Action Milestones to pursue (optional), 7) Actions to make climate action and resilience a part of the curriculum and other educational experiences for all students, and 8) Actions to expand research in climate action and resilience.
Climate Action Milestones: Second Nature recommends aiming for Climate Action Milestones. Submit your progress, get recognized, and share your progress with other campuses to accelerate learning.
Within one year of the implementation start date, and every year thereafter, complete an annual progress update.
Review and update your Climate Action Plan. Second Nature recommends updating your Climate Action Plan every five years or so. You may want to update or integrate campus master plans, strategic plans, or decarbonization plans at about the five year interval.
Create internal institutional structures to guide the development and implementation of the Plan.
Conducting and publicly disclosing GHG inventories is part of the Carbon Commitment.
Within one year of the implementation start date, and we recommend every year thereafter, complete an Annual Progress Update and make the Annual Progress Update (including greenhouse gas inventory), publicly available by submitting to Second Nature’s Public Reporting Module on SIMAP.
2. Submit the first Annual Progress Update
Develop a comprehensive Climate Action Plan. Within three years of the implementation start date, complete the Plan, which includes: 1) Target date for achieving carbon neutrality and/or decarbonization targets as soon as possible, 2) Interim target dates for meeting milestones that will lead to carbon neutrality, 3) Target dates for decarbonization (recommended), 4) Mechanisms and indicators for tracking progress (including those that cut across campus-community boundaries), 5) Actions to make climate action a part of the curriculum and other educational experiences for all students, and 6) Actions to expand research in climate action.
Climate Action Milestones: Second Nature recommends aiming for Climate Action Milestones. Submit your progress, get recognized, and share your progress with other campuses to accelerate learning.
Within one year of the implementation start date, and every year thereafter, complete an annual progress update.
Review and update your Climate Action Plan. Second Nature recommends updating your Climate Action Plan every five years or so. You may want to update or integrate campus master plans, strategic plans, or decarbonization plans at about the five year interval.
Share progress and get recognized through Climate Action Milestones, and help other campuses by sharing your progress.
If your institution is having trouble meeting its signatory commitment, reach out to Second Nature to discuss options
Convene and actively support a joint campus-community resilience task force (or equivalent) facilitate joint action.
Within two years of the implementation start date, lead and complete an initial campus-community Resilience Assessment, including initial indicators and current vulnerabilities.
Develop a Resilience Plan or integrated Resilience and Climate Action Plan. Within three years of the implementation start date, complete the Plan (also reflecting joint community-campus components), which may include: 1) Target date by which defined thresholds of resilience will be met, 2) Mechanisms and indicators for tracking progress (including those that cut across campus-community boundaries), 3) Actions to make climate action and resilience a part of the curriculum and other educational experiences for all students, 4) Actions to expand research in resilience and adaptation.
Submit an Annual Progress Update.
Climate Action Milestone: Resilience: Consider submitting your progress, getting recognized, and sharing your progress with other campuses to accelerate learning.
Take stock on what has working well and what can be improved for future scenarios.
To schedule a phone call with Second Nature Staff, please call 617-722-0036 or email [email protected]. We can provide:
All reports are due annually and can be submitted between January 1 and May 1 of each year.
If your institution is having trouble meeting its signatory commitment, reach out to Second Nature to discuss options.
Demonstrating the importance that the Presidents’ Climate Leadership Commitments play as a catalytic force on campuses, and reflecting the value of participating in a leading national network, signatories pay annual dues. Second Nature accounts for the size of the institution and the institutional expenses in setting the annual rates. Second Nature leverages philanthropic, corporate, and government revenue to further assist signatory institutions in their climate action work and keep dues as low as possible. Dues payments and honor society participation also make participation possible for institutions that have been historically disinvested and under-resourced.
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