Creighton University 2013 Climate Action Plan
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CREIGHTON UNIVERSITY Climate Action Plan May 2013 Prepared for Creighton University by CREIGHTON UNIVERSITY CLIMATE ACTION PLAN 2013 2 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Creighton University would like to acknowledge the following individuals for their time and expertise in contributing to this report: The Catholic Coalition on Climate Change Rev. John P. Schlegel, S.J. Richard Miller, Ph.D. Creighton University Sustainability Council 3 CREIGHTON UNIVERSITY CLIMATE ACTION PLAN 2013 1 Introduction and Background ............................................................................................... 6 1.1 Sustainability and the Catholic, Jesuit Mission ............................................................. 6 1.2 Why Address Climate Change ....................................................................................... 6 1.2.1 The Science ................................................................................................................. 6 1.2.2 Justice for All ................................................................................................................ 8 1.2.3 Cost-Effectiveness ...................................................................................................... 8 1.3 Creighton’s Commitment to Climate Neutrality and Sustainability ......................... 8 1.3.1 American College and University President’s Climate Commitment ................ 8 1.3.2 Other Sustainability Initiatives .................................................................................... 9 2 The Climate Action Planning Process ................................................................................. 10 3 Greenhouse Gas Inventory .................................................................................................. 11 3.1 Baseline Results ............................................................................................................... 11 3.2 Forecast ............................................................................................................................13 4 Mission and Vision .................................................................................................................. 15 4.1 Current Mission and Vision ............................................................................................15 4.2 Integrating Sustainability ...............................................................................................15 5 Aligning with the Strategic Plan ........................................................................................... 17 6 Sustainability in the Curriculum ............................................................................................ 17 6.1 Current Programs ............................................................................................................17 6.2 Future Programs ..............................................................................................................18 7 Emission Reduction Strategies .............................................................................................. 19 7.1 Results Summary .............................................................................................................19 7.2 Emission Reduction Strategies ......................................................................................22 7.2.1 Energy ......................................................................................................................... 22 7.2.2 Transportation............................................................................................................26 7.2.3 Other ........................................................................................................................... 27 8 Implementing the CAP.......................................................................................................... 29 8.1 Organizational Development .......................................................................................29 8.2 Implementation and Continuous Improvement ....................................................... 30 8.2.1 Plan ............................................................................................................................. 30 8.2.2 Do ................................................................................................................................ 31 CREIGHTON UNIVERSITY CLIMATE ACTION PLAN 2013 4 8.2.3 Check ......................................................................................................................... 36 8.2.4 Act ............................................................................................................................... 37 8.3 Financing the Plan ..........................................................................................................37 5 CREIGHTON UNIVERSITY CLIMATE ACTION PLAN 2013 1 INTRODUCTION AND BACKGROUND 1.1 Sustainability and the Catholic, Jesuit Mission The Catholic Church has supported environmental stewardship for decades. Pope John Paul II issued a World Day of Peace message, Ecological Responsibility, in 1990. The U.S. Bishops wrote Renewing the Earth: An Invitation to Reflection and Action on Environment in Light of Catholic Social Teaching in 1991 and followed that with Global Climate Change: A Plea for Dialogue, Prudence and the Common Good in 2001. Building on this, the Catholic Coalition on Climate Change was developed in 2006; it is comprised of over a dozen national Catholic organizations and focuses on exploring issues and faith implications of climate change. According to this group, the Catholic vision “emphasizes the pursuit of the common good, promotion of the virtue of prudence and the protection of the poorest of our brothers and sisters already suffering disproportionate impacts from climate change.” A group of Catholic Associations, including the Association of Jesuit Colleges and Universities, convened to develop a document to help Catholic colleges and universities integrate their mission with the call for environmental stewardship and concern for the poor. That document, Sustainability and Higher Education: A Toolkit for Mission Integration, was released in 2011 and cited Creighton as an example in two instances. The Jesuits are, of course, a part of the call to preserve the environment, and by extension, the creation and the poorest populations. The 32nd General Congregation of the Society of Jesus (G.C. 32, Decree.4, #37, 1974) maintained that the Jesuits’ mission was not only about the service of faith, but also the promotion of justice. Ecology is now, as a result of the most recent Jesuit Congregation (G.C. 35, Decree 3, #35, 2008), recognized as integral to this mission, and it is considered of particular importance for Jesuit “universities and research centres”. In 2010, the Society of Jesus established the Task Force on Jesuit Mission and Ecology. This task force produced a document titled “Healing a Broken World”, which examines the environmental situation through an Ignatian lens and offers concrete suggestions for Jesuit universities to respond to the challenges presented. 1.2 Why Address Climate Change 1.2.1 The Science Climate change refers to the wide range of impacts resulting from the increase in accumulated concentrations of greenhouse gases (GHG) in the atmosphere as a result of human activity, primarily the combustion of fossil fuels and deforestation.1,2 Climate change is one of the most urgent problems for sustaining earth’s life support system. 1 US National Academy of Science, Advancing the Science of Climate Change, 2010, pp. 21-22 http://www.nap.edu/openbook.php?record_id=12782&page=21 CREIGHTON UNIVERSITY CLIMATE ACTION PLAN 2013 6 A recent synthesis paper from some of the most distinguished climate and environmental scientists in the world concluded; “In the face of an absolutely unprecedented emergency, society has no choice but to take dramatic action to avert a collapse of civilization. Either we will change our ways and build an entirely new kind of global society, or they will be changed for us.” Globally, the impacts of climate change include changes in temperature, precipitation, sea level, ice melt, frequency and severity of storms, and changes to species and Some GHG Reduction Co‐Benefits habitats, which ultimately affect human health and economies. Specifically, . Support local businesses and stimulate economic development Nebraska and the Omaha region are . Reduce government, home, and business energy expected to see increases in temperature, and operational costs particularly during summer months, as well . Reduce dependence on foreign fuel sources as moderate increases in spring and winter precipitation as a result of global climate . Reduce vulnerability to energy price increases and supply volatility change. Diversify energy supply and reduce loads on In addition to minimizing the impact of transmission systems climate change, reducing carbon . Reduce air pollution emissions, including ozone emissions has many additional benefits. precursors and fine particles These include, but are not limited to, . Improve public health through increased exercise improved air quality, lower rates of and nutritious foods respiratory disorders such as asthma, less . Reduce waste and increase landfill diversion rates susceptibility to volatile energy costs, . Reduce vehicle miles traveled and traffic reduced vulnerability to federal and state congestion energy regulations, and water security. Reduce water