The University of Colorado Boulder released a plan on Thursday outlining steps to achieve a 50% reduction in campus emissions by 2030 and a reduction to zero emissions no later than 2050.
“The Climate Action Plan basically sets us on a path to get us to zero emissions by 2050,” said Chris Ewing, CU Boulder vice chancellor for infrastructure and sustainability.
CU Boulder’s Climate Action Plan, first created in 2009 and updated this year, establishes a plan for the university to achieve its climate goals. The updated plan includes more specific targets and steps to achieve those goals.
CU Boulder Chief Operating Officer Pat O’Rourke said CU Boulder needs to “not just have a plan, but be able to execute it.”
“Now is the point where we hit a transition, which is from design to action,” O’Rourke said.
One goal of the plan is to achieve a 50% reduction in Scope 1 and 2 emissions by 2030. Scope 1, about 18% of total campus emissions, refers to carbon emissions from natural gas burned to create heat and power on campus. Scope 2 is energy purchased from Xcel Energy for the electricity on campus, making up about 32% of emissions.
The university aims to achieve a 50% reduction by 2030 for Scope 3 emissions, with an ultimate goal to reach zero emissions by 2050. Scope 3 emissions result from the university’s operations, including purchasing, business travel and employee and student commuting. It makes up about half of CU Boulder’s total emissions.
The university does not have direct control over some Scope 3 emissions, which will make it more difficult to reduce.
“It’s very clear there’s a lot of work to do there, and we’re scratching the surface of it,” Ewing said. “As we get more clarity and more detail around Scope 3, we’ll be able to outline what needs to happen in the coming year.”
The updated plan was announced Thursday during CU Boulder’s annual Campus Sustainability Summit during the campus leadership panel.
CU Boulder Chief Communications Officer Jon Leslie said CU Boulder has an opportunity to be a leader in North America, if not the world.
“Five years from now I would love for folks to think of the University of Colorado Boulder when they think of who the real leader is in advancing climate solutions that are helping us solve the human impacts of the crisis we are facing,” Leslie said.
The plan is estimated to cost between $800 million and $1.4 billion.
“A lot of that is for infrastructure upgrades,” O’Rourke said. “There are certain things we have to do as part of our regular budget … but there’s big projects we’re going to have to fill.”
This summer, CU Boulder will seek approval from the University of Colorado Board of Regents to add solar power on east campus and begin work on 18 efficiency projects related to heat and power. More than 180 buildings on the main campus are heated by steam and need to be converted to a low temperature hot water system.
“It is a huge project and it is a huge undertaking,” Ewing said, adding, “It’s hundreds of millions of dollars to make that conversion but we’re excited to get started.”
CU Boulder does not yet have all the funding it’ll need to execute the Climate Action Plan. Some funding will need to come from campus assets and cash, grants and state and donor support.
“One of the things we’re gonna have to do is balance because it’s not fair to say were going to ask the students to bear the cost of our upgrades and sustainably needs,” O’Rourke said.
One project already underway is the Williams Village residence hall work to convert the heating system away from steam to hot water. Additionally, CU Boulder plans to transition to electric buses, and currently has four that are all-electric.
Any new buildings, including two new residence halls and a new chemistry and applied math building, will be constructed sustainably and in line with the university’s emissions targets, officials said.
“Now we have a set of commitments and principles that we need to follow and honor those commitments to the community,” O’Rourke said.
