Auburn's Climate Action Plan

Background and Rationale

The Office of Sustainability is beginning its work for the Auburn Climate Action Plan -- the process of developing specific approaches to address the American College and University Presidents' Climate Commitment, which Auburn President Jay Gogue signed in fall 2008 (for more information about the ACUPCC, see the FAQ below). By joining this national project, he committed Auburn University to significantly reducing its carbon footprint.

The campus community will decide how to do it and what a reasonable target goal and date will be for Auburn. Some universities have set 2012 as a target, others 2050; and they have set different target goals. The Climate Action Plan, or CAP, will be a campus-wide, inclusive process similar to the strategic planning process that occurred in 2007.

The 10 working groups outlined below will have 10-15 members representing the campus community. Each working group will have a chair who will serve on the CAP task force that will summarize the working group recommendations in a final report to President Gogue and the Board of Trustees.

Auburn Draft Climate Action Plan Files

Auburn Climate Action Plan - formatting preserved (.pdf) (19 Nov 2010)

Auburn Climate Action Plan - for editing with "track changes" (.doc ) (19 Nov 2010)

Figures for Climate Action Plan

last updated 13 May 2010

Figures 1-4 - GHG emissions and Utilities costs

Appendices Climate Action Plan

last updated 13 May 2010

Appendix 1 - Summary of AU 2008 Greenhouse Gas Inventory

Appendix 2 - Reduction targets set by other schools

Appendix 3 - Participants list, AU CAP Working Groups

Appendix 4 - Current Energy intitiatives at AU

Appendix 5 - Proposal for a Revolving Loan Fund at Auburn

Appendix 6 - FAQ about Auburn's GHG Inventory

Appendix 7 - 1990 AU Tree Preservation Policy

Appendix 8 - AU Water Management Plan

Appendix 9 - Draft Sustainable Purchasing Policy

Appendix 10 - Videoconferencing recommendations

Appendix 11 - Parking Policy recommendations

General Resources

Additional resources can be found under each of the working group pages by clicking on the group name below.

Working Groups

If you are interested in vounteering to be part of one of the working groups please email: sustain@auburn.edu.

Members of the working groups will generally attend 1-2 meetings per month, with further discussions using the email listservs established for each working group. The first part of the semester will be used to identify the areas that need attention, followed by a discussion of which solutions are best for Auburn, and what the time frame will be. We envision that each working group will have a draft by the end of Spring 2010.

Develop recommendations for long term energy reduction and renewable energy production

Develop recommendations for reducing energy consumed by campus computing and explore IT as carbon-reduction solutions in other campus areas

Develop recommendations regarding all campus purchasing that will support the core value of sustainability

Develop recommendations for efficient use of transportation resources and ways to enhance opportunities for non-traditional transportation

Develop recommendations to carry forward the strategic planning goal of LEED rating for new buildings and renovations and consider ways to go beyond LEED

Develop recommendations for opportunities for the campus landscape to contribute to solutions

Develop recommendations to reduce waste, increase efficiencies, and reduce food miles

Develop recommendations for strategies to communicate the importance of carbon reduction and climate change

This group will provide a vehicle to incorporate the student voice into the Plan, student members from the other groups will attend meetings of this group

If you have any questions about Auburn's Climate Action Planning process, please feel free to email sustain@auburn.edu

Main calendar showing all working groups

This calendar provides a tentative timeline for the planning process. As we advance through the process there will undoubtedly be changes made to the timeline that will be reflected here.