As the risks and impacts of climate change become more visible every year, the call for net-zero emissions is no longer restricted to country-level commitments. It has become equally important for non-state actors, like business corporations and large institutions, to establish targets and pathways to net zero by mid-century or sooner. Universities and colleges across the world have the unique opportunity in this race to net zero, to not only build strategies to reduce emissions within their operations, but to also champion knowledge, climate research, and action within their communities.

With university net-zero commitments rising worldwide, the SDSN has developed the Net Zero on Campus Initiative in collaboration with the Climateworks Centre, Monash University, Second Nature, and the EAUC. Together, they created a guide (in English and Spanish) and accompanying online toolkit to help universities and colleges accelerate their climate action plans, while creating new communities of practice.

Submit a Resource

SDSN is launching a call for resources, including case studies, to help capture the rapidly expanding work of colleges and universities in decarbonization, and the amazing diversity and innovation of approaches. Resources must be submitted via email to info@unsdsn.org with the name, link, and a brief description of the resource in English. Case studies must be submitted through THIS FORM in English.

Join Our Mailing List

Join the community of practice to share and read case studies, stay up to date on campus decarbonization news, and engage with like-minded professionals from around the world.

Join Our LinkedIn Group

This community brings together university and college professionals, students, and other interested stakeholders to discuss campus decarbonization.

Get Involved With Net Zero on Campus

There are a number of ways to get involved with Net Zero on Campus. These include joining global networks of academic institutions working on decarbonization, such as Second Nature and EAUC; joining the 'Race to Zero for Universities and Colleges' campaign and making a net-zero commitment; empowering your students and engaging them in your campus decarbonization efforts; joining SDSN Youth; and exploring SDSN’s free, open educational resources from the world’s leading sustainable development experts to use in your classrooms.

Featured News

Featured Resources

Team

Elena Crete

  • Head of the Climate & Energy Program

Julie Topf

  • Program Manager
  • Science Panel for the Amazon and Climate and Energy Program

John Thwaites

  • Professorial Fellow, Monash University; Chair, Monash Sustainable Development Institute and Climateworks Centre; and Chair, SDSN Australia, New Zealand & Pacific
  • Monash University

Related Courses