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2021 Sustainability Plan Administration

American University is proud to be carbon neutral and is working to continue to expand our sustainability work.

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Administration Lasting Sustainability Work

Maintaining sustainability progress while continuing to work towards achieving our new goals requires campus wide support and integration into other campus initiatives. Implementing all the goals and actions we have outlined will require tracking and oversight. AU is committed to ensuring that we can fulfill all the goals we have set out thus far.

15. Carbon Neutrality

"The climate crisis has already been solved. We already have all the facts and solutions. All we have to do is wake up and change.” – Greta Thunberg

Goal 15.1: Maintain carbon neutrality through continued efforts to decrease gross emissions and the purchase of offsets that align with emissions sources and provide community and educational benefits.

  • Continue to prioritize reducing emissions and the use of RECs and offsets to maintain carbon neutrality.

American University is proud to be the first university to have achieved carbon neutrality, but we recognize that this achievement is only a milestone and not our final destination. We will continue, as a community, to find better solutions and we will continue to reduce our environmental impact.

16. Governance

“Each one of us matters, has a role to play, and makes a difference. Each one of us must take responsibility for our own lives, and above all, show respect and love for living things around us, especially each other.” – Jane Goodall

Goal 16.1: The Sustainability Advisory Committee will review sustainability progress and direct relevant issues to the Advisory Committee on Socially Responsible Investing (“ASCRI.”)

Goal 16.2: Integrate sustainability into the implementation of the Strategic Plan and Campus Plan.

  • Transition the current advisory committee into a formal standing Sustainability Advisory Committee to review sustainability goals, actions, and issues.
  • Sustainability Committee will meet twice a year to review progress towards goals and facilitate collaboration.
  • The Office of Sustainability will implement the Sustainability Plan for American University. This will involve an escalation plan for the Sustainability Advisory Committee, a timeline for strategic execution, a dashboard to track goals, and a governance framework.
  • Partner with office across campus to demonstrate how sustainability is inherently connected to everything we do on campus.
  • Elevate sustainability in discussions around campus through sustainability staff volunteering on campus wide committees.

Implementing all the goals and actions we have outlined will require tracking and oversight. AU is committed to ensuring that we can fulfill all the goals we have set out thus far. AU will track progress and share progress through the webpage and through annual reporting.