We are pleased to announce that our Higher Education Climate Leadership Summit - co-hosted with the Intentional Endowments Network (IEN) - is back and will be IN-PERSON in Miami, Florida!

While the Climate Action Pursuit allowed us to connect virtually this past year, there is nothing like being able to gather in-person (safely) to discuss, plan, and implement climate solutions.  

Stay tuned for more information coming soon about the 2022 Higher Education Climate Leadership Summit, including how to register!
 

Call for Summit Session Abstracts!

Who?  We're accepting proposals from Climate Leadership Network signatories, University Climate Change Coalition (UC3) members, and friends from all disciplines, backgrounds and perspectives!

What?  This is your opportunity to contribute your expertise to the Higher Education Climate Leadership Summit.  Preference will be given to sessions that include and highlight the experiences and perspectives of people directly affected by climate impacts and social inequity as well as traditionally underrepresented people, perspectives, and solutions.

Where?  For more details and to submit your proposal, visit our RFP platform.  You can also preview a pdf version of the RFP form here.   

When?  We are accepting session proposals now through Tuesday, August 31st, so be sure to do so today!

Why?  This is YOUR Summit, why not contribute your expertise to actually make it so? 

How?  Click on the button below to go to the RFP platform! 

Questions? Please contact Michele Madia. 
 

Winning Higher Ed Institutions Announced!

At the end of June, we announced the eight colleges and universities that were awarded funding through the Acceleration Fund. The awarded schools are:

• College of Menominee Nation (Keshena, WI)
• Drexel University (Philadelphia, PA)
• Gonzaga University (Spokane, WA)
• Milwaukee Area Technical College via Milwaukee Area Technical College Foundation Inc. (Milwaukee, WI)
• Southern Oregon University (Ashland, OR)
• Stetson University (DeLand, FL)
• The University of British Columbia (Vancouver, BC)
• University of Wisconsin–Madison (Madison, WI)

The Acceleration Fund, first introduced at the 2020 Higher Education Climate Leadership Summit, is focused on supporting innovative cross-sector climate action activities driven by colleges and universities. Eligible institutions are Climate Leadership Network signatories and University Climate Change Coalition (UC3) members.  

Projects in 2020, and this year, fostered long-term, campus-community partnerships and had the potential to scale climate activities beyond the one-year grant term. 

This year, preference was given to projects that placed an explicit emphasis on climate justice, equity, and engagement with communities of color.      

Thank you to all of the colleges and universities who applied this year, and thank you to our application review committee! 

Further, thank you to the Lumina Foundation who made funding for this Acceleration Fund - Second Round possible!

Congratulations again to the eight awarded institutions!
 

Signatories: We Need Your Input!

If you are a Climate Leadership Network signatory, we are asking you to please take a few moments (less than five minutes) to complete our annual Climate Leadership Network Needs Survey.  

This survey will help us identify and better understand campus priorities and provide us with feedback about the Presidents' Climate Leadership Commitments.  

You and/or any staff working on the Commitments are welcome to complete the survey, and it can be completed anonymously, or you can choose to include institutions or personal contact information.  

Questions?  Please contact Steve Muzzy (smuzzy@secondnature.org)
 

A Successful Day "On the Hill"!

On July 13-14th, the America Is All In (AIAI) coalition hosted a Day on the Hil, that connected cross-sector representatives with Congressional members virtually to discuss climate change, and to encourage these leaders to take climate action through policy efforts.  

Thank you to all of you who participated in this opportunity!  You made sure that the voice of the higher education sector was heard by our policy leaders when it comes to supporting climate action through federal policy.  

However, please do not feel obligated to wait to hear from us!  If you would like to let us know how the meetings went, we are all ears.  Just send an email to Amanda Belles at abelles@secondnature.org.  

Thank you again for your climate action both "On the Hill" and off! 

Please Meet Bridget Flynn!

as the Sustainability Manager at Oberlin College.  We are excited to have Bridget on our team, and we hope that you look forward to the opportunity to work with her in this relationship-focused role!  

Welcome to the team Bridget, we are glad you are here!
 

The  Midwest Climate Summit

Our Current Research Projects

Governor Cuomo Announces Over $5 Million Awarded to Four Colleges and Universities to Achieve Deep Energy Savings and Help Combat Climate Change*

June 8, 2021 | Source: Governor Andrew M. Cuomo News

*Congratulations to Syracuse University and Vassar College for being two of the four!
 

Georgia Climate Project Receives $300,000 Grant From Ray C. Anderson Foundation*

June 28, 2021 | Source: 3BL CSRWire 

*Congratulations to Georgia Tech (Georgia Institute of Technology), Spelman College, Agnes Scott College, and Georgia Southern University for being a part of this project.
 

Webinar: Disruptive New Approach to Carbon Offsets: Climate Vault and Vanderbilt
Thursday, August 26th | 1-2pm EDT

Within the big picture of carbon reduction, many universities are looking for the opportunity to offset emissions in order to reach carbon neutrality in an increasingly aggressive time frame, often to supplement longer term investments in greener infrastructure.  This webcast will feature a new approach to offsetting that effectively takes action on climate change quickly while minimizing the challenges and uncertainty that come with traditional voluntary offset programs.  Join us on August 26th to learn about the innovative collaboration between Climate Vault and Vanderbilt that allowed Vanderbilt to reach carbon neutrality 30 years ahead of schedule.

Speakers:
 – Dr. Michael Greenstone, Milton Friedman Distinguished Service Professor of Economics, University of Chicago, Founder Climate Vault
 – Mr. Eric Kopstain, Vice Chancellor for Administration, Vanderbilt University

Building a Better World: Women and Climate Justice
September 23-25, 2021

Agnes Scott College’s second annual Women’s Global Leadership Conference will convene internationally recognized scholars, private sector experts, political leaders, and community activists to engage in intentional conversations, form innovative partnerships for addressing climate injustice, and develop creative strategies for building more resilient communities. 

Women frequently bear the brunt of the social violence, political instability, and environmental degradation caused by climate change but at the same time, they are also important change agents in the transition to a more sustainable and just future.

With the “Building a Better World” conference Agnes Scott combines its strong commitment to sustainability and its innovative SUMMIT global learning and leadership experience to address the full range of climate-justice experiences of women and other marginalized identities. 
 

GRITS Gold Medal Challenge

SEI is inviting all Climate Leadership Network signatories, University Climate Change Coalition (UC3) members, and Second Nature partners (whether you are a GRITS user or not) to take two minutes to help pick the Gold, Silver and Bronze medalists, with the highest-scoring feature ideas getting built and rolled out over the next few weeks/months.

SEI selected nine features to compete, but you can nominate your own as well.  Have fun!

Conference: Washington Oregon Higher Education Sustainability Conference

Two Resources from IEN

One of our partners, the Intentional Endowments Network (IEN) published two resources recently that we wanted to share with you.  

Thank You for Helping Us, Help You, Accelerate Your Climate Action. 

The colleges and universities listed below are Climate Leadership Network signatories and/or University Climate Change Coalition (UC3) members that financially reaffirmed their commitment to climate action this year.  Second Nature is thankful for their financial support that allows us to offer the resources, relationships, credibility and knowledge to accelerate climate action in, and leverage the strengths of, colleges and universities.