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BONUS BULLETIN
*Application Deadline is 5PM EDT Tomorrow*
If you are a Climate Leadership Network signatory and/or a University Climate Change Coalition member and you plan on applying for this round of the Acceleration Fund, you have until 5PM EDT tomorrow!
All of the information you need to know to be able to apply can be found on the Acceleration Fund webpage. If you have any questions, please contact Alex Maxwell and Chantal Madray.
Interested in exclusive opportunities like this one, but your higher ed institution is not yet a Climate Leadership Network signatory or a UC3 member?
For more information, please contact:
For Climate Leadership Network: Steve Muzzy
For UC3: Alex Maxwell
Don't Forget to Register for June!
The June Milestone (June 10th-11th) is only about one month away! Even if you were not able to join us in February for the Pursuit, now is the time to register to join us. Here are reasons why:
- The June Milestone will be much more interactive between you and your peers. While there will be a Keynote Speech, the June sessions will lend themselves to direct peer-to-peer interactions and dialogue. There will also be more interactive conversations focused on how to incorporate DEI into your campus sustainability work and climate action.
- Registering now for June will give you access to the recordings of the February sessions, even if you weren't able to join.
- You make your schedule. Once the two-day agenda is "live", register for the sessions that you are the most interested in participating in and that fit within your own schedule. None of the sessions are required; your participation rate is completely up to you.
Reporting Due Date Quickly Approaching
A friendly reminder to all Climate Leadership Network signatories, that the deadline for the Annual Progress Evaluation and other reports is May 1, 2021.
If you have already submitted this information to us, thank you!
As you are aware, you can submit GHG data from whatever 12 month period you most recently have available; there is no need to wait for the current school/fiscal year to be over! If you will require an extension, please let us know.
Additionally, as signatories, you are required to review and revise (if necessary) your Climate Action Plan (CAP) every five years. For more information on reviewing and potentially revising your CAP, please visit this page.
Please contact us (reporting@secondnature.org) if you need a new draft CAP.
Also, please do not hesitate to reach-out to Second Nature Staff members for one-on-one reporting assistance. We are here to help!
MONTHLY MERIT
Drexel University Joins UC3
Second Nature is excited to welcome Drexel University as the newest member of the University Climate Change Coalition (UC3). In becoming a member, Drexel not only met one of the goals of its Climate Year but also became part of a global network of the
world’s leading research universities committed to accelerating climate action on campus, in communities, and at a global scale.
One of Drexel’s initial commitments as a new UC3 member is to co-produce a climate research agenda for the surrounding Philadelphia region through a participatory convening of regional stakeholders in late spring of this year. Drexel is also active as a member of the Consortium for Climate Risks in the Urban Northeast (CCRUN) and serves as the North American Hub of the Urban Climate Change Research Network (UCCRN) – a global consortium of over 1,000 researchers, academics, government leaders and decision-makers collaborating on addressing the unique challenges that climate change poses for cities around the world.
Welcome to the University Climate Change Coalition Drexel University!
UW-Green Bay Signs the Carbon Commitment
The University of Wisconsin - Green Bay has signed the Carbon Commitment of the Presidents' Climate Leadership Commitments. By doing so, they rejoin the Climate Leadership Network.
Welcome back to the Network UW-Green Bay!
UNC-Asheville Joins the Climate Leadership Network
On Tuesday, March 30th, University of North Carolina Asheville Chancellor Nancy Cable signed the Carbon Commitment of the Presidents' Climate Leadership Commitments. In doing so, they also became a Climate Leadership Network signatory.
Welcome to the Network UNC-Asheville!
RAPID RECOGNITIONS
SCU Achieves the First Step Towards Becoming 100% Carbon Neutral
At the end of March, Santa Clara University announced that they had achieve Scope 1 and Scope 2 carbon neutrality on campus.
Congratulations Santa Clara University!
Babson's Investment Strategy Changes
In February, the Board of Trustees for Babson College decided that Babson's investment strategy would incorporate both ESG (environmental, social, and governance) and DEI (diversity, equity, and inclusion) factors.
Well done Babson College!
Gonzaga Launches a New Climate Center
Last week on Earth Day, Gonzaga University launched a brand new climate center on their campus.
Congratulations on this major climate initiative Gonzaga University!
Call for Climate Action at CU Boulder
On Earth Day, the University of Colorado Boulder Chancellor Philip DiStefano called for members of the CU Boulder campus and community to take climate action.
Thank you CU Boulder for committing to climate action!
Luther Changes Their Investment Strategy
Earlier this month, Luther College also altered their investment strategy to now incorporate ESG (environmental, social, and governance).
Great job for making this decision Luther College!
UMD Focused on Cutting Their Carbon Emissions
University of Maryland at College Park Chancellor Darryll J. Pines announced on Earth Day that the institution would be focused on implementing some major changes on campus including cutting their campus carbon emissions.
We look forward to working with you in doing so University of Maryland!
UB Receives a Rating of Number One
Also on Earth Day, the University at Buffalo announced that they have been rated as number one in the world in their approach on the climate action SDG (Sustainable Development Goal) by the 2021 Times Higher Education Impact Rankings.
Congrats to UB for this recognition!
A Call to Incorporate Youth More in Climate Action
Last Monday, an opinion article written by The University of British Columbia President & Vice Chancellor Santa Ono and Grace Nosek of the UBC Climate Hub, calling for higher education institutions to incorporate youth more into their climate action was published in Inside Higher Ed.
If you missed it, we encourage you to read it!
NOTABLE NEWS
Biden's Commitment to 50-52% by 2030 Emissions Reduction Goal
Exactly one week ago, on the 51st Earth Day (April 22nd), the Biden-Harris administration announced that they were establishing a target goal for the United States to reduce emissions 50-52% by 2030.
Known as a Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC), defining such a goal is a requirement for nations who have joined the Paris Agreement, which
the U.S. has rejoined under the Biden-Harris administration. Leading up to the announcement of the NDC, diverse sectors and industries in the U.S. - including higher education - sent letters to the White House in support of a strong 2030 U.S. climate target.
Thank you to all higher education institutions who signed onto the higher education letter that we sent to the Biden administration on April 8th.
In total, the letter included sign-on from 75 colleges/universities of all different shapes and sizes, from 29 different states, and covered every region of the U.S.
Below are numerous different items associated with the
cross-sector support and effort.
Team Staff Updates at Second Nature
We wanted to keep everyone informed about some staff and role changes with the Second Nature team.
Eric Howard, Second Nature's Director of Strategic Partnerships has moved on from Second Nature to take a new role with another organization. While he will be missed at Second Nature, we are excited for him and his next role!
Thank you Eric for all of your contributions to Second Nature these past two years!
Gretchen Gilbert, a fellow from the College for Social Innovation (CFSI), was interning with Second Nature this Spring. Unfortunately for us, her internship came to an end earlier this week!
We will miss you Gretchen, but we are also excited for you and your next adventures.
Thank you for all of your work with us here!
We are excited to introduce you to Chantal Madray, a new Climate Program Manager here at Second Nature!
Chantal will help design, manage, and implement new and existing resilience, climate justice, and cross-sector initiatives that extend campus-community connections and accelerate climate action.
Her experience and expertise is a great fit for Second Nature, and we're excited for those of you who will get the opportunity to work with her.
Welcome aboard Chantal!
RELEVANT RESOURCES
A Report about Educating the Next Generation of Investment Leaders
The Intentional Endowments Network (IEN) recently released a report - Educating the Next Generation of Sustainable Investment Leaders. The focus of the report is on the fund structures and sustainable investment strategies that student-managed investment funds (SMIFs) use.
April Edition of the Monthly Policy Update
There is a lot of great clean energy policy and advocacy work happening at state and federal levels. Be sure to read this month's Monthly Policy Update to be in the know.
Climate advocacy can move fast. Make sure not to be out of the loop, and subscribe to our Monthly Policy Updates list.
Deep Carbonization Initiatives on Campus
On April 15th, we co-hosted a webinar with Ecosystem, the University of Toronto, and Vassar College - Managing Organizational Change for Transformational, Deep Decarbonization Initiatives on Campus.
Weren't able to attend? No problem. You can now watch the recording of the webinar.
OPPORTUNITIES
Blue + Green 2021 Webinar Series:
Aquaculture for the Economy & Ecosystem
Thursdays in May | 4PM PST
California State University, Northridge along with four other entities are sponsoring/hosting a four-part, one hour webinar series every Thursday in May, focused on aquaculture for the economy and ecosystem. It is an inaugural webinar series focused on aquaculture. To learn more, view the webinar schedule, and register for the webinars, please click on the button below.
Call for Authors: No Sustainability without Justice: An Anthology on Racial Equity and Social Justice series
Submission Deadline: May 10th
The Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE) is currently accepting essays for their No Sustainability without Justice: An Anthology on Racial Equity and Social Justice series. The essays in the series focus on racial equity being a necessary quantity in order to have a sustainable campus. You can learn more and submit your essay by clicking on the button below.
Save the Date: Women and Climate Justice Conference
September 23-25, 2021
This year for Agnes Scott College's annual women's global leadership conference, the focus will be on Building a Better World: Women and Climate Justice. Part of the conference will take place on campus, and some of it will be held virtually. For more information, visit the conference webpage at the button below.
Accelerate Your Climate Awareness.
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