According to a newly released progress report, the University has reduced net greenhouse gas emissions by 32% since the first Climate Action Plan (CAP) was released in 2017, with 58% of the plan's actions completed.
"The reduction in net greenhouse gas emissions since 2017 demonstrates that the strategies outlined in CAP 2.0 are producing measurable results," said Morgan King, Climate Action Analyst at Cal Poly Humboldt. “And with an eye towards equity, we are seeing a heightened level of campus engagement around the issues of climate protection, adaptation and environmental justice.”
Campus emissions are decreasing due to using less natural gas while increasing the percentage of purchased electricity from eligible renewable sources, improvements in fleet vehicle efficiency, the purchase of carbon credits to offset the emissions from University travel, the increased adoption of sustainable transportation options and other factors. Natural gas is the largest source of direct emissions, followed by electricity, highlighting the importance of improving campus energy systems and efficiency.
The progress reflects nearly a decade of sustained work following the University’s decision to sign the Second Nature Climate Commitment. The commitment called on the University to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, integrate climate adaptation into campus planning, and regularly update its climate action strategy.
Humboldt's first Climate Action Plan, released in 2017, outlined strategies to reduce facility and fleet emissions to 1990 levels by 2020—a goal the University achieved. The CAP 2.0 expanded that vision, creating a roadmap to carbon neutrality by 2045.
The Climate Action Plan includes 148 actions needed to achieve 35 strategies focused on six areas—Buildings, Energy & Fuels, Transportation, Solid Waste & Purchasing, Carbon Sequestration & Offsets, Academics & Research, and Climate Resilience.
One of the progress report's most significant findings is that the University's largest emissions-reduction projects are now moving from planning into implementation:
The Buildings, Energy & Fuels section of the CAP 2.0 plan is nearly two-thirds complete. The report highlights several high-impact initiatives now underway, including replacing natural gas boilers with higher efficiency systems like electric heat pumps, expanding campus solar energy generation and battery storage through a solar microgrid, and building to LEED Gold green building standards
Together, these infrastructure investments are expected to produce some of the University's largest future reductions in greenhouse gas emissions.
The report also shows substantial progress across nearly every area of campus operations.
Seventy-three percent of actions focused on Academics & Research have been completed. For example, the University has advanced efforts to integrate sustainability throughout the curriculum, expand sustainability research, and strengthen Humboldt's role as a leader in climate education.
Solid Waste & Purchasing has also advanced rapidly, with 72% of actions complete. Recent accomplishments include implementation of the University's Zero Waste Action Plan, expanded sustainable purchasing practices, increased construction waste diversion, and efforts to reduce the embodied carbon of building materials.
Transportation initiatives continue to make progress as well. More than 60% of transportation actions have been completed, including improvements to campus walkability and bikeability, expanded alternative transportation programs, and support for public transit. These efforts are designed to help meet the University's goals of reducing commute emissions 50% below 2015 levels by 2030 and eliminating them entirely by 2045.
The report also tracks progress beyond carbon reduction. Climate Resilience initiatives—including emergency preparedness, stormwater management, ecosystem restoration, food and housing security, and climate adaptation education—are helping prepare the campus to withstand and recover from climate-related disruptions.
This fall, the University will begin updating CAP 2.0 as required under the Second Nature Climate Commitment. Through a combination of working groups like the Humboldt Advisory Committee on Sustainability and open forums, the process will engage students, faculty, staff, Tribal Nations, local governments, community organizations, and other partners in refining the University's goals, strategies, and actions for the years ahead. The updated plan will also evaluate emerging technologies and new approaches that can further improve campus infrastructure, operations, programs, and services while advancing equity and resilience.
“Humboldt has done much already that we should be proud of and celebrate,” says King. “But now it is time for us to go further, to leave fossil fuels behind and to achieve a carbon-free campus that also prepares our students with the knowledge and skills necessary to navigate a climate-constrained world.”