UAA Sustainability Agreements
Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE)
AASHE is an association of colleges and universities that are working to create a sustainable future. Their mission is to empower higher education to lead the sustainability transformation. They provided resources, professional development, and a network of support. Click here to visit the AASHE website.
UAA has transitioned from the Campus Green Report Card to the Sustainability tracking, Assessment & Rating System (STARS) rating system in order to measure our sustainability performance. Click on the logo below to learn more about STARS
American College and University Presidents' Climate Commitment (ACUPCC)
In 2007, UAA signed the American College and University Presidents' Climate Commitment (ACUPCC) committing itself to calculate our baseline emissions, develop a Climate Action Plan and a Sustainability Plan and work toward carbon neutrality as quickly as possible.
The Climate Commitment defines steps the university will take to reduce greenhouse gases and ultimately achieve climate neutrality. The first steps are to define institutional structures to guide the process, inventory all greenhouse gas emissions,and develop a plan with target dates for achieving interim and ultimate goals.
The second piece involves identifying tangible actions the university can begin taking while the comprehensive plan is being developed. These actions include energy-efficient purchasing policies, offsetting greenhouse gas emissions generated by air travel, and encouraging the use of public transportation. UAA has already completed several of those steps, including establishment of the Chancellor's Council and the SeaWolf shuttle and People Mover bus system agreements.
Tree Campus USA
The University of Alaska Anchorage recently earned Tree Campus USA recognition for
2010 for its dedication to campus forestry management and environmental stewardship,
by the nonprofit Arbor Day Foundation. This is the second year UAA has been named
a Tree Campus USA.
Tree Campus USA is a national program that honors colleges and universities and their
leaders for promoting healthy management of their campus forests and for engaging
the community in environmental stewardship. Tree Campus USA is a program of the Arbor
Day Foundation and is supported by a grant from Toyota. Click on the logo above to
find out more about Tree Campus USA.
Campus Consortium for Environmental Excellence
Talloires Declaration
The Talloires Declaration is a statement of principles and practices for using higher education to promote
sustainability. Over 350 universities throughout the world have signed the Declaration
so far. UAA originally signed in 2003, and re-confirmed its commitment in 2005.
Tallories, France
The birthplace of "The Talloires Declaration: University Presidents for a Sustainable
Future." Several international conferences have been conducted in Talloires, especially
within the educational community.
The text is as follows:
We, the presidents, rectors, and vice chancellors of universities from all regions
of the world are deeply concerned about the unprecedented scale and speed of environmental
pollution and degradation, and the depletion of natural resources.
Local, regional, and global air and water pollution; accumulation and distribution
of toxic wastes; destruction and depletion of forests, soil, and water; depletion
of the ozone layer and emission of "green house" gases threaten the survival of humans
and thousands of other living species, the integrity of the earth and its biodiversity,
the security of nations, and the heritage of future generations. These environmental
changes are caused by inequitable and unsustainable production and consumption patterns
that aggravate poverty in many regions of the world.
We believe that urgent actions are needed to address these fundamental problems and
reverse the trends. Stabilization of human population, adoption of environmentally
sound industrial and agricultural technologies, reforestation, and ecological restoration
are crucial elements in creating an equitable and sustainable future for all humankind
in harmony with nature.
Universities have a major role in the education, research, policy formation, and
information exchange necessary to make these goals possible. Thus, university leaders
must initiate and support mobilization of internal and external resources so that
their institutions respond to this urgent challenge.
We, therefore, agree to take the following actions:
- Increase Awareness of Environmentally Sustainable Development
- Create an Institutional Culture of Sustainability
- Educate for Environmentally Responsible Citizenship
- Foster Environmental Literacy For All
- Practice Institutional Ecology
- Involve All Stakeholders
- Collaborate for Interdisciplinary Approaches
- Enhance Capacity of Primary and Secondary Schools
- Broaden Service and Outreach Nationally and Internationally
- Maintain the Movement
An international community of universities for the adoption of energy-efficient LEDs