The University of California has joined forces with more than 7,000 colleges and universities around the globe to declare a climate emergency and commit to urgent action to address the crisis.
UC President Janet Napolitano and all 10 UC chancellors have signed a climate emergency declaration letter that recognizes “the need for a drastic societal shift to combat the growing threat of climate change.”
In signing the declaration, UC leaders agreed to a three-point plan that includes increasing action-oriented climate research; expanding education and outreach on environmental and sustainability issues; and achieving climate neutrality, a goal UC expects to achieve by 2025, five years ahead of the declaration’s pledge.
“We have a moral responsibility to take swift action on climate change,” said UC President Napolitano. “This declaration reaffirms UC’s commitment to addressing one of the greatest existential threats of our time. It’s important that universities speak with one voice about the urgency of the climate crisis and that we work together to find solutions.”
The move comes as people around the world are expected to take to the streets for a global climate strike on Sept. 20, with the United Nations 2019 Global Climate Summit shortly after, on Sept. 23. Nations at the summit are being asked to present their concrete plans for reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 45 percent over the next decade, reaching net-zero emissions by 2050.
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