Background

In 2008, then VCU President Eugene P. Trani signed the American College and University Presidents’ Climate Commitment committing VCU to being carbon neutral by 2050. Carbon neutrality is reached when we find the balance between the carbon we emit and the carbon we absorb from the atmosphere (learn more about carbon neutrality here). In 2010, VCU President Michael Rao reaffirmed this commitment. 

As a result, VCU has reported on changes to our campus greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions every year since 2008 and implemented measures including LEED building certification, alternative transportation and energy/utilities performance management processes among other things - resulting in a STARS Gold Rating. Despite these efforts, VCU’s GHG emissions are not decreasing at the pace needed to meet our 2050 commitment. That is why President Rao directed the ONE VCU Sustainability Plan Development Committee to develop a comprehensive plan to address sustainability holistically for VCU as well as VCU Health System. Now underway, the ONE VCU Sustainability Plan working groups are charged with creating a plan that reflects our commitment as well as recognizes the urgency and scale of our challenges. Through the development of the plan, we will bring our campus experts together to find innovative ways to make meaningful progress by 2030 as well as reach our 2050 goals.