Organized by a diverse group of higher education institutions and the Boston-based nonprofit Second Nature — an organization that works to proactively build a sustainable and positive global future through initiating bold commitments, scaling successful actions, and accelerating innovative solutions among leadership networks in higher education — the letter urges newly elected officials to support participation in the Paris Climate Agreement, climate research and investment in the low carbon economy.

“The upcoming transition of federal leadership presents a unique opportunity to address head-on the challenges of climate change by accelerating the new energy economy and creating strong, resilient communities,” the letter stated. “We are committed to developing and deploying innovative climate solutions that provide a prosperous future for all Americans.”

Institutions involved include New York University, Wheaton College, Central Community College and University of California, Berkeley. All expressed their alignment with the business and investment communities in supporting the science-based targets outlined in the Paris Climate Agreement. Many of the institutions have been tackling climate action on their own campuses for years, voluntarily setting carbon neutrality goals and publicly reporting progress through a program called the Climate Leadership Commitments, according to a statement from Second Nature.

“Climate change cannot be reversed by a single institution nor a single country,” said Nancy Zimpher, chancellor of the State University of New York system, in the statement. “A collective intervention in the multitude of factors that impact climate change is necessary for success.”

Zimpher added that all of higher education must be a driving force in the continued examination of climate change and the development of opportunities to assure a cleaner more secure planet for future generations.

Second Nature also instituted the Climate Leadership Commitments program that includes a Carbon Commitment (focused on reducing greenhouse gas emissions), a Resilience Commitment (focused on climate adaptation and building community capacity) and a Climate Commitment that integrates both. The Climate Leadership Network comprises more than 600 colleges and universities in every state and the District of Columbia that have committed to take action on climate issues and prepare students through research and education to solve the challenges of the 21st century.

A full list of the schools supporting the open letter can be found at: secondnature.org/higher-education-climate-action-letter

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