Air and Climate
In addition to actively increasing the university’s resilience to climate events such as severe storms, temperatures and water (flooding or drought), NC State is reducing its climate impact through emissions-reducing strategies that minimize energy consumption and improve air quality.
NC State aims to reach climate neutrality by 2050 — a goal that was developed following the university’s 2008 signing of the American College and University President’s Climate Commitment. Signed by more than 650 colleges and universities, this national pledge challenges campuses to recognize their climate impact and work to reduce campus emissions.
13.5%
is the amount emissions have dropped since the university’s first greenhouse gas inventory in 2008.
NC State outlined its emissions-reducing strategy in a 2010 Climate Action Plan:
- Avoid emissions-intensive activities
- Reduce emissions by increasing efficiency of campus operations
- Replace high-emission energy sources with reliable, cost-effective low-emission energy sources
- Offset emissions that cannot be eliminated
Progress is monitored through greenhouse gas inventories completed in 2008, 2010 and 2013.
The university is also home to grant-funded climate research centers: Southeast Climate Science Center and Southeast Regional Climate Hub
CLIMATE NEWS | More
Federal-University Partnerships, Renewed Funding Boost Climate Research
With five new university consortium partners and a renewed five-year funding award, NC State University will continue to host the Department of the Interior’s Southeast Climate Science Center.
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A new study tackles a big question: how much of an impact could Trump’s climate policies have?
Eye on the (Butterfly) Future
Ph.D. student Elsita Kiekebusch is studying how climate change affects a butterfly population, in hopes of aiding conservation.