About

The University of California's flagship campus at Berkeley has become one of the prominent universities in the world. Its early guiding lights, charged with providing education (both "practical" and "classical") for the state's people, gradually established a distinguished faculty (with 20 Nobel laureates to date), a stellar research library, and more than 350 academic programs.

Today, Berkeley is at the forefront of energy research. A recent effort of note is the creation of the Energy Biosciences Institute (EBI), a collaboration with the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL) and the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, funded by a $500 million, 10 year grant from BP awarded in 2007, to explore and develop biofuels. The campus simultaneously created the Joint Bioenergy Institute (JBEI), through a $125 million grant from the Department of Energy. Additionally, scientists from UC Berkeley and the LBNL have been developing a bold research agenda called Helios exploring solar energy devices from photovoltaics to microorganisms, including nanotechnologies to produce cheaper solar cells and improve their efficiency.

The campus offers over 400 environmental related courses as well as 86 academic degree programs, and dozens of research centers and groups working in the fields of environment and sustainability.UC Berkeley has made a commitment to sustainable operational practices, both through the implementation of the University of California system-Wide Policy on sustainable practices, and summarized in this except from the campus “Statement of Our Commitment to the Environment:”

• Protecting and enhancing the campus environment;
• Purchasing environmentally preferable products, minimizing the use of toxic substances, and handling wastes responsibly;
• Conserving natural resources through their sustainable use in building projects,
transportation, and campus operations;
• Significantly reducing campus greenhouse gas emissions.

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Strategy
   
The Cal Climate Action Partnership (CalCAP) - UC Berkeley’s Climate Action Partnership is a collaboration of faculty, administration, staff, and students working to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions at UC Berkeley. CalCAP’s focus is to develop a strategy and methods for significantly reducing UC Berkeley’s GHG footprint without compromising the operations and mission of the University.

In 2007, following a feasibility study, UC Berkeley committed to reducing its greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions to 1990 levels by the year 2014 – a goal that is six years earlier than the State of California and University of California Policy requires. The eventual target of CalCAP is to achieve climate neutrality – defined in the UC Policy on Sustainable Practices as reducing GHG emissions through mitigation strategies so as to have a net zero impact on the earth’s climate.

UC Berkeley reports on ten emissions sources that include: electricity consumption, steam use, natural gas consumption, the university fleet, student commuting, faculty and staff commuting, business air travel, fugitive emissions from coolants, solid waste, and water use. Greenhouse gas inventories reveal that electricity and steam usage account for over 70 per cent of campus emissions and close to 80 per cent of our emissions are associated with campus buildings. The majority of the remaining emissions come from campus related travel. The campus reports and verifies its GHG inventory annually to both the California Climate Action Registry (CCAR) and the American College and University Presidents Climate Commitment (ACUPCC) and makes it available to the public.

The 2007 feasibility study and the 2009 climate action plan document how the campus plans to reduce its greenhouse emissions by one-third and begins the discussion on how to achieve climate neutrality. The 2009 climate action plan highlights the most recent and principal climate action advancement, the 2009-2011 strategic energy plan which includes 200 energy efficiency projects, a refrigerator replacement program, and expansion of computer power management systems for networked computers. Additional strategies that are underway include installation of on-site solar, reduction of fuel usage by the campus fleet and commuters, and educational programs (many led by students) aimed at changing behavior. 

The campus intends to make its next interim GHG reduction target for the year 2020 or 2025 by 2011, while continuing to identify strategies and a timeline to meet climate neutrality.
   

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