| Overall Rating | Gold |
|---|---|
| Overall Score | 74.46 |
| Liaison | Ciannat Howett |
| Submission Date | Oct. 9, 2024 |
Emory University
IN-49: Innovation C
| Status | Score | Responsible Party |
|---|---|---|
|
0.50 / 0.50 |
Cyrus
Bhedwar Director Office of Sustainability Initiatives |
Name or title of the innovative policy, practice, program, or outcome:
A brief description of the innovative policy, practice, program, or outcome that outlines how credit criteria are met and any positive measurable outcomes associated with the innovation:
In October 2021, Emory’s President signed Second Nature’s Climate Commitment following mobilization by Emory students. Emory University continues to meet the Commitment requirements by annually tracking greenhouse gas emissions and adopting a climate action plan. The University innovated its climate action planning process, which became the most inclusive in Emory’s history and led to the development of various supplemental products addressing climate change and mental health, art and hope, and more.
Emory’s approach to creating a new climate action plan engaged campus and community members through multiple, in-person and virtual sessions hosted in different locations on campus to increase accessibility. Community members were also engaged as members of the Climate Action Task Force, overseeing the planning process, and participating in the campus-community resilience assessment workshop facilitated by The Nature Conservancy. The Climate Action Plan also acknowledges the holistic people at and connected to Emory experiencing a changing climate and offers expression through art and compiles supportive, well-being resources.
In addition to the Plan itself, Emory's Office of Sustainability Initiatives developed supplemental materials including the following.
The Climate Anxiety Addendum provides information and resources for Emory community members who may be struggling with the impacts of climate change on their well-being and mental health. (https://sustainability.emory.edu/the-climate-anxiety-addendum/)
The Climate Arts Addendum compiles climate-related artwork created by the Emory community throughout 2023. (https://sustainability.emory.edu/initiatives/artaddendum/)
The Community Conversations Analysis Addendum explores the data gathered during OSI’s Community Conversations public input sessions to build trust with the community by showing them how their input was translated into the final CAP (https://sustainability.emory.edu/community-conversations-analysis-addendum/)
These supplements expanded the number of community members who participated or drew value from the development of the 2023 Climate Action Plan and provided additional means of engaging with this important topic.
Optional Fields
The website URL where information about the programs or initiatives is available:
Additional documentation to support the submission:
Data source(s) and notes about the submission:
The information presented here is self-reported. While AASHE staff review portions of all STARS reports and institutions are welcome to seek additional forms of review, the data in STARS reports are not verified by AASHE. If you believe any of this information is erroneous or inconsistent with credit criteria, please review the process for inquiring about the information reported by an institution or simply email your inquiry to stars@aashe.org.