| Overall Rating | Gold |
|---|---|
| Overall Score | 65.91 |
| Liaison | Elizabeth MacKenzie |
| Submission Date | June 25, 2024 |
University of Iowa
EN-14: Participation in Public Policy
| Status | Score | Responsible Party |
|---|---|---|
|
2.00 / 2.00 |
Gaby
Maymi Nieblas Intern Office of Sustainability and the Environment |
Does the institution advocate for public policies that support campus sustainability or that otherwise advance sustainability at the municipal/local level?:
A brief description of how the institution engages in public policy advocacy for sustainability at the municipal/local level:
The University of Iowa has a permanent delegate on the Iowa City Climate Action Commission. The Commission serves as an advisory body to the City Council to advise, research, analyze, promote, and with approval, implement initiatives that support the city’s climate and sustainability goals, including the Climate Action and Adaptation Plan and any related or updated plan hereafter. https://www.icgov.org/government/boards-commissions-and-committees/climate-action-commission
The Office of Sustainability is representing University of Iowa administration in the Sustainability Working Group of Johnson County. Members include primarily staff whose work relates to sustainability and, for entities without such staff, elected officials. https://www.johnsoncountyiowa.gov/swgjc
The University of Iowa President, Barbara Wilson, is one of three chairs on the Better Together 2030 initiative. Better Together is an "All In Vision: Strategies for a 2030 Shared Future in Johnson County, Iowa". The five strategies of Better Together include 1) Champions of the natual environment, 2) Authentic, vibrant neighborhoods and districts, 3) A well-connected, mobile region, 4) A thriving economic ecosystem, and 5) Re-imagined human and socia services. https://bt2030.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/All-in-vision-report-9.20.22-online.pdf
Does the institution advocate for public policies that support campus sustainability or that otherwise advance sustainability at the state/provincial/regional level?:
A brief description of how the institution engages in public policy advocacy for sustainability at the state/provincial/regional level:
The Center for Global and Regional Environmental Research (CGRER) was established in 1990 to promote interdisciplinary efforts focusing on global environmental change. Housed on the University of Iowa campus in the Iowa Advanced Technology Laboratories, CGRER is supported by the rate-payers and utilities of Iowa, a program begun by the State of Iowa's Energy Efficiency Act of 1990. Apart from University of Iowa faculty, Iowa State University, University of Northern Iowa, Princeton, Oregon State University, University of Nebraska, Cornell, Hydrological Research Center in San Diego, Rice University, and University of Wyoming faculty also form part of this research institute. https://cgrer.uiowa.edu/
The University of Iowa has championed Community Funding Projects from the Iowa Flood Center to deploy a network of hydrologic weather stations in Iowa to collect data on rainfall, soil moisture and temperature, windspeed and direction, and groundwater levels in shallow wells. Additionally, the project would develop an Iowa Drought Information System to collect and display real-time data on drought levels across the state.
The University of Iowa lobbied for the creation of the Iowa Nutrient Research Center and continue to work to fund the program. IIHR/Iowa Flood Center established and maintains the Iowa Water Quality Information System. https://iwqis.iowawis.org/ and the Iowa Geological Survey was named to do a comprehensive study of all of Iowa's levees.
Several research from the University of Iowa have signed on to the annual Iowa Climate Statement. https://ehsrc.public-health.uiowa.edu/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/Iowa-Climate-Statement_Complete_FINAL.pdf
The University of Iowa has lobbied and continue to advocate for the expansion of several existing programs incorporated by the Iowa Economic Development Authority (IEDA) including:
- Refundable Research Activities Credit
https://www.iowaeconomicdevelopment.com/Research
- Proof of Commercial Relevance (POCR) program
https://www.iowaeconomicdevelopment.com/POCR
- Demonstration Fund
https://www.iowaeconomicdevelopment.com/Demo
- Iowa Innovation Acceleration Fund
https://www.iowaeconomicdevelopment.com/SSBCIInnovation
- The Small Business Innovation Research and Technology Transfer Outreach Program
https://www.iowaeconomicdevelopment.com/innovationcorp
- Angel Investor Tax Credits
https://www.iowaeda.com/innovate/angel-investor-tax-credit/
- Innovation Fund Tax Credits
https://www.iowaeconomicdevelopment.com/innovationcredit
- High-Quality Jobs Program
https://www.iowaeconomicdevelopment.com/HQJ
- Renewable Chemicals Production Tax Credit
https://www.iowaeconomicdevelopment.com/RenewableChem
Does the institution advocate for public policies that support campus sustainability or that otherwise advance sustainability at the national level?:
A brief description of how the institution engages in public policy advocacy for sustainability at the national level:
Peter Thorne is a professor at UI College of Public Health's Department of Occupational and Environmental Health, co-director of the Environmental Health Sciences Research Center, and represents the top administration at the University of Iowa. He has served as chairman of the US Environmental Protection Agency's Science Advisory Board.
The University of Iowa is a signatory of the We Are Still In joint declaration of support for climate action, signed by more than 3,900 CEOs, mayors, governors, college presidents, and others - established in pursuit of climate action and the United States' commitment to delivering on the promise of the Paris Agreement and America’s contribution to it.
The University of Iowa has lobbied in support of various provision included int he Inflation Reduction Act and the Bipartisan Infrastructure, aimed at increasing access and efficiency of sustainability efforts. https://www.whitehouse.gov/build/guidebook/#:~:text=The%20Bipartisan%20Infrastructure%20Law%20makes,%2C%20energy%2C%20and%20the%20environment
The University of Iowa has also participated in numerous discussions with the Association of America Universities and the Association of Public and Land-Grant Universities on legislation that would better target federal resources to projects and communities in need of improving their sustainability efforts.
Does the institution advocate for public policies that support campus sustainability or that otherwise advance sustainability at the international level?:
A brief description of how the institution engages in public policy advocacy for sustainability at the international level:
As the University of Iowa’s Karl Kammermeyer Professor of Chemical and Biochemical Engineering, Gregory R. Carmichael, will represent our top administration to lead a new international initiative of the United Nations World Meteorological Organization (WMO) called the Global Greenhouse Gas Watch (G3W), appointed in June 2023. The G3W, which has been joined by 193 nations, is slated to provide standardized worldwide reporting of greenhouse gas emissions as early as 2024. This new wealth of information will enable decision-makers in government and private sectors to create new mitigation strategies. https://engineering.uiowa.edu/news-all/2023/07/carmichael-lead-united-nations-global-greenhouse-gas-watch#:~:text=Carmichael%2C%20University%20of%20Iowa's%20Karl,Greenhouse%20Gas%20Watch%20
A brief description of other political positions the institution has taken during the previous three years (if applicable):
A brief description of political donations the institution made during the previous three years (if applicable):
Website URL where information about the institution’s sustainability advocacy efforts 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.