Report on University Climate Action and Alignment with Sustainable Development Goals

A Comparative Analysis of the University of California System and Purdue University

1.0 Introduction: Higher Education’s Role in Achieving the SDGs

Higher education institutions are critical actors in the global effort to achieve the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Through research, education, and institutional operations, universities can drive progress, particularly on SDG 13 (Climate Action), SDG 7 (Affordable and Clean Energy), and SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities). This report provides a comparative analysis of two major U.S. public university systems—the University of California (UC) and Purdue University—to evaluate their commitments and actions toward decarbonization and overall SDG alignment.

2.0 A Model for Leadership: The University of California System

2.1 Commitment to SDG 13: Climate Action

The University of California system has demonstrated significant leadership by committing to full decarbonization by 2045. This initiative directly addresses the targets of SDG 13 by establishing a concrete, long-term strategy to combat climate change and its impacts. The plan is notable for its focus on direct emissions reduction rather than a heavy reliance on carbon offsets.

2.2 Strategy for SDG 7: Affordable and Clean Energy

The UC system’s strategy is fundamentally aligned with SDG 7, which calls for ensuring access to affordable, reliable, sustainable, and modern energy for all. Key components of their plan include:

• A reduction of at least 90 percent in emissions from campus electricity and fossil fuel use from 2019 levels.
• Investment in carbon dioxide removal projects to balance residual emissions.

This approach signals a decisive transition away from fossil fuels toward clean energy infrastructure, setting a benchmark for other institutions.

2.3 The Importance of SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals

The success of the UC initiative was not achieved in isolation. It was the result of years of sustained advocacy and coalition-building across multiple campuses. This exemplifies the power of SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals), where collaboration among students, faculty, and administration creates the necessary momentum for transformative institutional change.

3.0 Case Study: Purdue University’s Misalignment with Climate-Related SDGs

3.1 Emissions Profile and Impact on SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities

Purdue University, a major land-grant institution, emits approximately 439,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent annually. This level of pollution is comparable to that of a small city, making the university’s climate inaction a significant impediment to achieving SDG 11, which aims to make human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient, and sustainable. Despite its large environmental footprint, the university lacks a declared plan for comprehensive decarbonization.

3.2 Contradictions in Innovation and Sustainability Performance

Purdue University promotes its identity as a global leader in innovation, a key component of SDG 9 (Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure). However, this reputation is undermined by its operational performance related to sustainability.

• The university scores poorly in the AASHE STARS rating system, receiving zero out of four points for clean and renewable energy and 1.08 out of eight for greenhouse gas emissions.
• This disconnect highlights a failure to apply its innovative capacity to its own infrastructure and energy systems, thereby failing to support SDG 7 and SDG 13.

3.3 Institutional and Political Challenges

Purdue operates within a challenging political environment in Indiana, characterized by:

• A state government that has canceled its climate action planning.
• A state electricity grid with one of the highest carbon intensities in the nation.

While these factors present obstacles, the progress made by neighboring Indiana University, which has committed to carbon neutrality by 2040, demonstrates that action is feasible even within this context.

4.0 Analysis of Community Advocacy and Administrative Response at Purdue

4.1 Community Demand for Climate Action

There is significant demand from within the Purdue community for alignment with global climate goals. This internal drive for sustainability represents an untapped resource for achieving SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals).

1. In 2020, over 2,000 students signed a petition for a climate action plan.
2. In 2023, the Purdue Student Government, Graduate Student Government, and University Senate all passed resolutions calling for a commitment to a climate action plan.
3. The Purdue Climate Action Collective (PCAC) continues to advocate for transparency and action through protests, petitions, and direct engagement with the administration.

The university administration has largely ignored these calls, failing to establish the collaborative governance necessary for meaningful progress.

4.2 Insufficiency of Current Plans

The administration points to its 2020-25 Sustainability Master Plan and a feasibility study for a Small Modular Nuclear Reactor (SMR) as its climate action plan. This approach is inadequate for addressing the urgency of SDG 13 for several reasons:

• The Master Plan lacks a long-term vision beyond 2025 and does not commit to full decarbonization.
• The SMR is an unproven, high-cost technology with a commercial viability timeline of 2035-2040 at the earliest, making it an excuse for delaying immediate, proven solutions required by SDG 7 and SDG 13.

5.0 Recommended Pathways for Purdue’s Alignment with the SDGs

5.1 Immediate Actions for SDG 7, SDG 11, and SDG 12

Purdue can take proven, cost-effective actions now to make progress on SDG 7 (Affordable and Clean Energy), SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities), and SDG 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production).

1. Enhance Building Efficiency: Implement software and operational changes to reduce energy consumption in buildings, directly addressing SDG 12.
2. Promote Sustainable Transportation: Increase investment in public transit and electric vehicle infrastructure, contributing to the sustainability of the campus community (SDG 11).
3. Transition to Clean Energy Sources: Arrange power-purchase agreements (PPAs) with renewable energy generators and begin electrifying the university’s vehicle fleet to advance SDG 7.

5.2 Fostering Partnerships and Upholding SDG 4: Quality Education

To achieve long-term success, the Purdue administration must embrace SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals) by engaging in an inclusive and transparent climate action planning process that leverages the expertise of its faculty, staff, and students. By taking decisive climate action, Purdue would not only reduce its environmental impact but also align its operations with its core mission of SDG 4 (Quality Education), preparing students to lead in a world that requires sustainable solutions.

Analysis of the Article in Relation to Sustainable Development Goals

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

• SDG 7: Affordable and Clean Energy: The article’s central theme is the transition of university campuses from fossil fuels (coal, natural gas) to cleaner energy sources. It discusses renewable energy development, energy efficiency improvements, and advanced technologies like small modular nuclear reactors (SMRs).
• SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities: The article frames university campuses as entities with environmental impacts comparable to “a small city.” It discusses the need for these communities to reduce their pollution and integrate their climate action plans with those of the surrounding cities, such as the “Greater Lafayette Climate Action Plan.”
• SDG 13: Climate Action: This is the most prominent SDG in the article. The entire piece revolves around the development and implementation of climate action plans at universities like the University of California and Purdue to decarbonize and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
• SDG 4: Quality Education: The article is set within the context of higher education institutions and highlights their role as “thought leaders.” It mentions that “Classes in a wide range of majors feature considerable discussion of sustainability, and researchers across campus study the causes of and potential solutions for climate change,” connecting the core mission of education to sustainable development.
• SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals: The article emphasizes the importance of collaboration and advocacy. It details partnerships between students and faculty (Purdue Climate Action Collective), collaborations across different campuses (UC system), and potential partnerships between the university and the surrounding community (Greater Lafayette Climate Action Plan) and with private industry (Duke Energy).

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

• Under SDG 13 (Climate Action):
  • Target 13.2: Integrate climate change measures into national policies, strategies and planning. The article focuses on this at an institutional level, discussing the University of California’s commitment “to fully decarbonize no later than 2045” and the advocacy for Purdue to develop its own comprehensive “climate action plan.” These plans are institutional strategies that integrate climate change measures.
• Under SDG 7 (Affordable and Clean Energy):
  • Target 7.2: By 2030, increase substantially the share of renewable energy in the global energy mix. The article discusses Purdue’s goal “to pursue 500 kilowatts of renewable energy” and mentions other universities using “power-purchase agreements with clean electricity generators.” It also notes Purdue’s low score on “clean and renewable energy” in an AASHE report, highlighting the need for a greater share of renewables.
  • Target 7.3: By 2030, double the global rate of improvement in energy efficiency. The article suggests that Purdue could take “cost-effective actions, such as improving the efficiency of its building operations (for example, by using software to avoid heating or cooling unoccupied spaces).”
• Under SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities):
  • Target 11.6: By 2030, reduce the adverse per capita environmental impact of cities. The article directly addresses this by stating Purdue’s campus “emits as much climate pollution as a small city” and focuses on plans to reduce these emissions. The call for Purdue to join the “Greater Lafayette Climate Action Plan” is a direct effort to reduce the university’s adverse environmental impact on the local community.
• Under SDG 4 (Quality Education):
  • Target 4.7: By 2030, ensure that all learners acquire the knowledge and skills needed to promote sustainable development. The article implies this target is being addressed through curriculum, stating that “Classes in a wide range of majors feature considerable discussion of sustainability, and researchers across campus study the causes of and potential solutions for climate change.”
• Under SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals):
  • Target 17.17: Encourage and promote effective public, public-private and civil society partnerships. The article is rich with examples, including the “Purdue Climate Action Collective (PCAC)” formed by students and faculty (civil society partnership), the university’s “joint study with Duke Energy” (public-private partnership), and the advocacy for Purdue to join the “Greater Lafayette Climate Action Plan” (public-public partnership).

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

• For Target 13.2:
  • Indicator (related to 13.2.2 Total greenhouse gas emissions per year): The article provides specific quantitative data that can be used as an indicator. It states Purdue’s emissions were “439,000 metric tons per year of carbon dioxide equivalent as of 2023.” It also mentions specific reduction goals, such as the UC system’s plan to “cut emissions… by at least 90 percent from 2019 levels” and Purdue’s goal to “reduce… emissions… 50 percent below 2011 levels by 2025.”
• For Target 7.2:
  • Indicator (related to 7.2.1 Renewable energy share): Progress can be measured by the amount of renewable energy capacity installed or pursued. The article mentions Purdue’s goal “to pursue 500 kilowatts of renewable energy.” The score from the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE), where Purdue “scored zero out of four on clean and renewable energy,” also serves as a direct indicator of the current renewable energy share.
• For Target 11.6:
  • Indicator (related to 11.6.1 Proportion of municipal solid waste collected and managed): While not explicitly waste, the total campus emissions figure of “439,000 metric tons per year of carbon dioxide equivalent” serves as a direct indicator of the campus’s overall environmental pollution impact, which this target aims to reduce.
• For Target 4.7:
  • Indicator (Qualitative): The article implies a qualitative indicator through the statement that “Classes in a wide range of majors feature considerable discussion of sustainability.” The extent to which sustainability is integrated into the curriculum could be measured to track progress.
• For Target 17.17:
  • Indicator (Qualitative): The existence and activities of multi-stakeholder partnerships serve as an indicator. The article mentions the formation of the “Purdue Climate Action Collective (PCAC),” petitions signed by thousands of students (“more than 2,000” and “1,600 signatures”), and formal resolutions passed by student and faculty governance bodies. These actions indicate the level of engagement in civil society partnerships.

4. Summary Table of SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

Source: insidehighered.com