University Senate passes resolution to achieve carbon neutrality by 2040 instead of 2050

The University Senate passed a proposal for the university to change its goal of having net zero emissions by 2040 instead of 2050 Thursday. Credit: Mackenzie Shanklin | Photo Editor

The University Senate passed a resolution Thursday encouraging Ohio State to change its goal of achieving carbon neutrality to 2040, instead of its previously stated goal of 2050.

Alex Poling, a third-year in environmental science and university senator representing Undergraduate Student Government, proposed the bill, which recommended the university change its sustainability goals in light of recent climate change predictions. The proposal passed with 92 votes of approval, one vote of disapproval and seven abstained votes. 

The bill stated the goal should be moved up by 10 years in light of a recent report from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. The panel recommended leaders aim to limit the global temperature to a 1.5 degrees Celsius increase, rather than the previously recommended 2 degrees C allowance the university’s 2050 goal was based on. 

Since 1880, the average global temperature has increased 1.1 degrees Celsius above pre-industrialization levels, according to NASA.

“I felt like having support from the university senate would be really influential in actually making sure that there is follow through in achieving these goals, especially when it comes to getting the finances needed from the Board of Trustees,” Poling said.

The resolution stated that the university should use clean energy sources instead of fossil fuels, while increasing the use of organic recycling and reducing waste production. 

Ohio State currently has seven sustainability goals, which include carbon neutrality by 2050, increasing energy efficiency by 25 percent and achieving zero waste by 2025.

The city of Columbus aims to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050 and use 100 percent renewable energy by 2022, according to the city of Columbus website. 

Thursday’s resolution also referenced a 2020 interview in which University President Kristina M. Johnson said she would prefer the university adopt a goal of carbon neutrality by 2040, rather than 2050.

“We are in a race to decarbonize as fast as we can,” Johnson said in the interview. “People talk about 2050? That is so 10 years ago when I was Under Secretary of Energy. My view is we’ve got to pull that back. We’ve got to decarbonize by 2040.”  

Poling said the President and Provost’s Council on Sustainability must now review the  resolution, where changes will be made and it will be put into effect. He said this process might take longer since it is near the end of the school year, so it will likely be addressed in the fall.

Poling said this is an important issue because if people are not already impacted by climate change, they will be in the future. He said the university needs to respond to these issues and serve the people of Ohio as a research and land grant institution.

“I feel like when we contribute to climate change we aren’t fulfilling that mission, and reaching carbon neutrality needs to be part of reaching both of those goals,” Poling said.