Leading the Way on Carbon Pricing, Colleges and Universities Launch Toolkit to Expand Implementation
Schools demonstrate how to implement internal carbon prices and engage in public education on carbon pricing policy.
San Francisco, September 13, 2018 – Momentum for carbon pricing is building as an efficient way to pursue climate goals and emission reduction targets. New jurisdictions and businesses are implementing carbon pricing instruments. Today, at the Higher Education Leadership On Carbon Pricing event, a Global Climate Action Summit affiliate event, the Carbon Pricing in Higher Education Working Group released a toolkit that provides resources for other schools exploring internal carbon prices.
Following Former Secretary of State John Kerry’s opening address, the Higher Education Carbon Pricing Toolkit launched today to a packed room of diverse stakeholders. Explaining the objectives behind the toolkit, Casey Pickett, director of the Carbon Charge at Yale University, said, “The toolkit is a guide to help schools explore internal carbon pricing through the experiences of their peers. The toolkit is an attempt to address questions from those who have been following our projects and who want to begin implementing carbon pricing themselves”.
“Carbon pricing offers a powerful policy lever that is an important part of the solution to climate change. Colleges and universities have a critical role to play in helping people understand its potential impact and we are excited to build collaboration around carbon pricing” said Aurora Winslade, Swarthmore College’s director of sustainability.
The Working Group on Carbon Pricing in Higher Education is led by Yale, Second Nature and Swarthmore and supported by the Carbon Pricing Leadership Coalition (CPLC), in partnership with Smith College, Arizona State University, University of British Columbia, George Washington University, and University College London. The working group produces resources to help higher education institutions internally model carbon pricing and inform students, policymakers, and the public on the benefits and complexities of carbon pricing.
“The toolkit provides resources for administrators, faculty, staff, and students looking to explore carbon pricing. The tools can save time and resources, helping schools implement approaches more quickly.” Alex Barron, assistant professor at Smith College explained.
Toolkit co-editor Ruby Woodside of Second Nature added, “We have put together case studies, example communications, calculator tools, and research papers from schools implementing internal carbon pricing on campuses. This is a start. We invite others pursuing internal carbon pricing to help us build this resource.”
Those interested in joining the working group and adding to the toolkit should contact any of the working group partners.
Following the launch of the toolkit today, the Carbon Pricing in Higher Education Working Group will also present it at the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE) Pre-Conference workshop on Carbon Pricing on Tue, Oct. 2nd. Additionally, the working group will schedule webinars to provide deeper dives into the toolkit.
###
Yale
Yale University is testing the feasibility and effectiveness of internal carbon pricing with a revenue-neutral carbon charge on building energy consumption.
For more information, contact Casey Pickett, Director of the Carbon Charge, at (860) 729-2210.
Second Nature
Second Nature is committed to accelerating climate action in, and through, higher education. We do this by mobilizing a diverse array of higher education institutions to act on bold climate commitments, to scale campus climate initiatives, and to create innovative climate solutions.
Learn more at: secondnature.org. For more information, contact Ruby Woodside, Innovative Services Manager, 617-722-0036.
Swarthmore College
Swarthmore College believes that climate change poses the single greatest threat to human well-being that we will face in our lifetimes, and that carbon pricing has a critical role in any national or global plan to mitigate that threat. Swarthmore established its internal Carbon Charge in 2016 with four primary goals:
· Provide a platform to educate and engage the community with carbon pricing solutions
· Incentivize reductions in Swarthmore’s emissions
· Provide capital for projects that reduce our emissions
· Build momentum for state, national, and global implementation of carbon pricing
Learn more at: https://www.swarthmore.edu/sustainability/swarthmore-carbon-charge-program Email: sustainability@swarthmore.edu Phone: 610-957-6015
Carbon Pricing Leadership Coalition (CPLC)
A unique initiative, the Coalition brings together leaders across national and sub-national governments, the private sector, academia, and civil society with the goal of putting in place effective carbon pricing policies that maintain competitiveness, create jobs, encourage innovation, and deliver meaningful emissions reductions. The Coalition drives action through knowledge sharing, targeted technical analysis and public-private dialogues that guide successful carbon pricing policy adoption and accelerate implementation.
More information: https://www.carbonpricingleadership.org/
Media contact: Isabel Saldarriaga, isaldarriaga@worldbankgroup.org, Phone: +1-202-458-1806
