A climate action plan is a campus plan that aims to reduce campus greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by a specific amount over a certain time period. A comprehensive CAP includes specific actions and focus areas including determining a climate neutrality target date (including setting interim target dates) and prioritizing Mitigation, Education, Research, and Outreach strategies. The CAP includes tracking measures to ensure progress on goals and actions. The CAP is an evolving plan that is revisited every couple of years and is updated based on changes in campus conditions and available technologies.
How long will it take?
Work is already underway. In April 2011, Radford University's Sustainability Steering Committee hosted three one-hour workshops to solicit campus input as the university prepares to develop its Climate Action Plan (CAP). The workshops were open to students, faculty, staff, and others that were interested in the development of the CAP. The workshops featured presentations on the CAP planning process, environmental issues and university efforts toward carbon neutrality as well as discussions during which ideas and suggestions were offered. Radford University is spending 2011-2012 preparing its CAP with a goal of submitting it to the ACUPCC in late 2012.
