Climate Action

SU'S Climate Commitment

In 2007, Seattle University became a charter signatory of the American College & University President's Climate Commitment (ACUPCC). We believe that higher education must educate students and conduct research to develop the social, environmental, economic and technological solutions to reverse global climate change and lead by example to reduce our campus’ emissions.  

The ACUPCC Commitment required signatories to: 

• Establish an institutional structure
• Complete an Emissions inventory within a year and annually thereafter
• Establishing a climate neutrality action plan setting a target date and interim milestones for achieving climate neutrality
• Take immediate steps to reduce greenhouse gas emissions
• Integrate sustainability into the curriculum
• Make the climate action plan, inventory and progress reports publicly available

Climate Action Plan (2010) and Laudato Si Action Plan (2023)

In 2010, Seattle University created a Climate Action Plan (CAP) to further deepen and strengthen its commitment to sustainability. The CAP describes the university’s intentions to more comprehensively address climate change and advance sustainability in the Academics, Co-curricular programs, Marketing and Communications, and Operations.

In 2011, The President’s Committee for Sustainability (PCS) was convened to oversee: 

• The implementation of Seattle University's Climate Action Plan
• The integration of sustainability initiatives across the Seattle University community 
  
  
• ACADEMICS: Expand sustainability in the curriculum
• CO-CURRICULAR PROGRAMS and ENGAGEMENT: Expand sustainability in co-curricular programs and educate SU's campus community about climate change and sustainability outside the classroom
• OPERATIONS: Increase sustainable practices in university operations and eliminate greenhouse gas emissions from operations and transportation 
• MARKETING & COMMUNICATIONS: Share our sustainability knowledge and expertise with others 

In response to Pope Francis’s invitation to higher education institutions, Seattle University's (SU) President Peñalver signed a letter of commitment in September 2021 to participate in the “Seven-Year Journey Towards Integral Ecology”and the Laudato Si’ Action Platform (LSAP).

The LSAP Leadership team was created in Fall 2022 to follow in the footsteps of the President's Committee for Sustainability (PCS, 2011-2022). with the goal to oversee, facilitate, and adequately coordinate the implementation of the LSAP priorities and goals.  The LSAP team adopted, in February 2023, SU's Laudato Si’ Action Plan, which includes four main priorities and 27 goals.