{"id":234245,"date":"2018-02-06T12:58:17","date_gmt":"2018-02-06T17:58:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/news.harvard.edu\/gazette\/?p=234245"},"modified":"2024-01-09T09:56:51","modified_gmt":"2024-01-09T14:56:51","slug":"harvard-makes-climate-pledge-to-end-fossil-fuel-use","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/news.harvard.edu\/gazette\/story\/2018\/02\/harvard-makes-climate-pledge-to-end-fossil-fuel-use\/","title":{"rendered":"Harvard makes climate pledge to end fossil fuel use"},"content":{"rendered":"<header\n\tclass=\"wp-block-harvard-gazette-article-header alignfull article-header is-style-display-title has-light-background has-colored-heading has-overlay\"\n\tstyle=\" \"\n>\n\t\n\t<div class=\"article-header__content\">\n\t\t\t<a\n\t\t\tclass=\"article-header__category\"\n\t\t\thref=\"https:\/\/news.harvard.edu\/gazette\/section\/campus-community\/\"\n\t\t>\n\t\t\tCampus &amp; Community\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\n\t\t<h1 class=\"article-header__title wp-block-heading \">\n\t\tHarvard makes climate pledge to end fossil fuel use\t<\/h1>\n\n\t\t\t<p class=\"article-header__subheading wp-block-heading\">\n\t\t\tLeaders of task force explain how they arrived at ambitious energy goals for campus\t\t<\/p>\n\t\n\t\n\t<div class=\"article-header__meta\">\n\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-post-author\">\n\t\t\t<address class=\"wp-block-post-author__content\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"author wp-block-post-author__name\">\n\t\tColin Durrant\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p class=\"wp-block-post-author__byline\">\n\t\t\tHarvard Correspondent\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/address>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t<time class=\"article-header__date\" datetime=\"2018-02-06\">\n\t\t\tFebruary 6, 2018\t\t<\/time>\n\n\t\t<span class=\"article-header__reading-time\">\n\t\t\tlong read\t\t<\/span>\n\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n<figure class=\"wp-block-video wp-block-video--ambient\"><video autoplay loop muted playsinline src=\"https:\/\/news.harvard.edu\/gazette\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/loop_solar_panels_slowedb.mp4\"><\/video><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><p class=\"wp-element-caption--credit\">Video courtesy of Maggie McFee\/Harvard FAS Research Computing<\/p><\/figcaption><button aria-label=\"Pause ambient video\" class=\"video-ambient-controls pause\"><\/button><\/figure>\n\n\t\n<\/header>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group alignwide has-global-padding is-content-justification-right is-layout-constrained wp-container-core-group-is-layout-f1f2ed93 wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n<p>A new Harvard University climate action plan, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.harvard.edu\/president\/news\/2018\/harvards-climate-change-efforts\">announced by Harvard President Drew Faust<\/a> today, clears an ambitious path forward to shift campus operations further away from fossil fuels. <a href=\"http:\/\/www.green.harvard.edu\/climate\">The plan<\/a> includes two significant science-based targets to reduce emissions dramatically: a long-term goal to be fossil-fuel-free by 2050, and a short-term one to be fossil-fuel-neutral by 2026.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The plan builds on Harvard\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/green.harvard.edu\/topics\/climate-energy\/2006-2016-climate-goal\">previous 10-year climate goal<\/a>, achieved in 2016, to reduce on-campus greenhouse gas emissions by 30 percent, despite a square footage increase of 12 percent during that period. Following this milestone, Faust appointed a climate change task force composed of a multidisciplinary group of faculty experts, senior administrators, and students to help the University envision a new set of climate commitments to define its work on campus over the next several decades.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The task force was co-chaired by Rebecca Henderson, the John and Natty McArthur University Professor at Harvard Business School; Bill Clark, the Harvey Brooks Professor of International Science, Public Policy, and Human Development at Harvard Kennedy School; and Harvard Executive Vice President Katie Lapp. The task force recently completed its work and delivered its recommendations to Faust. These recommendations provided the blueprint for the new plan.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In an interview, Henderson, Clark, and Lapp talked with the Gazette about the recommendations, the research and thinking behind them, and some highlights of the plan.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>GAZETTE:<\/strong> The climate change task force recently delivered its report to President Faust, outlining its recommendations for the next stage of Harvard\u2019s climate commitment. Before we dive into the specific recommendations, can you touch on the broader scientific and societal context in which the group considered them?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>HENDERSON:<\/strong> I think the most direct answer is that the world is in crisis, that the climate is changing faster than scientists hoped it would. All the projections suggested that there would be impacts, but everything\u2019s happening at the high end of the original scientific consensus. What\u2019s most dramatic, and perhaps most salient, is the huge storms that hit the Caribbean and Texas last summer. And while one can\u2019t ascribe any single storm to the effects of climate change, what the scientists said is these kinds of events would become more frequent and more severe.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>CLARK:<\/strong> We seem to be edging up on a pivot point in the notion that fossil fuels are an inevitable, necessary evil that you have to stay with. We are facing a time when the notion of shifting the world\u2019s foundations for energy choices in a more sustainable, life-friendly direction is feasible technologically, economically, and politically.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2500\" height=\"1667\" src=\"https:\/\/news.harvard.edu\/gazette\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/111517_climate_0172.jpg\" alt=\"Bill Clark and Rebecca Henderson.\" class=\"wp-image-237631\" srcset=\"https:\/\/news.harvard.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/111517_climate_0172.jpg 2500w, https:\/\/news.harvard.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/111517_climate_0172.jpg?resize=150,100 150w, https:\/\/news.harvard.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/111517_climate_0172.jpg?resize=300,200 300w, https:\/\/news.harvard.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/111517_climate_0172.jpg?resize=768,512 768w, https:\/\/news.harvard.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/111517_climate_0172.jpg?resize=1024,683 1024w, https:\/\/news.harvard.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/111517_climate_0172.jpg?resize=1536,1024 1536w, https:\/\/news.harvard.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/111517_climate_0172.jpg?resize=2048,1366 2048w, https:\/\/news.harvard.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/111517_climate_0172.jpg?resize=48,32 48w, https:\/\/news.harvard.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/111517_climate_0172.jpg?resize=96,64 96w, https:\/\/news.harvard.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/111517_climate_0172.jpg?resize=1488,992 1488w, https:\/\/news.harvard.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/111517_climate_0172.jpg?resize=1680,1120 1680w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2500px) 100vw, 2500px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><p class=\"wp-element-caption--caption\">Bill Clark of the Kennedy School and Rebecca Henderson of the Business School are faculty co-chairs of the Climate Change Task Force that made recommendations for the next stage of the University&#8217;s climate commitment. Rose Lincoln\/Harvard Staff Photographer\t\t\t<\/p><p class=\"wp-element-caption--credit\">Harvard University<\/p><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>GAZETTE:<\/strong> So, given this context, can you describe some of the task force\u2019s central findings that were the foundation of the recommendations?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>CLARK:<\/strong> For any energy choice Harvard makes, the task force found that while there are substantial climate implications, there are also substantial implications through other pollutants for health, ecosystem, agriculture, productivity, and materials. Not only are there climate reasons to shift away from fossil fuels, but there are other reasons that are important to consider when you realize that the same choices you make are going to have broader implications.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>An analysis done by the task force found that the full scope of damages associated with Harvard using fossil fuels to provide the energy services it needs to perform its mission are at least $25 million a year. Of that total, perhaps three-quarters is due to the impact of fossil fuels on the climate, and the rest is associated with costs related to the human health effects of other pollutants. Nobody questions Harvard\u2019s need for energy services to fulfill its mission, but we found it extremely sobering to think that we\u2019re getting our energy in ways that are creating that much damage to society. Surely, we should be looking for ways to meet our energy needs while reducing those associated damages to the climate, public health, and the environment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p>&#8220;We are facing a time when the notion of shifting the world\u2019s foundations for energy choices in a more sustainable, life-friendly direction is feasible technologically, economically, and politically.&#8221;<\/p>\n<cite>Bill Clark<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>GAZETTE:<\/strong> One of the task force\u2019s core mandates was to recommend a new set of emissions-reductions targets for the University. What were those goals?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>HENDERSON:<\/strong> The last 10 years have seen <a href=\"https:\/\/green.harvard.edu\/topics\/climate-energy\/2006-2016-climate-goal\">enormous progress<\/a> on campus. Emissions have gone down by 30 percent overall, including campus growth, which is fantastic and absolutely the leading edge of what most other institutions and firms have accomplished.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>So, what next? The task force focused hard on the question of what Harvard could continue to do on campus in terms of a short-term goal and a long-term goal. The long-term goal is to make the campus fossil-fuel-free by 2050. That means, to the maximum extent possible, our operations will not rely on the use of fossil fuels.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Now, why do we say \u201cgo to zero\u201d by 2050? Well, the most immediate reason is both Boston and Cambridge have announced that that\u2019s the standard they\u2019re expecting of institutions and companies by 2050. The second reason is that we know from the science that that\u2019s at least what we need to do if we\u2019re going to help solve the problems that we as a society face.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>And, in fact, we thought we needed to do more than that. So, we also recommended a short-term goal that Harvard become fossil-fuel-neutral by 2026. What we mean by fossil-fuel-neutral is that we invest in other projects \u2014 things like power purchase agreements, things like buying renewable energy certificates \u2014 so that, although we will continue to be responsible for fossil-fuel emissions here in Cambridge, we will be making sufficient investments that would take our net use of fossil fuels to zero by 2026.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>GAZETTE:<\/strong> How do you see these goals and the task force\u2019s other recommendations mixing with the extensive research and teaching on climate change and sustainability that\u2019s going on at the University?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>HENDERSON:<\/strong> We think this is one of the most exciting aspects of this new commitment. It is a very real opportunity to use Harvard\u2019s campus to engage our faculty, our researchers, and our students in tackling the very toughest challenge we face in the necessary transition to a fossil-fuel-free future. The task force\u2019s recommendations present research questions, which our faculty can use to further their research and engage students as part of the teaching and learning experience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>CLARK:<\/strong> It\u2019s worth emphasizing that, yes, our recommendations are fundamentally about how we might engage our entire community in figuring out solutions to the global problems society faces when it comes to sustainable development and climate change. These are topics in which Harvard has in the past and needs to in the future play a really fundamental role.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image alignwide size-full is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1100\" height=\"550\" src=\"https:\/\/news.harvard.edu\/gazette\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/pathwaytofossilfuelfreegif.gif\" alt=\"Climate goals graphic.\" class=\"wp-image-237622\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><p class=\"wp-element-caption--caption\">\t\t\t<\/p><p class=\"wp-element-caption--credit\">Graphic by Kate Hammer\/Harvard Staff<\/p><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>LAPP:<\/strong> In addition to prioritizing institutional action on climate over the past decade, President Faust has made a strong commitment to funding climate change research with an eye toward long-term global solutions. For example, since 2014, more than $11 million has been invested in 41 multidisciplinary research projects through the <a href=\"https:\/\/news.harvard.edu\/gazette\/story\/2018\/01\/new-grants-for-climate-solutions\/\">Climate Change Solutions Fund<\/a> and the <a href=\"https:\/\/globalinstitute.harvard.edu\/grants-issue\">Harvard Global Institute<\/a>. Additionally, a new <a href=\"https:\/\/green.harvard.edu\/campus-sustainability-innovation-fund\">Campus Sustainability Innovation Fund<\/a> is supporting faculty research that uses our campus or surrounding communities to test or prove promising new solutions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>GAZETTE:<\/strong> Why did the committee feel it was important to set the short-term, fossil-fuel-neutral goal, and what would you say to people who say we will just be buying our way out of the problem?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-harvard-gazette-supporting-content alignleft supporting-content\" id=\"supporting-content-b5f67dbc-11d7-42e5-88c2-f33be83e6dce\">\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading has-secondary-green-dark-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-8e534d663ec781ffd06a79d79aeb2fab\" id=\"h-a-decade-of-climate-action\">A decade of climate action<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>2004: <a href=\"https:\/\/news.harvard.edu\/gazette\/story\/2004\/10\/six-new-sustainability-principles-adopted\/\">Sustainability Principles adopted<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>2008: Initial climate goal announced at&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/news.harvard.edu\/gazette\/story\/2008\/10\/gore-universities-have-important-role-in-sustainability\/\">celebration with Al Gore<\/a>&nbsp;attended by 15,000, targeting 30% reduction in absolute emissions from 2006 to 2016<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>2014: $20 million&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/news.harvard.edu\/gazette\/story\/2014\/04\/fund-to-tackle-climate-change\/\">Climate Change Solutions Fund<\/a>&nbsp;created to support cutting-edge climate research<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>2014: University-wide Sustainability Plan released, focused on climate, health, and living lab<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>2016: <a href=\"https:\/\/news.harvard.edu\/gazette\/story\/2016\/12\/harvard-achieves-greenhouse-gas-reduction-goal\/\">Short-term climate goal achieved<\/a>; campus energy use reduced by 10%, inclusive of 12% campus growth<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>2016: Campus Sustainability Innovation Fund and Climate Change Solutions Living Lab course launched<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>2018: New Climate Action Plan announced signaling transition to a&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/news.harvard.edu\/gazette\/story\/2018\/01\/new-grants-for-climate-solutions\/\">fossil-fuel-free campus by 2050<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>HENDERSON:<\/strong> The first and most important reason is because we now have an even better sense of the damages \u2014 the very real damages \u2014 that our energy choices are causing. We are directly contributing to the burning of fossil fuels, and that\u2019s causing very real damages. We believe we have a moral duty to stop doing that as soon as we can. The second reason we made this recommendation is that we think that Harvard adopting this target will have real effects on the world around us, and that is consistent with our goal to be a leader in the world and in our community.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>There are really two kinds of impacts that we\u2019re hoping that this move can have. First, we can contribute to generating real demand for fossil-fuel-free energy, which in turn will drive down the costs. My own research explores the effect of strong demand signals on technical innovation, and one of the things I think economists are most certain about is that if consumers want it, they will build it. Second, and very importantly, we think that in Harvard making this commitment, we can learn more about what it means to make this transition and develop the kind of research and analysis that will support other institutions in making the choice to accelerate this change.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>To those who say Harvard\u2019s going to buy its way out of our trouble, I would reiterate that our first and most central recommendation is that Harvard should pursue all available opportunities to reduce fossil fuel use on campus, and that we should get to zero by 2050.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>GAZETTE:<\/strong> How would you address concerns about the cost of reaching these commitments, especially the short-term, fossil-fuel-neutral goal?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>HENDERSON:<\/strong> We believe that the current state of technology and science suggests that we could become fossil-fuel-neutral for relatively small amounts of money, on the order of 1 to 3 percent of energy costs. We have every reason to believe that those costs will go down over time. We think the other nice thing about this is that these small percentages are within the margin of the natural variability of energy prices. So just as energy prices rise when oil prices rise or there are geopolitical events, what this would look like to the community is a small increase in the price of energy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>People are sometimes concerned that there are poor-quality offsets out there, or that our money might go down a drain. Clearly, investing these funds in a way that helps us reduce damages and ultimately achieve fossil-fuel neutrality while ensuring our money isn\u2019t wasted is an important task. Our hope is to use some of these issues and discussions as input to active research leading to insights into how organizations can optimally reach fossil-fuel neutrality in the way that has the most impact for the lowest cost.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>GAZETTE:<\/strong> Beyond the emissions directly associated with energy production or use on campus, there are a host of so-called Scope 3 emissions, those emissions that are associated with purchased goods or services that support campus operations. How did the task force think about these emissions?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>CLARK:<\/strong> It\u2019s not a surprise to people that the purchase of food or of transportation services is responsible for emissions. What surprised us, as the Office for Sustainability began to actually calculate the magnitude of those emissions using preliminary estimates, was that they were far larger than most of us had expected.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>We believe the University needs to move forward, in conjunction with other groups doing this work, to ensure that we have scientifically grounded, reliable metrics that can give us insights into the climate, health, and environmental impacts of purchased services, particularly for air travel, food, investment, and the like. As part of the process of getting more accurate measurements, we can then better understand what the options are for reducing those impacts, and begin to pursue those options consistent with Harvard\u2019s mission. As part of the fossil-fuel-free by 2050 goal, we suggest that the University make more than due-diligence efforts to ensure that the purchased goods and services are also purchased from sources that are fossil-fuel-free. Because we don\u2019t completely control what outside companies do, we\u2019re going to work as hard as we can to send signals and create demand for such goods and services.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p>&#8220;We think that in Harvard making this commitment, we can learn more about what it means to make this transition and develop the kind of research and analysis that will support other institutions in making the choice to accelerate this change.&#8221;<\/p>\n<cite>Rebecca Henderson<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>GAZETTE:<\/strong> How do you imagine Harvard might begin to operationalize these new goals?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>HENDERSON:<\/strong> The committee recommended that the University implement a surcharge on fossil-fuel consumption on the campus in order to fund becoming fossil-fuel-neutral by 2026. A surcharge is conceptually equivalent to what many people have talked about as a carbon tax. One way to think about it is: Every time I turn on a light, I\u2019m not only lighting the room, but I\u2019m creating some damages. The goal of a surcharge or a carbon tax would be to ask you to pay a little bit toward that.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Now, if you simply were to impose a surcharge on fossil-fuel use that was equivalent to the damages we were causing, that\u2019s a very big number \u2014 we\u2019re certainly not recommending anything like that.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>CLARK:<\/strong> In terms of how to implement a surcharge on campus, there are a set of questions that will need to be answered through ongoing research and in close coordination with the University\u2019s Schools and departments. These include what the size of this surcharge should be and how the revenues might be used, for example, in stimulating or incentivizing the development of low-fossil-fuel, low-emissions technologies and practices on campus. There are many faculty experts on our campus who are well-positioned to contribute to this research endeavor.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>GAZETTE:<\/strong> Katie, the University faces competing demands on shrinking resources, especially in light of the tax on endowments included in the recent federal tax bill. How will these new climate goals fit into the difficult decisions that Harvard administrators are making and will need to make about how to spend our limited resources?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-harvard-gazette-supporting-content alignleft supporting-content wp-container-1 is-position-sticky\" id=\"supporting-content-1c5197ab-56c4-4fdb-8c13-8baf7fadfd05\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image alignright size-full is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2477\" height=\"2560\" src=\"https:\/\/news.harvard.edu\/gazette\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/102017_financial_report_098-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-237922\" srcset=\"https:\/\/news.harvard.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/102017_financial_report_098-scaled.jpg 2477w, https:\/\/news.harvard.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/102017_financial_report_098-scaled.jpg?resize=145,150 145w, https:\/\/news.harvard.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/102017_financial_report_098-scaled.jpg?resize=290,300 290w, https:\/\/news.harvard.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/102017_financial_report_098-scaled.jpg?resize=768,794 768w, https:\/\/news.harvard.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/102017_financial_report_098-scaled.jpg?resize=991,1024 991w, https:\/\/news.harvard.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/102017_financial_report_098-scaled.jpg?resize=1486,1536 1486w, https:\/\/news.harvard.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/102017_financial_report_098-scaled.jpg?resize=1982,2048 1982w, https:\/\/news.harvard.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/102017_financial_report_098-scaled.jpg?resize=31,32 31w, https:\/\/news.harvard.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/102017_financial_report_098-scaled.jpg?resize=62,64 62w, https:\/\/news.harvard.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/102017_financial_report_098-scaled.jpg?resize=1488,1538 1488w, https:\/\/news.harvard.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/102017_financial_report_098-scaled.jpg?resize=1680,1736 1680w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2477px) 100vw, 2477px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><p class=\"wp-element-caption--caption\">Harvard Executive Vice President Katie Lapp. Stephanie Mitchell\/Harvard Staff Photographer <\/p><p class=\"wp-element-caption--credit\">Harvard University<\/p><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>LAPP:<\/strong> As with any major goals set by the University, we will strive to meet the commitments set forth in the task force\u2019s recommendations. While ambitious, I think they are achievable. The fact is, we met our previous climate goal through <a href=\"https:\/\/green.harvard.edu\/topics\/climate-change-energy\/energy-efficiency\">smart investments in energy conservation<\/a> that reduced emissions and resulted in millions of dollars of cost savings to the University. We will continue our focus on energy efficiency, particularly as new technology becomes available. And as we did with the previous goal, we will undergo a process of quadrennial reviews that will allow us to explore the question of whether or not it is still viable to meet our goals and what adjustments may need to be made given the demands on our resources.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>GAZETTE:<\/strong> The findings and recommendations of the climate change task force were unanimously agreed upon, and while you three served as co-chairs, it was composed of many other members. Can you tell us a little bit about the dynamic of the full group?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>CLARK:<\/strong> The task force was named to include a broad cross-section of faculty, students, and senior administrative staff from around the University \u2014 they were spectacular. I think we came out of this in a place that was quite unlike what anybody walked in expecting. Almost everybody at the table gave a little on something they might have liked to see featured more. But, crucially, we simply came out with a view or vision of what was achievable and what the motivations were for achieving it. And that, to put it mildly, is not something that always happens in this society.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>HENDERSON:<\/strong> Conversations were lively, sometimes difficult, but always productive. I gained so much respect for the diversity of expertise across the campus.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>GAZETTE:<\/strong> I\u2019d like to wrap it up by asking you how you individually take action to reduce the climate impact of your own lifestyles?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>LAPP:<\/strong> As many people who interact with me on campus know, I\u2019m always turning off lights, adjusting the thermostat, and I try to avoid drinking bottled water. I also walk to work, drive a Prius, compost, and try in my small way to reduce my carbon footprint wherever possible.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>CLARK:<\/strong> I try to keep up with Katie, but bike rather than walk to work. And for the last decade, I\u2019ve been running the Sustainability Science Program at the Harvard Kennedy School, which has brought in several hundred sharp young researchers and early career professionals. I have worked very hard to bring down by a factor of at least 60 percent my air travel over that period, simply in response to these folks saying: Really, how much of that travel is essential to you achieving your mission? How much of it can you do in other ways? How much of it do you need to do at all?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>HENDERSON:<\/strong> I don\u2019t eat beef. If you were to identify one single element in the food chain that generates disproportionate carbon emissions, beef would be it. When I construct my own carbon portfolio, it\u2019s overwhelmingly the flights I take, so, like Bill, I\u2019ve been very much trying to cut down my amount of flying. And, last but not least, I\u2019ve invested in insulation in my house. The numbers are very striking. The easiest way to make money usually is to insulate your house. And that\u2019s had a very positive rate of return and makes a big difference.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Members of Harvard climate change task force explain how they reached ambitious goals to end fossil fuel use on campus by 2050.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":108352576,"featured_media":237834,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"gz_ga_pageviews":21,"gz_ga_lastupdated":"2021-09-16 14:22","document_color_palette":"green","author":"Colin Durrant","affiliation":"Harvard Correspondent","_category_override":"","_yoast_wpseo_primary_category":"1364","_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1364],"tags":[5817,39806,8546,11407,13597,20558,28899],"gazette-formats":[],"series":[],"class_list":["post-234245","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-campus-community","tag-bill-clark","tag-climate-action-plan","tag-climate-change","tag-drew-faust-2","tag-fossil-fuels","tag-katie-lapp","tag-rebecca-henderson"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v23.0 (Yoast SEO v27.1.1) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-premium-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Harvard makes climate pledge to end fossil fuel use &#8212; Harvard Gazette<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Members of Harvard climate change task force explain how they reached ambitious goals to end fossil fuel use on campus by 2050.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/news.harvard.edu\/gazette\/story\/2018\/02\/harvard-makes-climate-pledge-to-end-fossil-fuel-use\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Harvard makes climate pledge to end fossil fuel use &#8212; Harvard Gazette\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Members of Harvard climate change task force explain how they reached ambitious goals to end fossil fuel use on campus by 2050.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/news.harvard.edu\/gazette\/story\/2018\/02\/harvard-makes-climate-pledge-to-end-fossil-fuel-use\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Harvard Gazette\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2018-02-06T17:58:17+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2024-01-09T14:56:51+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/news.harvard.edu\/gazette\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/solar.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"2500\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"1000\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"gazettejohnbaglione\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/news.harvard.edu\/gazette\/story\/2018\/02\/harvard-makes-climate-pledge-to-end-fossil-fuel-use\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/news.harvard.edu\/gazette\/story\/2018\/02\/harvard-makes-climate-pledge-to-end-fossil-fuel-use\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"gazettejohnbaglione\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/news.harvard.edu\/gazette\/#\/schema\/person\/99782494e562769a740295b11ce6dafe\"},\"headline\":\"Harvard makes climate pledge to end fossil fuel use\",\"datePublished\":\"2018-02-06T17:58:17+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2024-01-09T14:56:51+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/news.harvard.edu\/gazette\/story\/2018\/02\/harvard-makes-climate-pledge-to-end-fossil-fuel-use\/\"},\"wordCount\":3005,\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/news.harvard.edu\/gazette\/#organization\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/news.harvard.edu\/gazette\/story\/2018\/02\/harvard-makes-climate-pledge-to-end-fossil-fuel-use\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/news.harvard.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/solar.jpg\",\"keywords\":[\"Bill Clark\",\"Climate Action Plan\",\"Climate Change\",\"Drew Faust\",\"Fossil Fuels\",\"Katie Lapp\",\"Rebecca Henderson\"],\"articleSection\":[\"Campus &amp; 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Community\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\n\t\t<h1 class=\"article-header__title wp-block-heading \">\n\t\tHarvard makes climate pledge to end fossil fuel use\t<\/h1>\n\n\t\t\t<p class=\"article-header__subheading wp-block-heading\">\n\t\t\tLeaders of task force explain how they arrived at ambitious energy goals for campus\t\t<\/p>\n\t\n\t\n\t<div class=\"article-header__meta\">\n\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-post-author\">\n\t\t\t<address class=\"wp-block-post-author__content\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"author wp-block-post-author__name\">\n\t\tColin Durrant\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p class=\"wp-block-post-author__byline\">\n\t\t\tHarvard Correspondent\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/address>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t<time class=\"article-header__date\" datetime=\"2018-02-06\">\n\t\t\tFebruary 6, 2018\t\t<\/time>\n\n\t\t<span class=\"article-header__reading-time\">\n\t\t\tlong read\t\t<\/span>\n\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n<figure class=\"wp-block-video wp-block-video--ambient\"><video autoplay loop muted playsinline src=\"https:\/\/news.harvard.edu\/gazette\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/loop_solar_panels_slowedb.mp4\"><\/video><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><p class=\"wp-element-caption--credit\">Video courtesy of Maggie McFee\/Harvard FAS Research Computing<\/p><\/figcaption><button aria-label=\"Pause ambient video\" class=\"video-ambient-controls pause\"><\/button><\/figure>\n\n\t\n<\/header>\n"},"2":{"blockName":"core\/group","attrs":{"templateLock":false,"metadata":{"name":"Article content"},"align":"wide","layout":{"type":"constrained","justifyContent":"right"},"tagName":"div","lock":[],"className":"","style":[],"backgroundColor":"","textColor":"","gradient":"","fontSize":"","fontFamily":"","borderColor":"","ariaLabel":"","anchor":""},"innerBlocks":[{"blockName":"core\/paragraph","attrs":{"align":"","content":"A new Harvard University climate action plan, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.harvard.edu\/president\/news\/2018\/harvards-climate-change-efforts\">announced by Harvard President Drew Faust<\/a> today, clears an ambitious path forward to shift campus operations further away from fossil fuels. <a href=\"http:\/\/www.green.harvard.edu\/climate\">The plan<\/a> includes two significant science-based targets to reduce emissions dramatically: a long-term goal to be fossil-fuel-free by 2050, and a short-term one to be fossil-fuel-neutral by 2026.","dropCap":false,"placeholder":"","direction":"","lock":[],"metadata":[],"className":"","style":[],"backgroundColor":"","textColor":"","gradient":"","fontSize":"","fontFamily":"","borderColor":"","anchor":""},"innerBlocks":[],"innerHTML":"\n<p>A new Harvard University climate action plan, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.harvard.edu\/president\/news\/2018\/harvards-climate-change-efforts\">announced by Harvard President Drew Faust<\/a> today, clears an ambitious path forward to shift campus operations further away from fossil fuels. <a href=\"http:\/\/www.green.harvard.edu\/climate\">The plan<\/a> includes two significant science-based targets to reduce emissions dramatically: a long-term goal to be fossil-fuel-free by 2050, and a short-term one to be fossil-fuel-neutral by 2026.<\/p>\n","innerContent":["\n<p>A new Harvard University climate action plan, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.harvard.edu\/president\/news\/2018\/harvards-climate-change-efforts\">announced by Harvard President Drew Faust<\/a> today, clears an ambitious path forward to shift campus operations further away from fossil fuels. <a href=\"http:\/\/www.green.harvard.edu\/climate\">The plan<\/a> includes two significant science-based targets to reduce emissions dramatically: a long-term goal to be fossil-fuel-free by 2050, and a short-term one to be fossil-fuel-neutral by 2026.<\/p>\n"],"rendered":"\n<p>A new Harvard University climate action plan, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.harvard.edu\/president\/news\/2018\/harvards-climate-change-efforts\">announced by Harvard President Drew Faust<\/a> today, clears an ambitious path forward to shift campus operations further away from fossil fuels. <a href=\"http:\/\/www.green.harvard.edu\/climate\">The plan<\/a> includes two significant science-based targets to reduce emissions dramatically: a long-term goal to be fossil-fuel-free by 2050, and a short-term one to be fossil-fuel-neutral by 2026.<\/p>\n"},{"blockName":"core\/paragraph","attrs":{"align":"","content":"The plan builds on Harvard\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/green.harvard.edu\/topics\/climate-energy\/2006-2016-climate-goal\">previous 10-year climate goal<\/a>, achieved in 2016, to reduce on-campus greenhouse gas emissions by 30 percent, despite a square footage increase of 12 percent during that period. Following this milestone, Faust appointed a climate change task force composed of a multidisciplinary group of faculty experts, senior administrators, and students to help the University envision a new set of climate commitments to define its work on campus over the next several decades.","dropCap":false,"placeholder":"","direction":"","lock":[],"metadata":[],"className":"","style":[],"backgroundColor":"","textColor":"","gradient":"","fontSize":"","fontFamily":"","borderColor":"","anchor":""},"innerBlocks":[],"innerHTML":"\n<p>The plan builds on Harvard\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/green.harvard.edu\/topics\/climate-energy\/2006-2016-climate-goal\">previous 10-year climate goal<\/a>, achieved in 2016, to reduce on-campus greenhouse gas emissions by 30 percent, despite a square footage increase of 12 percent during that period. Following this milestone, Faust appointed a climate change task force composed of a multidisciplinary group of faculty experts, senior administrators, and students to help the University envision a new set of climate commitments to define its work on campus over the next several decades.<\/p>\n","innerContent":["\n<p>The plan builds on Harvard\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/green.harvard.edu\/topics\/climate-energy\/2006-2016-climate-goal\">previous 10-year climate goal<\/a>, achieved in 2016, to reduce on-campus greenhouse gas emissions by 30 percent, despite a square footage increase of 12 percent during that period. Following this milestone, Faust appointed a climate change task force composed of a multidisciplinary group of faculty experts, senior administrators, and students to help the University envision a new set of climate commitments to define its work on campus over the next several decades.<\/p>\n"],"rendered":"\n<p>The plan builds on Harvard\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/green.harvard.edu\/topics\/climate-energy\/2006-2016-climate-goal\">previous 10-year climate goal<\/a>, achieved in 2016, to reduce on-campus greenhouse gas emissions by 30 percent, despite a square footage increase of 12 percent during that period. Following this milestone, Faust appointed a climate change task force composed of a multidisciplinary group of faculty experts, senior administrators, and students to help the University envision a new set of climate commitments to define its work on campus over the next several decades.<\/p>\n"},{"blockName":"core\/paragraph","attrs":{"align":"","content":"The task force was co-chaired by Rebecca Henderson, the John and Natty McArthur University Professor at Harvard Business School; Bill Clark, the Harvey Brooks Professor of International Science, Public Policy, and Human Development at Harvard Kennedy School; and Harvard Executive Vice President Katie Lapp. The task force recently completed its work and delivered its recommendations to Faust. These recommendations provided the blueprint for the new plan.","dropCap":false,"placeholder":"","direction":"","lock":[],"metadata":[],"className":"","style":[],"backgroundColor":"","textColor":"","gradient":"","fontSize":"","fontFamily":"","borderColor":"","anchor":""},"innerBlocks":[],"innerHTML":"\n<p>The task force was co-chaired by Rebecca Henderson, the John and Natty McArthur University Professor at Harvard Business School; Bill Clark, the Harvey Brooks Professor of International Science, Public Policy, and Human Development at Harvard Kennedy School; and Harvard Executive Vice President Katie Lapp. The task force recently completed its work and delivered its recommendations to Faust. These recommendations provided the blueprint for the new plan.<\/p>\n","innerContent":["\n<p>The task force was co-chaired by Rebecca Henderson, the John and Natty McArthur University Professor at Harvard Business School; Bill Clark, the Harvey Brooks Professor of International Science, Public Policy, and Human Development at Harvard Kennedy School; and Harvard Executive Vice President Katie Lapp. The task force recently completed its work and delivered its recommendations to Faust. These recommendations provided the blueprint for the new plan.<\/p>\n"],"rendered":"\n<p>The task force was co-chaired by Rebecca Henderson, the John and Natty McArthur University Professor at Harvard Business School; Bill Clark, the Harvey Brooks Professor of International Science, Public Policy, and Human Development at Harvard Kennedy School; and Harvard Executive Vice President Katie Lapp. The task force recently completed its work and delivered its recommendations to Faust. These recommendations provided the blueprint for the new plan.<\/p>\n"},{"blockName":"core\/paragraph","attrs":{"align":"","content":"In an interview, Henderson, Clark, and Lapp talked with the Gazette about the recommendations, the research and thinking behind them, and some highlights of the plan.","dropCap":false,"placeholder":"","direction":"","lock":[],"metadata":[],"className":"","style":[],"backgroundColor":"","textColor":"","gradient":"","fontSize":"","fontFamily":"","borderColor":"","anchor":""},"innerBlocks":[],"innerHTML":"\n<p>In an interview, Henderson, Clark, and Lapp talked with the Gazette about the recommendations, the research and thinking behind them, and some highlights of the plan.<\/p>\n","innerContent":["\n<p>In an interview, Henderson, Clark, and Lapp talked with the Gazette about the recommendations, the research and thinking behind them, and some highlights of the plan.<\/p>\n"],"rendered":"\n<p>In an interview, Henderson, Clark, and Lapp talked with the Gazette about the recommendations, the research and thinking behind them, and some highlights of the plan.<\/p>\n"},{"blockName":"core\/separator","attrs":{"opacity":"alpha-channel","tagName":"hr","lock":[],"metadata":[],"align":"","className":"","style":[],"backgroundColor":"","gradient":"","anchor":""},"innerBlocks":[],"innerHTML":"\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n","innerContent":["\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n"],"rendered":"\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n"},{"blockName":"core\/paragraph","attrs":{"align":"","content":"<strong>GAZETTE:<\/strong> The climate change task force recently delivered its report to President Faust, outlining its recommendations for the next stage of Harvard\u2019s climate commitment. Before we dive into the specific recommendations, can you touch on the broader scientific and societal context in which the group considered them?","dropCap":false,"placeholder":"","direction":"","lock":[],"metadata":[],"className":"","style":[],"backgroundColor":"","textColor":"","gradient":"","fontSize":"","fontFamily":"","borderColor":"","anchor":""},"innerBlocks":[],"innerHTML":"\n<p><strong>GAZETTE:<\/strong> The climate change task force recently delivered its report to President Faust, outlining its recommendations for the next stage of Harvard\u2019s climate commitment. Before we dive into the specific recommendations, can you touch on the broader scientific and societal context in which the group considered them?<\/p>\n","innerContent":["\n<p><strong>GAZETTE:<\/strong> The climate change task force recently delivered its report to President Faust, outlining its recommendations for the next stage of Harvard\u2019s climate commitment. Before we dive into the specific recommendations, can you touch on the broader scientific and societal context in which the group considered them?<\/p>\n"],"rendered":"\n<p><strong>GAZETTE:<\/strong> The climate change task force recently delivered its report to President Faust, outlining its recommendations for the next stage of Harvard\u2019s climate commitment. Before we dive into the specific recommendations, can you touch on the broader scientific and societal context in which the group considered them?<\/p>\n"},{"blockName":"core\/paragraph","attrs":{"align":"","content":"<strong>HENDERSON:<\/strong> I think the most direct answer is that the world is in crisis, that the climate is changing faster than scientists hoped it would. All the projections suggested that there would be impacts, but everything\u2019s happening at the high end of the original scientific consensus. What\u2019s most dramatic, and perhaps most salient, is the huge storms that hit the Caribbean and Texas last summer. And while one can\u2019t ascribe any single storm to the effects of climate change, what the scientists said is these kinds of events would become more frequent and more severe.","dropCap":false,"placeholder":"","direction":"","lock":[],"metadata":[],"className":"","style":[],"backgroundColor":"","textColor":"","gradient":"","fontSize":"","fontFamily":"","borderColor":"","anchor":""},"innerBlocks":[],"innerHTML":"\n<p><strong>HENDERSON:<\/strong> I think the most direct answer is that the world is in crisis, that the climate is changing faster than scientists hoped it would. All the projections suggested that there would be impacts, but everything\u2019s happening at the high end of the original scientific consensus. What\u2019s most dramatic, and perhaps most salient, is the huge storms that hit the Caribbean and Texas last summer. And while one can\u2019t ascribe any single storm to the effects of climate change, what the scientists said is these kinds of events would become more frequent and more severe.<\/p>\n","innerContent":["\n<p><strong>HENDERSON:<\/strong> I think the most direct answer is that the world is in crisis, that the climate is changing faster than scientists hoped it would. All the projections suggested that there would be impacts, but everything\u2019s happening at the high end of the original scientific consensus. What\u2019s most dramatic, and perhaps most salient, is the huge storms that hit the Caribbean and Texas last summer. And while one can\u2019t ascribe any single storm to the effects of climate change, what the scientists said is these kinds of events would become more frequent and more severe.<\/p>\n"],"rendered":"\n<p><strong>HENDERSON:<\/strong> I think the most direct answer is that the world is in crisis, that the climate is changing faster than scientists hoped it would. All the projections suggested that there would be impacts, but everything\u2019s happening at the high end of the original scientific consensus. What\u2019s most dramatic, and perhaps most salient, is the huge storms that hit the Caribbean and Texas last summer. And while one can\u2019t ascribe any single storm to the effects of climate change, what the scientists said is these kinds of events would become more frequent and more severe.<\/p>\n"},{"blockName":"core\/paragraph","attrs":{"align":"","content":"<strong>CLARK:<\/strong> We seem to be edging up on a pivot point in the notion that fossil fuels are an inevitable, necessary evil that you have to stay with. We are facing a time when the notion of shifting the world\u2019s foundations for energy choices in a more sustainable, life-friendly direction is feasible technologically, economically, and politically.","dropCap":false,"placeholder":"","direction":"","lock":[],"metadata":[],"className":"","style":[],"backgroundColor":"","textColor":"","gradient":"","fontSize":"","fontFamily":"","borderColor":"","anchor":""},"innerBlocks":[],"innerHTML":"\n<p><strong>CLARK:<\/strong> We seem to be edging up on a pivot point in the notion that fossil fuels are an inevitable, necessary evil that you have to stay with. We are facing a time when the notion of shifting the world\u2019s foundations for energy choices in a more sustainable, life-friendly direction is feasible technologically, economically, and politically.<\/p>\n","innerContent":["\n<p><strong>CLARK:<\/strong> We seem to be edging up on a pivot point in the notion that fossil fuels are an inevitable, necessary evil that you have to stay with. We are facing a time when the notion of shifting the world\u2019s foundations for energy choices in a more sustainable, life-friendly direction is feasible technologically, economically, and politically.<\/p>\n"],"rendered":"\n<p><strong>CLARK:<\/strong> We seem to be edging up on a pivot point in the notion that fossil fuels are an inevitable, necessary evil that you have to stay with. We are facing a time when the notion of shifting the world\u2019s foundations for energy choices in a more sustainable, life-friendly direction is feasible technologically, economically, and politically.<\/p>\n"},{"blockName":"core\/image","attrs":{"align":"center","id":237631,"sizeSlug":"full","className":"is-resized","creditText":"Harvard University","blob":"","url":"https:\/\/news.harvard.edu\/gazette\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/111517_climate_0172.jpg","alt":"Bill Clark and Rebecca Henderson.","caption":"Bill Clark of the Kennedy School and Rebecca Henderson of the Business School are faculty co-chairs of the Climate Change Task Force that made recommendations for the next stage of the University's climate commitment. Rose Lincoln\/Harvard Staff Photographer\t\t\t","lightbox":[],"title":"","href":"","rel":"","linkClass":"","width":"","height":"","aspectRatio":"","scale":"","linkDestination":"","linkTarget":"","lock":[],"metadata":[],"style":[],"borderColor":"","anchor":""},"innerBlocks":[],"innerHTML":"\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full is-resized\"><img src=\"https:\/\/news.harvard.edu\/gazette\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/111517_climate_0172.jpg\" alt=\"Bill Clark and Rebecca Henderson.\" class=\"wp-image-237631\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Bill Clark of the Kennedy School and Rebecca Henderson of the Business School are faculty co-chairs of the Climate Change Task Force that made recommendations for the next stage of the University's climate commitment. Rose Lincoln\/Harvard Staff Photographer\t\t\t<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n","innerContent":["\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full is-resized\"><img src=\"https:\/\/news.harvard.edu\/gazette\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/111517_climate_0172.jpg\" alt=\"Bill Clark and Rebecca Henderson.\" class=\"wp-image-237631\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Bill Clark of the Kennedy School and Rebecca Henderson of the Business School are faculty co-chairs of the Climate Change Task Force that made recommendations for the next stage of the University's climate commitment. Rose Lincoln\/Harvard Staff Photographer\t\t\t<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n"],"rendered":"\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full is-resized\"><img src=\"https:\/\/news.harvard.edu\/gazette\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/111517_climate_0172.jpg\" alt=\"Bill Clark and Rebecca Henderson.\" class=\"wp-image-237631\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><p class=\"wp-element-caption--caption\">Bill Clark of the Kennedy School and Rebecca Henderson of the Business School are faculty co-chairs of the Climate Change Task Force that made recommendations for the next stage of the University's climate commitment. Rose Lincoln\/Harvard Staff Photographer\t\t\t<\/p><p class=\"wp-element-caption--credit\">Harvard University<\/p><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n"},{"blockName":"core\/paragraph","attrs":{"align":"","content":"<strong>GAZETTE:<\/strong> So, given this context, can you describe some of the task force\u2019s central findings that were the foundation of the recommendations?","dropCap":false,"placeholder":"","direction":"","lock":[],"metadata":[],"className":"","style":[],"backgroundColor":"","textColor":"","gradient":"","fontSize":"","fontFamily":"","borderColor":"","anchor":""},"innerBlocks":[],"innerHTML":"\n<p><strong>GAZETTE:<\/strong> So, given this context, can you describe some of the task force\u2019s central findings that were the foundation of the recommendations?<\/p>\n","innerContent":["\n<p><strong>GAZETTE:<\/strong> So, given this context, can you describe some of the task force\u2019s central findings that were the foundation of the recommendations?<\/p>\n"],"rendered":"\n<p><strong>GAZETTE:<\/strong> So, given this context, can you describe some of the task force\u2019s central findings that were the foundation of the recommendations?<\/p>\n"},{"blockName":"core\/paragraph","attrs":{"align":"","content":"<strong>CLARK:<\/strong> For any energy choice Harvard makes, the task force found that while there are substantial climate implications, there are also substantial implications through other pollutants for health, ecosystem, agriculture, productivity, and materials. Not only are there climate reasons to shift away from fossil fuels, but there are other reasons that are important to consider when you realize that the same choices you make are going to have broader implications.","dropCap":false,"placeholder":"","direction":"","lock":[],"metadata":[],"className":"","style":[],"backgroundColor":"","textColor":"","gradient":"","fontSize":"","fontFamily":"","borderColor":"","anchor":""},"innerBlocks":[],"innerHTML":"\n<p><strong>CLARK:<\/strong> For any energy choice Harvard makes, the task force found that while there are substantial climate implications, there are also substantial implications through other pollutants for health, ecosystem, agriculture, productivity, and materials. Not only are there climate reasons to shift away from fossil fuels, but there are other reasons that are important to consider when you realize that the same choices you make are going to have broader implications.<\/p>\n","innerContent":["\n<p><strong>CLARK:<\/strong> For any energy choice Harvard makes, the task force found that while there are substantial climate implications, there are also substantial implications through other pollutants for health, ecosystem, agriculture, productivity, and materials. Not only are there climate reasons to shift away from fossil fuels, but there are other reasons that are important to consider when you realize that the same choices you make are going to have broader implications.<\/p>\n"],"rendered":"\n<p><strong>CLARK:<\/strong> For any energy choice Harvard makes, the task force found that while there are substantial climate implications, there are also substantial implications through other pollutants for health, ecosystem, agriculture, productivity, and materials. Not only are there climate reasons to shift away from fossil fuels, but there are other reasons that are important to consider when you realize that the same choices you make are going to have broader implications.<\/p>\n"},{"blockName":"core\/paragraph","attrs":{"align":"","content":"An analysis done by the task force found that the full scope of damages associated with Harvard using fossil fuels to provide the energy services it needs to perform its mission are at least $25 million a year. Of that total, perhaps three-quarters is due to the impact of fossil fuels on the climate, and the rest is associated with costs related to the human health effects of other pollutants. Nobody questions Harvard\u2019s need for energy services to fulfill its mission, but we found it extremely sobering to think that we\u2019re getting our energy in ways that are creating that much damage to society. Surely, we should be looking for ways to meet our energy needs while reducing those associated damages to the climate, public health, and the environment.","dropCap":false,"placeholder":"","direction":"","lock":[],"metadata":[],"className":"","style":[],"backgroundColor":"","textColor":"","gradient":"","fontSize":"","fontFamily":"","borderColor":"","anchor":""},"innerBlocks":[],"innerHTML":"\n<p>An analysis done by the task force found that the full scope of damages associated with Harvard using fossil fuels to provide the energy services it needs to perform its mission are at least $25 million a year. Of that total, perhaps three-quarters is due to the impact of fossil fuels on the climate, and the rest is associated with costs related to the human health effects of other pollutants. Nobody questions Harvard\u2019s need for energy services to fulfill its mission, but we found it extremely sobering to think that we\u2019re getting our energy in ways that are creating that much damage to society. Surely, we should be looking for ways to meet our energy needs while reducing those associated damages to the climate, public health, and the environment.<\/p>\n","innerContent":["\n<p>An analysis done by the task force found that the full scope of damages associated with Harvard using fossil fuels to provide the energy services it needs to perform its mission are at least $25 million a year. Of that total, perhaps three-quarters is due to the impact of fossil fuels on the climate, and the rest is associated with costs related to the human health effects of other pollutants. Nobody questions Harvard\u2019s need for energy services to fulfill its mission, but we found it extremely sobering to think that we\u2019re getting our energy in ways that are creating that much damage to society. Surely, we should be looking for ways to meet our energy needs while reducing those associated damages to the climate, public health, and the environment.<\/p>\n"],"rendered":"\n<p>An analysis done by the task force found that the full scope of damages associated with Harvard using fossil fuels to provide the energy services it needs to perform its mission are at least $25 million a year. Of that total, perhaps three-quarters is due to the impact of fossil fuels on the climate, and the rest is associated with costs related to the human health effects of other pollutants. Nobody questions Harvard\u2019s need for energy services to fulfill its mission, but we found it extremely sobering to think that we\u2019re getting our energy in ways that are creating that much damage to society. Surely, we should be looking for ways to meet our energy needs while reducing those associated damages to the climate, public health, and the environment.<\/p>\n"},{"blockName":"core\/quote","attrs":{"value":"<cite>Bill Clark<\/cite>","citation":"Bill Clark","textAlign":"","lock":[],"metadata":[],"align":"","className":"","style":[],"backgroundColor":"","textColor":"","gradient":"","fontSize":"","fontFamily":"","borderColor":"","layout":[],"anchor":""},"innerBlocks":[{"blockName":"core\/paragraph","attrs":{"align":"","content":"\"We are facing a time when the notion of shifting the world\u2019s foundations for energy choices in a more sustainable, life-friendly direction is feasible technologically, economically, and politically.\"","dropCap":false,"placeholder":"","direction":"","lock":[],"metadata":[],"className":"","style":[],"backgroundColor":"","textColor":"","gradient":"","fontSize":"","fontFamily":"","borderColor":"","anchor":""},"innerBlocks":[],"innerHTML":"\n<p>\"We are facing a time when the notion of shifting the world\u2019s foundations for energy choices in a more sustainable, life-friendly direction is feasible technologically, economically, and politically.\"<\/p>\n","innerContent":["\n<p>\"We are facing a time when the notion of shifting the world\u2019s foundations for energy choices in a more sustainable, life-friendly direction is feasible technologically, economically, and politically.\"<\/p>\n"],"rendered":"\n<p>\"We are facing a time when the notion of shifting the world\u2019s foundations for energy choices in a more sustainable, life-friendly direction is feasible technologically, economically, and politically.\"<\/p>\n"}],"innerHTML":"\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote\"><cite>Bill Clark<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n","innerContent":["\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote\">","<cite>Bill Clark<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n"],"rendered":"\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p>\"We are facing a time when the notion of shifting the world\u2019s foundations for energy choices in a more sustainable, life-friendly direction is feasible technologically, economically, and politically.\"<\/p>\n<cite>Bill Clark<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n"},{"blockName":"core\/paragraph","attrs":{"align":"","content":"<strong>GAZETTE:<\/strong> One of the task force\u2019s core mandates was to recommend a new set of emissions-reductions targets for the University. What were those goals?","dropCap":false,"placeholder":"","direction":"","lock":[],"metadata":[],"className":"","style":[],"backgroundColor":"","textColor":"","gradient":"","fontSize":"","fontFamily":"","borderColor":"","anchor":""},"innerBlocks":[],"innerHTML":"\n<p><strong>GAZETTE:<\/strong> One of the task force\u2019s core mandates was to recommend a new set of emissions-reductions targets for the University. What were those goals?<\/p>\n","innerContent":["\n<p><strong>GAZETTE:<\/strong> One of the task force\u2019s core mandates was to recommend a new set of emissions-reductions targets for the University. What were those goals?<\/p>\n"],"rendered":"\n<p><strong>GAZETTE:<\/strong> One of the task force\u2019s core mandates was to recommend a new set of emissions-reductions targets for the University. What were those goals?<\/p>\n"},{"blockName":"core\/paragraph","attrs":{"align":"","content":"<strong>HENDERSON:<\/strong> The last 10 years have seen <a href=\"https:\/\/green.harvard.edu\/topics\/climate-energy\/2006-2016-climate-goal\">enormous progress<\/a> on campus. Emissions have gone down by 30 percent overall, including campus growth, which is fantastic and absolutely the leading edge of what most other institutions and firms have accomplished.","dropCap":false,"placeholder":"","direction":"","lock":[],"metadata":[],"className":"","style":[],"backgroundColor":"","textColor":"","gradient":"","fontSize":"","fontFamily":"","borderColor":"","anchor":""},"innerBlocks":[],"innerHTML":"\n<p><strong>HENDERSON:<\/strong> The last 10 years have seen <a href=\"https:\/\/green.harvard.edu\/topics\/climate-energy\/2006-2016-climate-goal\">enormous progress<\/a> on campus. Emissions have gone down by 30 percent overall, including campus growth, which is fantastic and absolutely the leading edge of what most other institutions and firms have accomplished.<\/p>\n","innerContent":["\n<p><strong>HENDERSON:<\/strong> The last 10 years have seen <a href=\"https:\/\/green.harvard.edu\/topics\/climate-energy\/2006-2016-climate-goal\">enormous progress<\/a> on campus. Emissions have gone down by 30 percent overall, including campus growth, which is fantastic and absolutely the leading edge of what most other institutions and firms have accomplished.<\/p>\n"],"rendered":"\n<p><strong>HENDERSON:<\/strong> The last 10 years have seen <a href=\"https:\/\/green.harvard.edu\/topics\/climate-energy\/2006-2016-climate-goal\">enormous progress<\/a> on campus. Emissions have gone down by 30 percent overall, including campus growth, which is fantastic and absolutely the leading edge of what most other institutions and firms have accomplished.<\/p>\n"},{"blockName":"core\/paragraph","attrs":{"align":"","content":"So, what next? The task force focused hard on the question of what Harvard could continue to do on campus in terms of a short-term goal and a long-term goal. The long-term goal is to make the campus fossil-fuel-free by 2050. That means, to the maximum extent possible, our operations will not rely on the use of fossil fuels.","dropCap":false,"placeholder":"","direction":"","lock":[],"metadata":[],"className":"","style":[],"backgroundColor":"","textColor":"","gradient":"","fontSize":"","fontFamily":"","borderColor":"","anchor":""},"innerBlocks":[],"innerHTML":"\n<p>So, what next? The task force focused hard on the question of what Harvard could continue to do on campus in terms of a short-term goal and a long-term goal. The long-term goal is to make the campus fossil-fuel-free by 2050. That means, to the maximum extent possible, our operations will not rely on the use of fossil fuels.<\/p>\n","innerContent":["\n<p>So, what next? The task force focused hard on the question of what Harvard could continue to do on campus in terms of a short-term goal and a long-term goal. The long-term goal is to make the campus fossil-fuel-free by 2050. That means, to the maximum extent possible, our operations will not rely on the use of fossil fuels.<\/p>\n"],"rendered":"\n<p>So, what next? The task force focused hard on the question of what Harvard could continue to do on campus in terms of a short-term goal and a long-term goal. The long-term goal is to make the campus fossil-fuel-free by 2050. That means, to the maximum extent possible, our operations will not rely on the use of fossil fuels.<\/p>\n"},{"blockName":"core\/paragraph","attrs":{"align":"","content":"Now, why do we say \u201cgo to zero\u201d by 2050? Well, the most immediate reason is both Boston and Cambridge have announced that that\u2019s the standard they\u2019re expecting of institutions and companies by 2050. The second reason is that we know from the science that that\u2019s at least what we need to do if we\u2019re going to help solve the problems that we as a society face.","dropCap":false,"placeholder":"","direction":"","lock":[],"metadata":[],"className":"","style":[],"backgroundColor":"","textColor":"","gradient":"","fontSize":"","fontFamily":"","borderColor":"","anchor":""},"innerBlocks":[],"innerHTML":"\n<p>Now, why do we say \u201cgo to zero\u201d by 2050? Well, the most immediate reason is both Boston and Cambridge have announced that that\u2019s the standard they\u2019re expecting of institutions and companies by 2050. The second reason is that we know from the science that that\u2019s at least what we need to do if we\u2019re going to help solve the problems that we as a society face.<\/p>\n","innerContent":["\n<p>Now, why do we say \u201cgo to zero\u201d by 2050? Well, the most immediate reason is both Boston and Cambridge have announced that that\u2019s the standard they\u2019re expecting of institutions and companies by 2050. The second reason is that we know from the science that that\u2019s at least what we need to do if we\u2019re going to help solve the problems that we as a society face.<\/p>\n"],"rendered":"\n<p>Now, why do we say \u201cgo to zero\u201d by 2050? Well, the most immediate reason is both Boston and Cambridge have announced that that\u2019s the standard they\u2019re expecting of institutions and companies by 2050. The second reason is that we know from the science that that\u2019s at least what we need to do if we\u2019re going to help solve the problems that we as a society face.<\/p>\n"},{"blockName":"core\/paragraph","attrs":{"align":"","content":"And, in fact, we thought we needed to do more than that. So, we also recommended a short-term goal that Harvard become fossil-fuel-neutral by 2026. What we mean by fossil-fuel-neutral is that we invest in other projects \u2014 things like power purchase agreements, things like buying renewable energy certificates \u2014 so that, although we will continue to be responsible for fossil-fuel emissions here in Cambridge, we will be making sufficient investments that would take our net use of fossil fuels to zero by 2026.","dropCap":false,"placeholder":"","direction":"","lock":[],"metadata":[],"className":"","style":[],"backgroundColor":"","textColor":"","gradient":"","fontSize":"","fontFamily":"","borderColor":"","anchor":""},"innerBlocks":[],"innerHTML":"\n<p>And, in fact, we thought we needed to do more than that. So, we also recommended a short-term goal that Harvard become fossil-fuel-neutral by 2026. What we mean by fossil-fuel-neutral is that we invest in other projects \u2014 things like power purchase agreements, things like buying renewable energy certificates \u2014 so that, although we will continue to be responsible for fossil-fuel emissions here in Cambridge, we will be making sufficient investments that would take our net use of fossil fuels to zero by 2026.<\/p>\n","innerContent":["\n<p>And, in fact, we thought we needed to do more than that. So, we also recommended a short-term goal that Harvard become fossil-fuel-neutral by 2026. What we mean by fossil-fuel-neutral is that we invest in other projects \u2014 things like power purchase agreements, things like buying renewable energy certificates \u2014 so that, although we will continue to be responsible for fossil-fuel emissions here in Cambridge, we will be making sufficient investments that would take our net use of fossil fuels to zero by 2026.<\/p>\n"],"rendered":"\n<p>And, in fact, we thought we needed to do more than that. So, we also recommended a short-term goal that Harvard become fossil-fuel-neutral by 2026. What we mean by fossil-fuel-neutral is that we invest in other projects \u2014 things like power purchase agreements, things like buying renewable energy certificates \u2014 so that, although we will continue to be responsible for fossil-fuel emissions here in Cambridge, we will be making sufficient investments that would take our net use of fossil fuels to zero by 2026.<\/p>\n"},{"blockName":"core\/paragraph","attrs":{"align":"","content":"<strong>GAZETTE:<\/strong> How do you see these goals and the task force\u2019s other recommendations mixing with the extensive research and teaching on climate change and sustainability that\u2019s going on at the University?","dropCap":false,"placeholder":"","direction":"","lock":[],"metadata":[],"className":"","style":[],"backgroundColor":"","textColor":"","gradient":"","fontSize":"","fontFamily":"","borderColor":"","anchor":""},"innerBlocks":[],"innerHTML":"\n<p><strong>GAZETTE:<\/strong> How do you see these goals and the task force\u2019s other recommendations mixing with the extensive research and teaching on climate change and sustainability that\u2019s going on at the University?<\/p>\n","innerContent":["\n<p><strong>GAZETTE:<\/strong> How do you see these goals and the task force\u2019s other recommendations mixing with the extensive research and teaching on climate change and sustainability that\u2019s going on at the University?<\/p>\n"],"rendered":"\n<p><strong>GAZETTE:<\/strong> How do you see these goals and the task force\u2019s other recommendations mixing with the extensive research and teaching on climate change and sustainability that\u2019s going on at the University?<\/p>\n"},{"blockName":"core\/paragraph","attrs":{"align":"","content":"<strong>HENDERSON:<\/strong> We think this is one of the most exciting aspects of this new commitment. It is a very real opportunity to use Harvard\u2019s campus to engage our faculty, our researchers, and our students in tackling the very toughest challenge we face in the necessary transition to a fossil-fuel-free future. The task force\u2019s recommendations present research questions, which our faculty can use to further their research and engage students as part of the teaching and learning experience.","dropCap":false,"placeholder":"","direction":"","lock":[],"metadata":[],"className":"","style":[],"backgroundColor":"","textColor":"","gradient":"","fontSize":"","fontFamily":"","borderColor":"","anchor":""},"innerBlocks":[],"innerHTML":"\n<p><strong>HENDERSON:<\/strong> We think this is one of the most exciting aspects of this new commitment. It is a very real opportunity to use Harvard\u2019s campus to engage our faculty, our researchers, and our students in tackling the very toughest challenge we face in the necessary transition to a fossil-fuel-free future. The task force\u2019s recommendations present research questions, which our faculty can use to further their research and engage students as part of the teaching and learning experience.<\/p>\n","innerContent":["\n<p><strong>HENDERSON:<\/strong> We think this is one of the most exciting aspects of this new commitment. It is a very real opportunity to use Harvard\u2019s campus to engage our faculty, our researchers, and our students in tackling the very toughest challenge we face in the necessary transition to a fossil-fuel-free future. The task force\u2019s recommendations present research questions, which our faculty can use to further their research and engage students as part of the teaching and learning experience.<\/p>\n"],"rendered":"\n<p><strong>HENDERSON:<\/strong> We think this is one of the most exciting aspects of this new commitment. It is a very real opportunity to use Harvard\u2019s campus to engage our faculty, our researchers, and our students in tackling the very toughest challenge we face in the necessary transition to a fossil-fuel-free future. The task force\u2019s recommendations present research questions, which our faculty can use to further their research and engage students as part of the teaching and learning experience.<\/p>\n"},{"blockName":"core\/paragraph","attrs":{"align":"","content":"<strong>CLARK:<\/strong> It\u2019s worth emphasizing that, yes, our recommendations are fundamentally about how we might engage our entire community in figuring out solutions to the global problems society faces when it comes to sustainable development and climate change. These are topics in which Harvard has in the past and needs to in the future play a really fundamental role.","dropCap":false,"placeholder":"","direction":"","lock":[],"metadata":[],"className":"","style":[],"backgroundColor":"","textColor":"","gradient":"","fontSize":"","fontFamily":"","borderColor":"","anchor":""},"innerBlocks":[],"innerHTML":"\n<p><strong>CLARK:<\/strong> It\u2019s worth emphasizing that, yes, our recommendations are fundamentally about how we might engage our entire community in figuring out solutions to the global problems society faces when it comes to sustainable development and climate change. These are topics in which Harvard has in the past and needs to in the future play a really fundamental role.<\/p>\n","innerContent":["\n<p><strong>CLARK:<\/strong> It\u2019s worth emphasizing that, yes, our recommendations are fundamentally about how we might engage our entire community in figuring out solutions to the global problems society faces when it comes to sustainable development and climate change. These are topics in which Harvard has in the past and needs to in the future play a really fundamental role.<\/p>\n"],"rendered":"\n<p><strong>CLARK:<\/strong> It\u2019s worth emphasizing that, yes, our recommendations are fundamentally about how we might engage our entire community in figuring out solutions to the global problems society faces when it comes to sustainable development and climate change. These are topics in which Harvard has in the past and needs to in the future play a really fundamental role.<\/p>\n"},{"blockName":"core\/image","attrs":{"align":"wide","id":237622,"sizeSlug":"full","className":"is-resized","creditText":"Graphic by Kate Hammer\/Harvard Staff","blob":"","url":"https:\/\/news.harvard.edu\/gazette\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/pathwaytofossilfuelfreegif.gif","alt":"Climate goals graphic.","caption":"\t\t\t","lightbox":[],"title":"","href":"","rel":"","linkClass":"","width":"","height":"","aspectRatio":"","scale":"","linkDestination":"","linkTarget":"","lock":[],"metadata":[],"style":[],"borderColor":"","anchor":""},"innerBlocks":[],"innerHTML":"\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image alignwide size-full is-resized\"><img src=\"https:\/\/news.harvard.edu\/gazette\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/pathwaytofossilfuelfreegif.gif\" alt=\"Climate goals graphic.\" class=\"wp-image-237622\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">\t\t\t<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n","innerContent":["\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image alignwide size-full is-resized\"><img src=\"https:\/\/news.harvard.edu\/gazette\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/pathwaytofossilfuelfreegif.gif\" alt=\"Climate goals graphic.\" class=\"wp-image-237622\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">\t\t\t<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n"],"rendered":"\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image alignwide size-full is-resized\"><img src=\"https:\/\/news.harvard.edu\/gazette\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/pathwaytofossilfuelfreegif.gif\" alt=\"Climate goals graphic.\" class=\"wp-image-237622\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><p class=\"wp-element-caption--caption\">\t\t\t<\/p><p class=\"wp-element-caption--credit\">Graphic by Kate Hammer\/Harvard Staff<\/p><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n"},{"blockName":"core\/paragraph","attrs":{"align":"","content":"<strong>LAPP:<\/strong> In addition to prioritizing institutional action on climate over the past decade, President Faust has made a strong commitment to funding climate change research with an eye toward long-term global solutions. For example, since 2014, more than $11 million has been invested in 41 multidisciplinary research projects through the <a href=\"https:\/\/news.harvard.edu\/gazette\/story\/2018\/01\/new-grants-for-climate-solutions\/\">Climate Change Solutions Fund<\/a> and the <a href=\"https:\/\/globalinstitute.harvard.edu\/grants-issue\">Harvard Global Institute<\/a>. Additionally, a new <a href=\"https:\/\/green.harvard.edu\/campus-sustainability-innovation-fund\">Campus Sustainability Innovation Fund<\/a> is supporting faculty research that uses our campus or surrounding communities to test or prove promising new solutions.","dropCap":false,"placeholder":"","direction":"","lock":[],"metadata":[],"className":"","style":[],"backgroundColor":"","textColor":"","gradient":"","fontSize":"","fontFamily":"","borderColor":"","anchor":""},"innerBlocks":[],"innerHTML":"\n<p><strong>LAPP:<\/strong> In addition to prioritizing institutional action on climate over the past decade, President Faust has made a strong commitment to funding climate change research with an eye toward long-term global solutions. For example, since 2014, more than $11 million has been invested in 41 multidisciplinary research projects through the <a href=\"https:\/\/news.harvard.edu\/gazette\/story\/2018\/01\/new-grants-for-climate-solutions\/\">Climate Change Solutions Fund<\/a> and the <a href=\"https:\/\/globalinstitute.harvard.edu\/grants-issue\">Harvard Global Institute<\/a>. Additionally, a new <a href=\"https:\/\/green.harvard.edu\/campus-sustainability-innovation-fund\">Campus Sustainability Innovation Fund<\/a> is supporting faculty research that uses our campus or surrounding communities to test or prove promising new solutions.<\/p>\n","innerContent":["\n<p><strong>LAPP:<\/strong> In addition to prioritizing institutional action on climate over the past decade, President Faust has made a strong commitment to funding climate change research with an eye toward long-term global solutions. For example, since 2014, more than $11 million has been invested in 41 multidisciplinary research projects through the <a href=\"https:\/\/news.harvard.edu\/gazette\/story\/2018\/01\/new-grants-for-climate-solutions\/\">Climate Change Solutions Fund<\/a> and the <a href=\"https:\/\/globalinstitute.harvard.edu\/grants-issue\">Harvard Global Institute<\/a>. Additionally, a new <a href=\"https:\/\/green.harvard.edu\/campus-sustainability-innovation-fund\">Campus Sustainability Innovation Fund<\/a> is supporting faculty research that uses our campus or surrounding communities to test or prove promising new solutions.<\/p>\n"],"rendered":"\n<p><strong>LAPP:<\/strong> In addition to prioritizing institutional action on climate over the past decade, President Faust has made a strong commitment to funding climate change research with an eye toward long-term global solutions. For example, since 2014, more than $11 million has been invested in 41 multidisciplinary research projects through the <a href=\"https:\/\/news.harvard.edu\/gazette\/story\/2018\/01\/new-grants-for-climate-solutions\/\">Climate Change Solutions Fund<\/a> and the <a href=\"https:\/\/globalinstitute.harvard.edu\/grants-issue\">Harvard Global Institute<\/a>. Additionally, a new <a href=\"https:\/\/green.harvard.edu\/campus-sustainability-innovation-fund\">Campus Sustainability Innovation Fund<\/a> is supporting faculty research that uses our campus or surrounding communities to test or prove promising new solutions.<\/p>\n"},{"blockName":"core\/paragraph","attrs":{"align":"","content":"<strong>GAZETTE:<\/strong> Why did the committee feel it was important to set the short-term, fossil-fuel-neutral goal, and what would you say to people who say we will just be buying our way out of the problem?","dropCap":false,"placeholder":"","direction":"","lock":[],"metadata":[],"className":"","style":[],"backgroundColor":"","textColor":"","gradient":"","fontSize":"","fontFamily":"","borderColor":"","anchor":""},"innerBlocks":[],"innerHTML":"\n<p><strong>GAZETTE:<\/strong> Why did the committee feel it was important to set the short-term, fossil-fuel-neutral goal, and what would you say to people who say we will just be buying our way out of the problem?<\/p>\n","innerContent":["\n<p><strong>GAZETTE:<\/strong> Why did the committee feel it was important to set the short-term, fossil-fuel-neutral goal, and what would you say to people who say we will just be buying our way out of the problem?<\/p>\n"],"rendered":"\n<p><strong>GAZETTE:<\/strong> Why did the committee feel it was important to set the short-term, fossil-fuel-neutral goal, and what would you say to people who say we will just be buying our way out of the problem?<\/p>\n"},{"blockName":"harvard-gazette\/supporting-content","attrs":{"id":"b5f67dbc-11d7-42e5-88c2-f33be83e6dce","align":"left","allowedBlocks":[],"style":[],"lock":[],"metadata":[],"className":""},"innerBlocks":[{"blockName":"core\/heading","attrs":{"level":3,"style":{"elements":{"link":{"color":{"text":"var:preset|color|secondary-green-dark"}}}},"textColor":"secondary-green-dark","textAlign":"","content":"A decade of climate action","levelOptions":[],"placeholder":"","lock":[],"metadata":[],"align":"","className":"","backgroundColor":"","gradient":"","fontSize":"","fontFamily":"","borderColor":"","anchor":""},"innerBlocks":[],"innerHTML":"\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading has-secondary-green-dark-color has-text-color has-link-color\" id=\"h-a-decade-of-climate-action\">A decade of climate action<\/h3>\n","innerContent":["\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading has-secondary-green-dark-color has-text-color has-link-color\" id=\"h-a-decade-of-climate-action\">A decade of climate action<\/h3>\n"],"rendered":"\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading has-secondary-green-dark-color has-text-color has-link-color\" id=\"h-a-decade-of-climate-action\">A decade of climate action<\/h3>\n"},{"blockName":"core\/list","attrs":{"ordered":false,"values":"\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n","type":"","start":0,"reversed":false,"placeholder":"","lock":[],"metadata":[],"className":"","style":[],"backgroundColor":"","textColor":"","gradient":"","fontSize":"","fontFamily":"","borderColor":"","anchor":""},"innerBlocks":[{"blockName":"core\/list-item","attrs":{"placeholder":"","content":"2004: <a href=\"https:\/\/news.harvard.edu\/gazette\/story\/2004\/10\/six-new-sustainability-principles-adopted\/\">Sustainability Principles adopted<\/a>","lock":[],"metadata":[],"className":"","style":[],"backgroundColor":"","textColor":"","gradient":"","fontSize":"","fontFamily":"","borderColor":"","anchor":""},"innerBlocks":[],"innerHTML":"\n<li>2004: <a href=\"https:\/\/news.harvard.edu\/gazette\/story\/2004\/10\/six-new-sustainability-principles-adopted\/\">Sustainability Principles adopted<\/a><\/li>\n","innerContent":["\n<li>2004: <a href=\"https:\/\/news.harvard.edu\/gazette\/story\/2004\/10\/six-new-sustainability-principles-adopted\/\">Sustainability Principles adopted<\/a><\/li>\n"],"rendered":"\n<li>2004: <a href=\"https:\/\/news.harvard.edu\/gazette\/story\/2004\/10\/six-new-sustainability-principles-adopted\/\">Sustainability Principles adopted<\/a><\/li>\n"},{"blockName":"core\/list-item","attrs":{"placeholder":"","content":"2008: Initial climate goal announced at\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/news.harvard.edu\/gazette\/story\/2008\/10\/gore-universities-have-important-role-in-sustainability\/\">celebration with Al Gore<\/a>\u00a0attended by 15,000, targeting 30% reduction in absolute emissions from 2006 to 2016","lock":[],"metadata":[],"className":"","style":[],"backgroundColor":"","textColor":"","gradient":"","fontSize":"","fontFamily":"","borderColor":"","anchor":""},"innerBlocks":[],"innerHTML":"\n<li>2008: Initial climate goal announced at&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/news.harvard.edu\/gazette\/story\/2008\/10\/gore-universities-have-important-role-in-sustainability\/\">celebration with Al Gore<\/a>&nbsp;attended by 15,000, targeting 30% reduction in absolute emissions from 2006 to 2016<\/li>\n","innerContent":["\n<li>2008: Initial climate goal announced at&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/news.harvard.edu\/gazette\/story\/2008\/10\/gore-universities-have-important-role-in-sustainability\/\">celebration with Al Gore<\/a>&nbsp;attended by 15,000, targeting 30% reduction in absolute emissions from 2006 to 2016<\/li>\n"],"rendered":"\n<li>2008: Initial climate goal announced at&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/news.harvard.edu\/gazette\/story\/2008\/10\/gore-universities-have-important-role-in-sustainability\/\">celebration with Al Gore<\/a>&nbsp;attended by 15,000, targeting 30% reduction in absolute emissions from 2006 to 2016<\/li>\n"},{"blockName":"core\/list-item","attrs":{"placeholder":"","content":"2014: $20 million\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/news.harvard.edu\/gazette\/story\/2014\/04\/fund-to-tackle-climate-change\/\">Climate Change Solutions Fund<\/a>\u00a0created to support cutting-edge climate research","lock":[],"metadata":[],"className":"","style":[],"backgroundColor":"","textColor":"","gradient":"","fontSize":"","fontFamily":"","borderColor":"","anchor":""},"innerBlocks":[],"innerHTML":"\n<li>2014: $20 million&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/news.harvard.edu\/gazette\/story\/2014\/04\/fund-to-tackle-climate-change\/\">Climate Change Solutions Fund<\/a>&nbsp;created to support cutting-edge climate research<\/li>\n","innerContent":["\n<li>2014: $20 million&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/news.harvard.edu\/gazette\/story\/2014\/04\/fund-to-tackle-climate-change\/\">Climate Change Solutions Fund<\/a>&nbsp;created to support cutting-edge climate research<\/li>\n"],"rendered":"\n<li>2014: $20 million&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/news.harvard.edu\/gazette\/story\/2014\/04\/fund-to-tackle-climate-change\/\">Climate Change Solutions Fund<\/a>&nbsp;created to support cutting-edge climate research<\/li>\n"},{"blockName":"core\/list-item","attrs":{"placeholder":"","content":"2014: University-wide Sustainability Plan released, focused on climate, health, and living lab","lock":[],"metadata":[],"className":"","style":[],"backgroundColor":"","textColor":"","gradient":"","fontSize":"","fontFamily":"","borderColor":"","anchor":""},"innerBlocks":[],"innerHTML":"\n<li>2014: University-wide Sustainability Plan released, focused on climate, health, and living lab<\/li>\n","innerContent":["\n<li>2014: University-wide Sustainability Plan released, focused on climate, health, and living lab<\/li>\n"],"rendered":"\n<li>2014: University-wide Sustainability Plan released, focused on climate, health, and living lab<\/li>\n"},{"blockName":"core\/list-item","attrs":{"placeholder":"","content":"2016: <a href=\"https:\/\/news.harvard.edu\/gazette\/story\/2016\/12\/harvard-achieves-greenhouse-gas-reduction-goal\/\">Short-term climate goal achieved<\/a>; campus energy use reduced by 10%, inclusive of 12% campus growth","lock":[],"metadata":[],"className":"","style":[],"backgroundColor":"","textColor":"","gradient":"","fontSize":"","fontFamily":"","borderColor":"","anchor":""},"innerBlocks":[],"innerHTML":"\n<li>2016: <a href=\"https:\/\/news.harvard.edu\/gazette\/story\/2016\/12\/harvard-achieves-greenhouse-gas-reduction-goal\/\">Short-term climate goal achieved<\/a>; campus energy use reduced by 10%, inclusive of 12% campus growth<\/li>\n","innerContent":["\n<li>2016: <a href=\"https:\/\/news.harvard.edu\/gazette\/story\/2016\/12\/harvard-achieves-greenhouse-gas-reduction-goal\/\">Short-term climate goal achieved<\/a>; campus energy use reduced by 10%, inclusive of 12% campus growth<\/li>\n"],"rendered":"\n<li>2016: <a href=\"https:\/\/news.harvard.edu\/gazette\/story\/2016\/12\/harvard-achieves-greenhouse-gas-reduction-goal\/\">Short-term climate goal achieved<\/a>; campus energy use reduced by 10%, inclusive of 12% campus growth<\/li>\n"},{"blockName":"core\/list-item","attrs":{"placeholder":"","content":"2016: Campus Sustainability Innovation Fund and Climate Change Solutions Living Lab course launched","lock":[],"metadata":[],"className":"","style":[],"backgroundColor":"","textColor":"","gradient":"","fontSize":"","fontFamily":"","borderColor":"","anchor":""},"innerBlocks":[],"innerHTML":"\n<li>2016: Campus Sustainability Innovation Fund and Climate Change Solutions Living Lab course launched<\/li>\n","innerContent":["\n<li>2016: Campus Sustainability Innovation Fund and Climate Change Solutions Living Lab course launched<\/li>\n"],"rendered":"\n<li>2016: Campus Sustainability Innovation Fund and Climate Change Solutions Living Lab course launched<\/li>\n"},{"blockName":"core\/list-item","attrs":{"placeholder":"","content":"2018: New Climate Action Plan announced signaling transition to a\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/news.harvard.edu\/gazette\/story\/2018\/01\/new-grants-for-climate-solutions\/\">fossil-fuel-free campus by 2050<\/a>","lock":[],"metadata":[],"className":"","style":[],"backgroundColor":"","textColor":"","gradient":"","fontSize":"","fontFamily":"","borderColor":"","anchor":""},"innerBlocks":[],"innerHTML":"\n<li>2018: New Climate Action Plan announced signaling transition to a&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/news.harvard.edu\/gazette\/story\/2018\/01\/new-grants-for-climate-solutions\/\">fossil-fuel-free campus by 2050<\/a><\/li>\n","innerContent":["\n<li>2018: New Climate Action Plan announced signaling transition to a&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/news.harvard.edu\/gazette\/story\/2018\/01\/new-grants-for-climate-solutions\/\">fossil-fuel-free campus by 2050<\/a><\/li>\n"],"rendered":"\n<li>2018: New Climate Action Plan announced signaling transition to a&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/news.harvard.edu\/gazette\/story\/2018\/01\/new-grants-for-climate-solutions\/\">fossil-fuel-free campus by 2050<\/a><\/li>\n"}],"innerHTML":"\n<ul>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n<\/ul>\n","innerContent":["\n<ul>","\n\n","\n\n","\n\n","\n\n","\n\n","\n\n","<\/ul>\n"],"rendered":"\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>2004: <a href=\"https:\/\/news.harvard.edu\/gazette\/story\/2004\/10\/six-new-sustainability-principles-adopted\/\">Sustainability Principles adopted<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>2008: Initial climate goal announced at&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/news.harvard.edu\/gazette\/story\/2008\/10\/gore-universities-have-important-role-in-sustainability\/\">celebration with Al Gore<\/a>&nbsp;attended by 15,000, targeting 30% reduction in absolute emissions from 2006 to 2016<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>2014: $20 million&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/news.harvard.edu\/gazette\/story\/2014\/04\/fund-to-tackle-climate-change\/\">Climate Change Solutions Fund<\/a>&nbsp;created to support cutting-edge climate research<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>2014: University-wide Sustainability Plan released, focused on climate, health, and living lab<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>2016: <a href=\"https:\/\/news.harvard.edu\/gazette\/story\/2016\/12\/harvard-achieves-greenhouse-gas-reduction-goal\/\">Short-term climate goal achieved<\/a>; campus energy use reduced by 10%, inclusive of 12% campus growth<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>2016: Campus Sustainability Innovation Fund and Climate Change Solutions Living Lab course launched<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>2018: New Climate Action Plan announced signaling transition to a&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/news.harvard.edu\/gazette\/story\/2018\/01\/new-grants-for-climate-solutions\/\">fossil-fuel-free campus by 2050<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n"}],"innerHTML":"\n<div class=\"wp-block-harvard-gazette-supporting-content alignleft supporting-content\" id=\"supporting-content-b5f67dbc-11d7-42e5-88c2-f33be83e6dce\">\n\n<\/div>\n","innerContent":["\n<div class=\"wp-block-harvard-gazette-supporting-content alignleft supporting-content\" id=\"supporting-content-b5f67dbc-11d7-42e5-88c2-f33be83e6dce\">","\n\n","<\/div>\n"],"rendered":"\n<div class=\"wp-block-harvard-gazette-supporting-content alignleft supporting-content\" id=\"supporting-content-b5f67dbc-11d7-42e5-88c2-f33be83e6dce\">\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading has-secondary-green-dark-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-8e534d663ec781ffd06a79d79aeb2fab\" id=\"h-a-decade-of-climate-action\">A decade of climate action<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>2004: <a href=\"https:\/\/news.harvard.edu\/gazette\/story\/2004\/10\/six-new-sustainability-principles-adopted\/\">Sustainability Principles adopted<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>2008: Initial climate goal announced at&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/news.harvard.edu\/gazette\/story\/2008\/10\/gore-universities-have-important-role-in-sustainability\/\">celebration with Al Gore<\/a>&nbsp;attended by 15,000, targeting 30% reduction in absolute emissions from 2006 to 2016<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>2014: $20 million&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/news.harvard.edu\/gazette\/story\/2014\/04\/fund-to-tackle-climate-change\/\">Climate Change Solutions Fund<\/a>&nbsp;created to support cutting-edge climate research<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>2014: University-wide Sustainability Plan released, focused on climate, health, and living lab<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>2016: <a href=\"https:\/\/news.harvard.edu\/gazette\/story\/2016\/12\/harvard-achieves-greenhouse-gas-reduction-goal\/\">Short-term climate goal achieved<\/a>; campus energy use reduced by 10%, inclusive of 12% campus growth<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>2016: Campus Sustainability Innovation Fund and Climate Change Solutions Living Lab course launched<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>2018: New Climate Action Plan announced signaling transition to a&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/news.harvard.edu\/gazette\/story\/2018\/01\/new-grants-for-climate-solutions\/\">fossil-fuel-free campus by 2050<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n"},{"blockName":"core\/paragraph","attrs":{"align":"","content":"<strong>HENDERSON:<\/strong> The first and most important reason is because we now have an even better sense of the damages \u2014 the very real damages \u2014 that our energy choices are causing. We are directly contributing to the burning of fossil fuels, and that\u2019s causing very real damages. We believe we have a moral duty to stop doing that as soon as we can. The second reason we made this recommendation is that we think that Harvard adopting this target will have real effects on the world around us, and that is consistent with our goal to be a leader in the world and in our community.","dropCap":false,"placeholder":"","direction":"","lock":[],"metadata":[],"className":"","style":[],"backgroundColor":"","textColor":"","gradient":"","fontSize":"","fontFamily":"","borderColor":"","anchor":""},"innerBlocks":[],"innerHTML":"\n<p><strong>HENDERSON:<\/strong> The first and most important reason is because we now have an even better sense of the damages \u2014 the very real damages \u2014 that our energy choices are causing. We are directly contributing to the burning of fossil fuels, and that\u2019s causing very real damages. We believe we have a moral duty to stop doing that as soon as we can. The second reason we made this recommendation is that we think that Harvard adopting this target will have real effects on the world around us, and that is consistent with our goal to be a leader in the world and in our community.<\/p>\n","innerContent":["\n<p><strong>HENDERSON:<\/strong> The first and most important reason is because we now have an even better sense of the damages \u2014 the very real damages \u2014 that our energy choices are causing. We are directly contributing to the burning of fossil fuels, and that\u2019s causing very real damages. We believe we have a moral duty to stop doing that as soon as we can. The second reason we made this recommendation is that we think that Harvard adopting this target will have real effects on the world around us, and that is consistent with our goal to be a leader in the world and in our community.<\/p>\n"],"rendered":"\n<p><strong>HENDERSON:<\/strong> The first and most important reason is because we now have an even better sense of the damages \u2014 the very real damages \u2014 that our energy choices are causing. We are directly contributing to the burning of fossil fuels, and that\u2019s causing very real damages. We believe we have a moral duty to stop doing that as soon as we can. The second reason we made this recommendation is that we think that Harvard adopting this target will have real effects on the world around us, and that is consistent with our goal to be a leader in the world and in our community.<\/p>\n"},{"blockName":"core\/paragraph","attrs":{"align":"","content":"There are really two kinds of impacts that we\u2019re hoping that this move can have. First, we can contribute to generating real demand for fossil-fuel-free energy, which in turn will drive down the costs. My own research explores the effect of strong demand signals on technical innovation, and one of the things I think economists are most certain about is that if consumers want it, they will build it. Second, and very importantly, we think that in Harvard making this commitment, we can learn more about what it means to make this transition and develop the kind of research and analysis that will support other institutions in making the choice to accelerate this change.","dropCap":false,"placeholder":"","direction":"","lock":[],"metadata":[],"className":"","style":[],"backgroundColor":"","textColor":"","gradient":"","fontSize":"","fontFamily":"","borderColor":"","anchor":""},"innerBlocks":[],"innerHTML":"\n<p>There are really two kinds of impacts that we\u2019re hoping that this move can have. First, we can contribute to generating real demand for fossil-fuel-free energy, which in turn will drive down the costs. My own research explores the effect of strong demand signals on technical innovation, and one of the things I think economists are most certain about is that if consumers want it, they will build it. Second, and very importantly, we think that in Harvard making this commitment, we can learn more about what it means to make this transition and develop the kind of research and analysis that will support other institutions in making the choice to accelerate this change.<\/p>\n","innerContent":["\n<p>There are really two kinds of impacts that we\u2019re hoping that this move can have. First, we can contribute to generating real demand for fossil-fuel-free energy, which in turn will drive down the costs. My own research explores the effect of strong demand signals on technical innovation, and one of the things I think economists are most certain about is that if consumers want it, they will build it. Second, and very importantly, we think that in Harvard making this commitment, we can learn more about what it means to make this transition and develop the kind of research and analysis that will support other institutions in making the choice to accelerate this change.<\/p>\n"],"rendered":"\n<p>There are really two kinds of impacts that we\u2019re hoping that this move can have. First, we can contribute to generating real demand for fossil-fuel-free energy, which in turn will drive down the costs. My own research explores the effect of strong demand signals on technical innovation, and one of the things I think economists are most certain about is that if consumers want it, they will build it. Second, and very importantly, we think that in Harvard making this commitment, we can learn more about what it means to make this transition and develop the kind of research and analysis that will support other institutions in making the choice to accelerate this change.<\/p>\n"},{"blockName":"core\/paragraph","attrs":{"align":"","content":"To those who say Harvard\u2019s going to buy its way out of our trouble, I would reiterate that our first and most central recommendation is that Harvard should pursue all available opportunities to reduce fossil fuel use on campus, and that we should get to zero by 2050.","dropCap":false,"placeholder":"","direction":"","lock":[],"metadata":[],"className":"","style":[],"backgroundColor":"","textColor":"","gradient":"","fontSize":"","fontFamily":"","borderColor":"","anchor":""},"innerBlocks":[],"innerHTML":"\n<p>To those who say Harvard\u2019s going to buy its way out of our trouble, I would reiterate that our first and most central recommendation is that Harvard should pursue all available opportunities to reduce fossil fuel use on campus, and that we should get to zero by 2050.<\/p>\n","innerContent":["\n<p>To those who say Harvard\u2019s going to buy its way out of our trouble, I would reiterate that our first and most central recommendation is that Harvard should pursue all available opportunities to reduce fossil fuel use on campus, and that we should get to zero by 2050.<\/p>\n"],"rendered":"\n<p>To those who say Harvard\u2019s going to buy its way out of our trouble, I would reiterate that our first and most central recommendation is that Harvard should pursue all available opportunities to reduce fossil fuel use on campus, and that we should get to zero by 2050.<\/p>\n"},{"blockName":"core\/paragraph","attrs":{"align":"","content":"<strong>GAZETTE:<\/strong> How would you address concerns about the cost of reaching these commitments, especially the short-term, fossil-fuel-neutral goal?","dropCap":false,"placeholder":"","direction":"","lock":[],"metadata":[],"className":"","style":[],"backgroundColor":"","textColor":"","gradient":"","fontSize":"","fontFamily":"","borderColor":"","anchor":""},"innerBlocks":[],"innerHTML":"\n<p><strong>GAZETTE:<\/strong> How would you address concerns about the cost of reaching these commitments, especially the short-term, fossil-fuel-neutral goal?<\/p>\n","innerContent":["\n<p><strong>GAZETTE:<\/strong> How would you address concerns about the cost of reaching these commitments, especially the short-term, fossil-fuel-neutral goal?<\/p>\n"],"rendered":"\n<p><strong>GAZETTE:<\/strong> How would you address concerns about the cost of reaching these commitments, especially the short-term, fossil-fuel-neutral goal?<\/p>\n"},{"blockName":"core\/paragraph","attrs":{"align":"","content":"<strong>HENDERSON:<\/strong> We believe that the current state of technology and science suggests that we could become fossil-fuel-neutral for relatively small amounts of money, on the order of 1 to 3 percent of energy costs. We have every reason to believe that those costs will go down over time. We think the other nice thing about this is that these small percentages are within the margin of the natural variability of energy prices. So just as energy prices rise when oil prices rise or there are geopolitical events, what this would look like to the community is a small increase in the price of energy.","dropCap":false,"placeholder":"","direction":"","lock":[],"metadata":[],"className":"","style":[],"backgroundColor":"","textColor":"","gradient":"","fontSize":"","fontFamily":"","borderColor":"","anchor":""},"innerBlocks":[],"innerHTML":"\n<p><strong>HENDERSON:<\/strong> We believe that the current state of technology and science suggests that we could become fossil-fuel-neutral for relatively small amounts of money, on the order of 1 to 3 percent of energy costs. We have every reason to believe that those costs will go down over time. We think the other nice thing about this is that these small percentages are within the margin of the natural variability of energy prices. So just as energy prices rise when oil prices rise or there are geopolitical events, what this would look like to the community is a small increase in the price of energy.<\/p>\n","innerContent":["\n<p><strong>HENDERSON:<\/strong> We believe that the current state of technology and science suggests that we could become fossil-fuel-neutral for relatively small amounts of money, on the order of 1 to 3 percent of energy costs. We have every reason to believe that those costs will go down over time. We think the other nice thing about this is that these small percentages are within the margin of the natural variability of energy prices. So just as energy prices rise when oil prices rise or there are geopolitical events, what this would look like to the community is a small increase in the price of energy.<\/p>\n"],"rendered":"\n<p><strong>HENDERSON:<\/strong> We believe that the current state of technology and science suggests that we could become fossil-fuel-neutral for relatively small amounts of money, on the order of 1 to 3 percent of energy costs. We have every reason to believe that those costs will go down over time. We think the other nice thing about this is that these small percentages are within the margin of the natural variability of energy prices. So just as energy prices rise when oil prices rise or there are geopolitical events, what this would look like to the community is a small increase in the price of energy.<\/p>\n"},{"blockName":"core\/paragraph","attrs":{"align":"","content":"People are sometimes concerned that there are poor-quality offsets out there, or that our money might go down a drain. Clearly, investing these funds in a way that helps us reduce damages and ultimately achieve fossil-fuel neutrality while ensuring our money isn\u2019t wasted is an important task. Our hope is to use some of these issues and discussions as input to active research leading to insights into how organizations can optimally reach fossil-fuel neutrality in the way that has the most impact for the lowest cost.","dropCap":false,"placeholder":"","direction":"","lock":[],"metadata":[],"className":"","style":[],"backgroundColor":"","textColor":"","gradient":"","fontSize":"","fontFamily":"","borderColor":"","anchor":""},"innerBlocks":[],"innerHTML":"\n<p>People are sometimes concerned that there are poor-quality offsets out there, or that our money might go down a drain. Clearly, investing these funds in a way that helps us reduce damages and ultimately achieve fossil-fuel neutrality while ensuring our money isn\u2019t wasted is an important task. Our hope is to use some of these issues and discussions as input to active research leading to insights into how organizations can optimally reach fossil-fuel neutrality in the way that has the most impact for the lowest cost.<\/p>\n","innerContent":["\n<p>People are sometimes concerned that there are poor-quality offsets out there, or that our money might go down a drain. Clearly, investing these funds in a way that helps us reduce damages and ultimately achieve fossil-fuel neutrality while ensuring our money isn\u2019t wasted is an important task. Our hope is to use some of these issues and discussions as input to active research leading to insights into how organizations can optimally reach fossil-fuel neutrality in the way that has the most impact for the lowest cost.<\/p>\n"],"rendered":"\n<p>People are sometimes concerned that there are poor-quality offsets out there, or that our money might go down a drain. Clearly, investing these funds in a way that helps us reduce damages and ultimately achieve fossil-fuel neutrality while ensuring our money isn\u2019t wasted is an important task. Our hope is to use some of these issues and discussions as input to active research leading to insights into how organizations can optimally reach fossil-fuel neutrality in the way that has the most impact for the lowest cost.<\/p>\n"},{"blockName":"core\/paragraph","attrs":{"align":"","content":"<strong>GAZETTE:<\/strong> Beyond the emissions directly associated with energy production or use on campus, there are a host of so-called Scope 3 emissions, those emissions that are associated with purchased goods or services that support campus operations. How did the task force think about these emissions?","dropCap":false,"placeholder":"","direction":"","lock":[],"metadata":[],"className":"","style":[],"backgroundColor":"","textColor":"","gradient":"","fontSize":"","fontFamily":"","borderColor":"","anchor":""},"innerBlocks":[],"innerHTML":"\n<p><strong>GAZETTE:<\/strong> Beyond the emissions directly associated with energy production or use on campus, there are a host of so-called Scope 3 emissions, those emissions that are associated with purchased goods or services that support campus operations. How did the task force think about these emissions?<\/p>\n","innerContent":["\n<p><strong>GAZETTE:<\/strong> Beyond the emissions directly associated with energy production or use on campus, there are a host of so-called Scope 3 emissions, those emissions that are associated with purchased goods or services that support campus operations. How did the task force think about these emissions?<\/p>\n"],"rendered":"\n<p><strong>GAZETTE:<\/strong> Beyond the emissions directly associated with energy production or use on campus, there are a host of so-called Scope 3 emissions, those emissions that are associated with purchased goods or services that support campus operations. How did the task force think about these emissions?<\/p>\n"},{"blockName":"core\/paragraph","attrs":{"align":"","content":"<strong>CLARK:<\/strong> It\u2019s not a surprise to people that the purchase of food or of transportation services is responsible for emissions. What surprised us, as the Office for Sustainability began to actually calculate the magnitude of those emissions using preliminary estimates, was that they were far larger than most of us had expected.","dropCap":false,"placeholder":"","direction":"","lock":[],"metadata":[],"className":"","style":[],"backgroundColor":"","textColor":"","gradient":"","fontSize":"","fontFamily":"","borderColor":"","anchor":""},"innerBlocks":[],"innerHTML":"\n<p><strong>CLARK:<\/strong> It\u2019s not a surprise to people that the purchase of food or of transportation services is responsible for emissions. What surprised us, as the Office for Sustainability began to actually calculate the magnitude of those emissions using preliminary estimates, was that they were far larger than most of us had expected.<\/p>\n","innerContent":["\n<p><strong>CLARK:<\/strong> It\u2019s not a surprise to people that the purchase of food or of transportation services is responsible for emissions. What surprised us, as the Office for Sustainability began to actually calculate the magnitude of those emissions using preliminary estimates, was that they were far larger than most of us had expected.<\/p>\n"],"rendered":"\n<p><strong>CLARK:<\/strong> It\u2019s not a surprise to people that the purchase of food or of transportation services is responsible for emissions. What surprised us, as the Office for Sustainability began to actually calculate the magnitude of those emissions using preliminary estimates, was that they were far larger than most of us had expected.<\/p>\n"},{"blockName":"core\/paragraph","attrs":{"align":"","content":"We believe the University needs to move forward, in conjunction with other groups doing this work, to ensure that we have scientifically grounded, reliable metrics that can give us insights into the climate, health, and environmental impacts of purchased services, particularly for air travel, food, investment, and the like. As part of the process of getting more accurate measurements, we can then better understand what the options are for reducing those impacts, and begin to pursue those options consistent with Harvard\u2019s mission. As part of the fossil-fuel-free by 2050 goal, we suggest that the University make more than due-diligence efforts to ensure that the purchased goods and services are also purchased from sources that are fossil-fuel-free. Because we don\u2019t completely control what outside companies do, we\u2019re going to work as hard as we can to send signals and create demand for such goods and services.","dropCap":false,"placeholder":"","direction":"","lock":[],"metadata":[],"className":"","style":[],"backgroundColor":"","textColor":"","gradient":"","fontSize":"","fontFamily":"","borderColor":"","anchor":""},"innerBlocks":[],"innerHTML":"\n<p>We believe the University needs to move forward, in conjunction with other groups doing this work, to ensure that we have scientifically grounded, reliable metrics that can give us insights into the climate, health, and environmental impacts of purchased services, particularly for air travel, food, investment, and the like. As part of the process of getting more accurate measurements, we can then better understand what the options are for reducing those impacts, and begin to pursue those options consistent with Harvard\u2019s mission. As part of the fossil-fuel-free by 2050 goal, we suggest that the University make more than due-diligence efforts to ensure that the purchased goods and services are also purchased from sources that are fossil-fuel-free. Because we don\u2019t completely control what outside companies do, we\u2019re going to work as hard as we can to send signals and create demand for such goods and services.<\/p>\n","innerContent":["\n<p>We believe the University needs to move forward, in conjunction with other groups doing this work, to ensure that we have scientifically grounded, reliable metrics that can give us insights into the climate, health, and environmental impacts of purchased services, particularly for air travel, food, investment, and the like. As part of the process of getting more accurate measurements, we can then better understand what the options are for reducing those impacts, and begin to pursue those options consistent with Harvard\u2019s mission. As part of the fossil-fuel-free by 2050 goal, we suggest that the University make more than due-diligence efforts to ensure that the purchased goods and services are also purchased from sources that are fossil-fuel-free. Because we don\u2019t completely control what outside companies do, we\u2019re going to work as hard as we can to send signals and create demand for such goods and services.<\/p>\n"],"rendered":"\n<p>We believe the University needs to move forward, in conjunction with other groups doing this work, to ensure that we have scientifically grounded, reliable metrics that can give us insights into the climate, health, and environmental impacts of purchased services, particularly for air travel, food, investment, and the like. As part of the process of getting more accurate measurements, we can then better understand what the options are for reducing those impacts, and begin to pursue those options consistent with Harvard\u2019s mission. As part of the fossil-fuel-free by 2050 goal, we suggest that the University make more than due-diligence efforts to ensure that the purchased goods and services are also purchased from sources that are fossil-fuel-free. Because we don\u2019t completely control what outside companies do, we\u2019re going to work as hard as we can to send signals and create demand for such goods and services.<\/p>\n"},{"blockName":"core\/quote","attrs":{"value":"<cite>Rebecca Henderson<\/cite>","citation":"Rebecca Henderson","textAlign":"","lock":[],"metadata":[],"align":"","className":"","style":[],"backgroundColor":"","textColor":"","gradient":"","fontSize":"","fontFamily":"","borderColor":"","layout":[],"anchor":""},"innerBlocks":[{"blockName":"core\/paragraph","attrs":{"align":"","content":"\"We think that in Harvard making this commitment, we can learn more about what it means to make this transition and develop the kind of research and analysis that will support other institutions in making the choice to accelerate this change.\"","dropCap":false,"placeholder":"","direction":"","lock":[],"metadata":[],"className":"","style":[],"backgroundColor":"","textColor":"","gradient":"","fontSize":"","fontFamily":"","borderColor":"","anchor":""},"innerBlocks":[],"innerHTML":"\n<p>\"We think that in Harvard making this commitment, we can learn more about what it means to make this transition and develop the kind of research and analysis that will support other institutions in making the choice to accelerate this change.\"<\/p>\n","innerContent":["\n<p>\"We think that in Harvard making this commitment, we can learn more about what it means to make this transition and develop the kind of research and analysis that will support other institutions in making the choice to accelerate this change.\"<\/p>\n"],"rendered":"\n<p>\"We think that in Harvard making this commitment, we can learn more about what it means to make this transition and develop the kind of research and analysis that will support other institutions in making the choice to accelerate this change.\"<\/p>\n"}],"innerHTML":"\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote\"><cite>Rebecca Henderson<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n","innerContent":["\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote\">","<cite>Rebecca Henderson<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n"],"rendered":"\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p>\"We think that in Harvard making this commitment, we can learn more about what it means to make this transition and develop the kind of research and analysis that will support other institutions in making the choice to accelerate this change.\"<\/p>\n<cite>Rebecca Henderson<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n"},{"blockName":"core\/paragraph","attrs":{"align":"","content":"<strong>GAZETTE:<\/strong> How do you imagine Harvard might begin to operationalize these new goals?","dropCap":false,"placeholder":"","direction":"","lock":[],"metadata":[],"className":"","style":[],"backgroundColor":"","textColor":"","gradient":"","fontSize":"","fontFamily":"","borderColor":"","anchor":""},"innerBlocks":[],"innerHTML":"\n<p><strong>GAZETTE:<\/strong> How do you imagine Harvard might begin to operationalize these new goals?<\/p>\n","innerContent":["\n<p><strong>GAZETTE:<\/strong> How do you imagine Harvard might begin to operationalize these new goals?<\/p>\n"],"rendered":"\n<p><strong>GAZETTE:<\/strong> How do you imagine Harvard might begin to operationalize these new goals?<\/p>\n"},{"blockName":"core\/paragraph","attrs":{"align":"","content":"<strong>HENDERSON:<\/strong> The committee recommended that the University implement a surcharge on fossil-fuel consumption on the campus in order to fund becoming fossil-fuel-neutral by 2026. A surcharge is conceptually equivalent to what many people have talked about as a carbon tax. One way to think about it is: Every time I turn on a light, I\u2019m not only lighting the room, but I\u2019m creating some damages. The goal of a surcharge or a carbon tax would be to ask you to pay a little bit toward that.","dropCap":false,"placeholder":"","direction":"","lock":[],"metadata":[],"className":"","style":[],"backgroundColor":"","textColor":"","gradient":"","fontSize":"","fontFamily":"","borderColor":"","anchor":""},"innerBlocks":[],"innerHTML":"\n<p><strong>HENDERSON:<\/strong> The committee recommended that the University implement a surcharge on fossil-fuel consumption on the campus in order to fund becoming fossil-fuel-neutral by 2026. A surcharge is conceptually equivalent to what many people have talked about as a carbon tax. One way to think about it is: Every time I turn on a light, I\u2019m not only lighting the room, but I\u2019m creating some damages. The goal of a surcharge or a carbon tax would be to ask you to pay a little bit toward that.<\/p>\n","innerContent":["\n<p><strong>HENDERSON:<\/strong> The committee recommended that the University implement a surcharge on fossil-fuel consumption on the campus in order to fund becoming fossil-fuel-neutral by 2026. A surcharge is conceptually equivalent to what many people have talked about as a carbon tax. One way to think about it is: Every time I turn on a light, I\u2019m not only lighting the room, but I\u2019m creating some damages. The goal of a surcharge or a carbon tax would be to ask you to pay a little bit toward that.<\/p>\n"],"rendered":"\n<p><strong>HENDERSON:<\/strong> The committee recommended that the University implement a surcharge on fossil-fuel consumption on the campus in order to fund becoming fossil-fuel-neutral by 2026. A surcharge is conceptually equivalent to what many people have talked about as a carbon tax. One way to think about it is: Every time I turn on a light, I\u2019m not only lighting the room, but I\u2019m creating some damages. The goal of a surcharge or a carbon tax would be to ask you to pay a little bit toward that.<\/p>\n"},{"blockName":"core\/paragraph","attrs":{"align":"","content":"Now, if you simply were to impose a surcharge on fossil-fuel use that was equivalent to the damages we were causing, that\u2019s a very big number \u2014 we\u2019re certainly not recommending anything like that.","dropCap":false,"placeholder":"","direction":"","lock":[],"metadata":[],"className":"","style":[],"backgroundColor":"","textColor":"","gradient":"","fontSize":"","fontFamily":"","borderColor":"","anchor":""},"innerBlocks":[],"innerHTML":"\n<p>Now, if you simply were to impose a surcharge on fossil-fuel use that was equivalent to the damages we were causing, that\u2019s a very big number \u2014 we\u2019re certainly not recommending anything like that.<\/p>\n","innerContent":["\n<p>Now, if you simply were to impose a surcharge on fossil-fuel use that was equivalent to the damages we were causing, that\u2019s a very big number \u2014 we\u2019re certainly not recommending anything like that.<\/p>\n"],"rendered":"\n<p>Now, if you simply were to impose a surcharge on fossil-fuel use that was equivalent to the damages we were causing, that\u2019s a very big number \u2014 we\u2019re certainly not recommending anything like that.<\/p>\n"},{"blockName":"core\/paragraph","attrs":{"align":"","content":"<strong>CLARK:<\/strong> In terms of how to implement a surcharge on campus, there are a set of questions that will need to be answered through ongoing research and in close coordination with the University\u2019s Schools and departments. These include what the size of this surcharge should be and how the revenues might be used, for example, in stimulating or incentivizing the development of low-fossil-fuel, low-emissions technologies and practices on campus. There are many faculty experts on our campus who are well-positioned to contribute to this research endeavor.","dropCap":false,"placeholder":"","direction":"","lock":[],"metadata":[],"className":"","style":[],"backgroundColor":"","textColor":"","gradient":"","fontSize":"","fontFamily":"","borderColor":"","anchor":""},"innerBlocks":[],"innerHTML":"\n<p><strong>CLARK:<\/strong> In terms of how to implement a surcharge on campus, there are a set of questions that will need to be answered through ongoing research and in close coordination with the University\u2019s Schools and departments. These include what the size of this surcharge should be and how the revenues might be used, for example, in stimulating or incentivizing the development of low-fossil-fuel, low-emissions technologies and practices on campus. There are many faculty experts on our campus who are well-positioned to contribute to this research endeavor.<\/p>\n","innerContent":["\n<p><strong>CLARK:<\/strong> In terms of how to implement a surcharge on campus, there are a set of questions that will need to be answered through ongoing research and in close coordination with the University\u2019s Schools and departments. These include what the size of this surcharge should be and how the revenues might be used, for example, in stimulating or incentivizing the development of low-fossil-fuel, low-emissions technologies and practices on campus. There are many faculty experts on our campus who are well-positioned to contribute to this research endeavor.<\/p>\n"],"rendered":"\n<p><strong>CLARK:<\/strong> In terms of how to implement a surcharge on campus, there are a set of questions that will need to be answered through ongoing research and in close coordination with the University\u2019s Schools and departments. These include what the size of this surcharge should be and how the revenues might be used, for example, in stimulating or incentivizing the development of low-fossil-fuel, low-emissions technologies and practices on campus. There are many faculty experts on our campus who are well-positioned to contribute to this research endeavor.<\/p>\n"},{"blockName":"core\/paragraph","attrs":{"align":"","content":"<strong>GAZETTE:<\/strong> Katie, the University faces competing demands on shrinking resources, especially in light of the tax on endowments included in the recent federal tax bill. How will these new climate goals fit into the difficult decisions that Harvard administrators are making and will need to make about how to spend our limited resources?","dropCap":false,"placeholder":"","direction":"","lock":[],"metadata":[],"className":"","style":[],"backgroundColor":"","textColor":"","gradient":"","fontSize":"","fontFamily":"","borderColor":"","anchor":""},"innerBlocks":[],"innerHTML":"\n<p><strong>GAZETTE:<\/strong> Katie, the University faces competing demands on shrinking resources, especially in light of the tax on endowments included in the recent federal tax bill. How will these new climate goals fit into the difficult decisions that Harvard administrators are making and will need to make about how to spend our limited resources?<\/p>\n","innerContent":["\n<p><strong>GAZETTE:<\/strong> Katie, the University faces competing demands on shrinking resources, especially in light of the tax on endowments included in the recent federal tax bill. How will these new climate goals fit into the difficult decisions that Harvard administrators are making and will need to make about how to spend our limited resources?<\/p>\n"],"rendered":"\n<p><strong>GAZETTE:<\/strong> Katie, the University faces competing demands on shrinking resources, especially in light of the tax on endowments included in the recent federal tax bill. How will these new climate goals fit into the difficult decisions that Harvard administrators are making and will need to make about how to spend our limited resources?<\/p>\n"},{"blockName":"harvard-gazette\/supporting-content","attrs":{"id":"1c5197ab-56c4-4fdb-8c13-8baf7fadfd05","style":{"position":{"type":"sticky","top":"0px"}},"align":"left","allowedBlocks":[],"lock":[],"metadata":[],"className":""},"innerBlocks":[{"blockName":"core\/image","attrs":{"align":"right","id":237922,"sizeSlug":"full","className":"is-resized","creditText":"Harvard University","blob":"","url":"https:\/\/news.harvard.edu\/gazette\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/102017_financial_report_098-scaled.jpg","alt":"","caption":"Harvard Executive Vice President Katie Lapp. Stephanie Mitchell\/Harvard Staff Photographer ","lightbox":[],"title":"","href":"","rel":"","linkClass":"","width":"","height":"","aspectRatio":"","scale":"","linkDestination":"","linkTarget":"","lock":[],"metadata":[],"style":[],"borderColor":"","anchor":""},"innerBlocks":[],"innerHTML":"\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image alignright size-full is-resized\"><img src=\"https:\/\/news.harvard.edu\/gazette\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/102017_financial_report_098-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-237922\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Harvard Executive Vice President Katie Lapp. Stephanie Mitchell\/Harvard Staff Photographer <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n","innerContent":["\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image alignright size-full is-resized\"><img src=\"https:\/\/news.harvard.edu\/gazette\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/102017_financial_report_098-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-237922\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Harvard Executive Vice President Katie Lapp. Stephanie Mitchell\/Harvard Staff Photographer <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n"],"rendered":"\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image alignright size-full is-resized\"><img src=\"https:\/\/news.harvard.edu\/gazette\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/102017_financial_report_098-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-237922\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><p class=\"wp-element-caption--caption\">Harvard Executive Vice President Katie Lapp. Stephanie Mitchell\/Harvard Staff Photographer <\/p><p class=\"wp-element-caption--credit\">Harvard University<\/p><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n"}],"innerHTML":"\n<div class=\"wp-block-harvard-gazette-supporting-content alignleft supporting-content\" id=\"supporting-content-1c5197ab-56c4-4fdb-8c13-8baf7fadfd05\"><\/div>\n","innerContent":["\n<div class=\"wp-block-harvard-gazette-supporting-content alignleft supporting-content\" id=\"supporting-content-1c5197ab-56c4-4fdb-8c13-8baf7fadfd05\">","<\/div>\n"],"rendered":"\n<div class=\"wp-block-harvard-gazette-supporting-content alignleft supporting-content wp-container-3 is-position-sticky\" id=\"supporting-content-1c5197ab-56c4-4fdb-8c13-8baf7fadfd05\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image alignright size-full is-resized\"><img src=\"https:\/\/news.harvard.edu\/gazette\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/102017_financial_report_098-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-237922\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><p class=\"wp-element-caption--caption\">Harvard Executive Vice President Katie Lapp. Stephanie Mitchell\/Harvard Staff Photographer <\/p><p class=\"wp-element-caption--credit\">Harvard University<\/p><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n"},{"blockName":"core\/paragraph","attrs":{"align":"","content":"<strong>LAPP:<\/strong> As with any major goals set by the University, we will strive to meet the commitments set forth in the task force\u2019s recommendations. While ambitious, I think they are achievable. The fact is, we met our previous climate goal through <a href=\"https:\/\/green.harvard.edu\/topics\/climate-change-energy\/energy-efficiency\">smart investments in energy conservation<\/a> that reduced emissions and resulted in millions of dollars of cost savings to the University. We will continue our focus on energy efficiency, particularly as new technology becomes available. And as we did with the previous goal, we will undergo a process of quadrennial reviews that will allow us to explore the question of whether or not it is still viable to meet our goals and what adjustments may need to be made given the demands on our resources.","dropCap":false,"placeholder":"","direction":"","lock":[],"metadata":[],"className":"","style":[],"backgroundColor":"","textColor":"","gradient":"","fontSize":"","fontFamily":"","borderColor":"","anchor":""},"innerBlocks":[],"innerHTML":"\n<p><strong>LAPP:<\/strong> As with any major goals set by the University, we will strive to meet the commitments set forth in the task force\u2019s recommendations. While ambitious, I think they are achievable. The fact is, we met our previous climate goal through <a href=\"https:\/\/green.harvard.edu\/topics\/climate-change-energy\/energy-efficiency\">smart investments in energy conservation<\/a> that reduced emissions and resulted in millions of dollars of cost savings to the University. We will continue our focus on energy efficiency, particularly as new technology becomes available. And as we did with the previous goal, we will undergo a process of quadrennial reviews that will allow us to explore the question of whether or not it is still viable to meet our goals and what adjustments may need to be made given the demands on our resources.<\/p>\n","innerContent":["\n<p><strong>LAPP:<\/strong> As with any major goals set by the University, we will strive to meet the commitments set forth in the task force\u2019s recommendations. While ambitious, I think they are achievable. The fact is, we met our previous climate goal through <a href=\"https:\/\/green.harvard.edu\/topics\/climate-change-energy\/energy-efficiency\">smart investments in energy conservation<\/a> that reduced emissions and resulted in millions of dollars of cost savings to the University. We will continue our focus on energy efficiency, particularly as new technology becomes available. And as we did with the previous goal, we will undergo a process of quadrennial reviews that will allow us to explore the question of whether or not it is still viable to meet our goals and what adjustments may need to be made given the demands on our resources.<\/p>\n"],"rendered":"\n<p><strong>LAPP:<\/strong> As with any major goals set by the University, we will strive to meet the commitments set forth in the task force\u2019s recommendations. While ambitious, I think they are achievable. The fact is, we met our previous climate goal through <a href=\"https:\/\/green.harvard.edu\/topics\/climate-change-energy\/energy-efficiency\">smart investments in energy conservation<\/a> that reduced emissions and resulted in millions of dollars of cost savings to the University. We will continue our focus on energy efficiency, particularly as new technology becomes available. And as we did with the previous goal, we will undergo a process of quadrennial reviews that will allow us to explore the question of whether or not it is still viable to meet our goals and what adjustments may need to be made given the demands on our resources.<\/p>\n"},{"blockName":"core\/paragraph","attrs":{"align":"","content":"<strong>GAZETTE:<\/strong> The findings and recommendations of the climate change task force were unanimously agreed upon, and while you three served as co-chairs, it was composed of many other members. Can you tell us a little bit about the dynamic of the full group?","dropCap":false,"placeholder":"","direction":"","lock":[],"metadata":[],"className":"","style":[],"backgroundColor":"","textColor":"","gradient":"","fontSize":"","fontFamily":"","borderColor":"","anchor":""},"innerBlocks":[],"innerHTML":"\n<p><strong>GAZETTE:<\/strong> The findings and recommendations of the climate change task force were unanimously agreed upon, and while you three served as co-chairs, it was composed of many other members. Can you tell us a little bit about the dynamic of the full group?<\/p>\n","innerContent":["\n<p><strong>GAZETTE:<\/strong> The findings and recommendations of the climate change task force were unanimously agreed upon, and while you three served as co-chairs, it was composed of many other members. Can you tell us a little bit about the dynamic of the full group?<\/p>\n"],"rendered":"\n<p><strong>GAZETTE:<\/strong> The findings and recommendations of the climate change task force were unanimously agreed upon, and while you three served as co-chairs, it was composed of many other members. Can you tell us a little bit about the dynamic of the full group?<\/p>\n"},{"blockName":"core\/paragraph","attrs":{"align":"","content":"<strong>CLARK:<\/strong> The task force was named to include a broad cross-section of faculty, students, and senior administrative staff from around the University \u2014 they were spectacular. I think we came out of this in a place that was quite unlike what anybody walked in expecting. Almost everybody at the table gave a little on something they might have liked to see featured more. But, crucially, we simply came out with a view or vision of what was achievable and what the motivations were for achieving it. And that, to put it mildly, is not something that always happens in this society.","dropCap":false,"placeholder":"","direction":"","lock":[],"metadata":[],"className":"","style":[],"backgroundColor":"","textColor":"","gradient":"","fontSize":"","fontFamily":"","borderColor":"","anchor":""},"innerBlocks":[],"innerHTML":"\n<p><strong>CLARK:<\/strong> The task force was named to include a broad cross-section of faculty, students, and senior administrative staff from around the University \u2014 they were spectacular. I think we came out of this in a place that was quite unlike what anybody walked in expecting. Almost everybody at the table gave a little on something they might have liked to see featured more. But, crucially, we simply came out with a view or vision of what was achievable and what the motivations were for achieving it. And that, to put it mildly, is not something that always happens in this society.<\/p>\n","innerContent":["\n<p><strong>CLARK:<\/strong> The task force was named to include a broad cross-section of faculty, students, and senior administrative staff from around the University \u2014 they were spectacular. I think we came out of this in a place that was quite unlike what anybody walked in expecting. Almost everybody at the table gave a little on something they might have liked to see featured more. But, crucially, we simply came out with a view or vision of what was achievable and what the motivations were for achieving it. And that, to put it mildly, is not something that always happens in this society.<\/p>\n"],"rendered":"\n<p><strong>CLARK:<\/strong> The task force was named to include a broad cross-section of faculty, students, and senior administrative staff from around the University \u2014 they were spectacular. I think we came out of this in a place that was quite unlike what anybody walked in expecting. Almost everybody at the table gave a little on something they might have liked to see featured more. But, crucially, we simply came out with a view or vision of what was achievable and what the motivations were for achieving it. And that, to put it mildly, is not something that always happens in this society.<\/p>\n"},{"blockName":"core\/paragraph","attrs":{"align":"","content":"<strong>HENDERSON:<\/strong> Conversations were lively, sometimes difficult, but always productive. I gained so much respect for the diversity of expertise across the campus.","dropCap":false,"placeholder":"","direction":"","lock":[],"metadata":[],"className":"","style":[],"backgroundColor":"","textColor":"","gradient":"","fontSize":"","fontFamily":"","borderColor":"","anchor":""},"innerBlocks":[],"innerHTML":"\n<p><strong>HENDERSON:<\/strong> Conversations were lively, sometimes difficult, but always productive. I gained so much respect for the diversity of expertise across the campus.<\/p>\n","innerContent":["\n<p><strong>HENDERSON:<\/strong> Conversations were lively, sometimes difficult, but always productive. I gained so much respect for the diversity of expertise across the campus.<\/p>\n"],"rendered":"\n<p><strong>HENDERSON:<\/strong> Conversations were lively, sometimes difficult, but always productive. I gained so much respect for the diversity of expertise across the campus.<\/p>\n"},{"blockName":"core\/paragraph","attrs":{"align":"","content":"<strong>GAZETTE:<\/strong> I\u2019d like to wrap it up by asking you how you individually take action to reduce the climate impact of your own lifestyles?","dropCap":false,"placeholder":"","direction":"","lock":[],"metadata":[],"className":"","style":[],"backgroundColor":"","textColor":"","gradient":"","fontSize":"","fontFamily":"","borderColor":"","anchor":""},"innerBlocks":[],"innerHTML":"\n<p><strong>GAZETTE:<\/strong> I\u2019d like to wrap it up by asking you how you individually take action to reduce the climate impact of your own lifestyles?<\/p>\n","innerContent":["\n<p><strong>GAZETTE:<\/strong> I\u2019d like to wrap it up by asking you how you individually take action to reduce the climate impact of your own lifestyles?<\/p>\n"],"rendered":"\n<p><strong>GAZETTE:<\/strong> I\u2019d like to wrap it up by asking you how you individually take action to reduce the climate impact of your own lifestyles?<\/p>\n"},{"blockName":"core\/paragraph","attrs":{"align":"","content":"<strong>LAPP:<\/strong> As many people who interact with me on campus know, I\u2019m always turning off lights, adjusting the thermostat, and I try to avoid drinking bottled water. I also walk to work, drive a Prius, compost, and try in my small way to reduce my carbon footprint wherever possible.","dropCap":false,"placeholder":"","direction":"","lock":[],"metadata":[],"className":"","style":[],"backgroundColor":"","textColor":"","gradient":"","fontSize":"","fontFamily":"","borderColor":"","anchor":""},"innerBlocks":[],"innerHTML":"\n<p><strong>LAPP:<\/strong> As many people who interact with me on campus know, I\u2019m always turning off lights, adjusting the thermostat, and I try to avoid drinking bottled water. I also walk to work, drive a Prius, compost, and try in my small way to reduce my carbon footprint wherever possible.<\/p>\n","innerContent":["\n<p><strong>LAPP:<\/strong> As many people who interact with me on campus know, I\u2019m always turning off lights, adjusting the thermostat, and I try to avoid drinking bottled water. I also walk to work, drive a Prius, compost, and try in my small way to reduce my carbon footprint wherever possible.<\/p>\n"],"rendered":"\n<p><strong>LAPP:<\/strong> As many people who interact with me on campus know, I\u2019m always turning off lights, adjusting the thermostat, and I try to avoid drinking bottled water. I also walk to work, drive a Prius, compost, and try in my small way to reduce my carbon footprint wherever possible.<\/p>\n"},{"blockName":"core\/paragraph","attrs":{"align":"","content":"<strong>CLARK:<\/strong> I try to keep up with Katie, but bike rather than walk to work. And for the last decade, I\u2019ve been running the Sustainability Science Program at the Harvard Kennedy School, which has brought in several hundred sharp young researchers and early career professionals. I have worked very hard to bring down by a factor of at least 60 percent my air travel over that period, simply in response to these folks saying: Really, how much of that travel is essential to you achieving your mission? How much of it can you do in other ways? How much of it do you need to do at all?","dropCap":false,"placeholder":"","direction":"","lock":[],"metadata":[],"className":"","style":[],"backgroundColor":"","textColor":"","gradient":"","fontSize":"","fontFamily":"","borderColor":"","anchor":""},"innerBlocks":[],"innerHTML":"\n<p><strong>CLARK:<\/strong> I try to keep up with Katie, but bike rather than walk to work. And for the last decade, I\u2019ve been running the Sustainability Science Program at the Harvard Kennedy School, which has brought in several hundred sharp young researchers and early career professionals. I have worked very hard to bring down by a factor of at least 60 percent my air travel over that period, simply in response to these folks saying: Really, how much of that travel is essential to you achieving your mission? How much of it can you do in other ways? How much of it do you need to do at all?<\/p>\n","innerContent":["\n<p><strong>CLARK:<\/strong> I try to keep up with Katie, but bike rather than walk to work. And for the last decade, I\u2019ve been running the Sustainability Science Program at the Harvard Kennedy School, which has brought in several hundred sharp young researchers and early career professionals. I have worked very hard to bring down by a factor of at least 60 percent my air travel over that period, simply in response to these folks saying: Really, how much of that travel is essential to you achieving your mission? How much of it can you do in other ways? How much of it do you need to do at all?<\/p>\n"],"rendered":"\n<p><strong>CLARK:<\/strong> I try to keep up with Katie, but bike rather than walk to work. And for the last decade, I\u2019ve been running the Sustainability Science Program at the Harvard Kennedy School, which has brought in several hundred sharp young researchers and early career professionals. I have worked very hard to bring down by a factor of at least 60 percent my air travel over that period, simply in response to these folks saying: Really, how much of that travel is essential to you achieving your mission? How much of it can you do in other ways? How much of it do you need to do at all?<\/p>\n"},{"blockName":"core\/paragraph","attrs":{"align":"","content":"<strong>HENDERSON:<\/strong> I don\u2019t eat beef. If you were to identify one single element in the food chain that generates disproportionate carbon emissions, beef would be it. When I construct my own carbon portfolio, it\u2019s overwhelmingly the flights I take, so, like Bill, I\u2019ve been very much trying to cut down my amount of flying. And, last but not least, I\u2019ve invested in insulation in my house. The numbers are very striking. The easiest way to make money usually is to insulate your house. And that\u2019s had a very positive rate of return and makes a big difference.","dropCap":false,"placeholder":"","direction":"","lock":[],"metadata":[],"className":"","style":[],"backgroundColor":"","textColor":"","gradient":"","fontSize":"","fontFamily":"","borderColor":"","anchor":""},"innerBlocks":[],"innerHTML":"\n<p><strong>HENDERSON:<\/strong> I don\u2019t eat beef. If you were to identify one single element in the food chain that generates disproportionate carbon emissions, beef would be it. When I construct my own carbon portfolio, it\u2019s overwhelmingly the flights I take, so, like Bill, I\u2019ve been very much trying to cut down my amount of flying. And, last but not least, I\u2019ve invested in insulation in my house. The numbers are very striking. The easiest way to make money usually is to insulate your house. And that\u2019s had a very positive rate of return and makes a big difference.<\/p>\n","innerContent":["\n<p><strong>HENDERSON:<\/strong> I don\u2019t eat beef. If you were to identify one single element in the food chain that generates disproportionate carbon emissions, beef would be it. When I construct my own carbon portfolio, it\u2019s overwhelmingly the flights I take, so, like Bill, I\u2019ve been very much trying to cut down my amount of flying. And, last but not least, I\u2019ve invested in insulation in my house. The numbers are very striking. The easiest way to make money usually is to insulate your house. And that\u2019s had a very positive rate of return and makes a big difference.<\/p>\n"],"rendered":"\n<p><strong>HENDERSON:<\/strong> I don\u2019t eat beef. If you were to identify one single element in the food chain that generates disproportionate carbon emissions, beef would be it. When I construct my own carbon portfolio, it\u2019s overwhelmingly the flights I take, so, like Bill, I\u2019ve been very much trying to cut down my amount of flying. And, last but not least, I\u2019ve invested in insulation in my house. The numbers are very striking. The easiest way to make money usually is to insulate your house. And that\u2019s had a very positive rate of return and makes a big difference.<\/p>\n"}],"innerHTML":"\n<div class=\"wp-block-group alignwide\">\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n","innerContent":["\n<div class=\"wp-block-group alignwide\">","\n\n","\n\n","\n\n","\n\n","\n\n","\n\n","\n\n","\n\n","\n\n","\n\n","\n\n","\n\n","\n\n","\n\n","\n\n","\n\n","\n\n","\n\n","\n\n","\n\n","\n\n","\n\n","\n\n","\n\n","\n\n","\n\n","\n\n","\n\n","\n\n","\n\n","\n\n","\n\n","\n\n","\n\n","\n\n","\n\n","\n\n","\n\n","\n\n","\n\n","\n\n","\n\n","\n\n","\n\n","\n\n","\n\n","\n\n","\n\n","<\/div>\n"],"rendered":"\n<div class=\"wp-block-group alignwide has-global-padding is-content-justification-right is-layout-constrained wp-container-core-group-is-layout-f1f2ed93 wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n<p>A new Harvard University climate action plan, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.harvard.edu\/president\/news\/2018\/harvards-climate-change-efforts\">announced by Harvard President Drew Faust<\/a> today, clears an ambitious path forward to shift campus operations further away from fossil fuels. <a href=\"http:\/\/www.green.harvard.edu\/climate\">The plan<\/a> includes two significant science-based targets to reduce emissions dramatically: a long-term goal to be fossil-fuel-free by 2050, and a short-term one to be fossil-fuel-neutral by 2026.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The plan builds on Harvard\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/green.harvard.edu\/topics\/climate-energy\/2006-2016-climate-goal\">previous 10-year climate goal<\/a>, achieved in 2016, to reduce on-campus greenhouse gas emissions by 30 percent, despite a square footage increase of 12 percent during that period. Following this milestone, Faust appointed a climate change task force composed of a multidisciplinary group of faculty experts, senior administrators, and students to help the University envision a new set of climate commitments to define its work on campus over the next several decades.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The task force was co-chaired by Rebecca Henderson, the John and Natty McArthur University Professor at Harvard Business School; Bill Clark, the Harvey Brooks Professor of International Science, Public Policy, and Human Development at Harvard Kennedy School; and Harvard Executive Vice President Katie Lapp. The task force recently completed its work and delivered its recommendations to Faust. These recommendations provided the blueprint for the new plan.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In an interview, Henderson, Clark, and Lapp talked with the Gazette about the recommendations, the research and thinking behind them, and some highlights of the plan.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>GAZETTE:<\/strong> The climate change task force recently delivered its report to President Faust, outlining its recommendations for the next stage of Harvard\u2019s climate commitment. Before we dive into the specific recommendations, can you touch on the broader scientific and societal context in which the group considered them?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>HENDERSON:<\/strong> I think the most direct answer is that the world is in crisis, that the climate is changing faster than scientists hoped it would. All the projections suggested that there would be impacts, but everything\u2019s happening at the high end of the original scientific consensus. What\u2019s most dramatic, and perhaps most salient, is the huge storms that hit the Caribbean and Texas last summer. And while one can\u2019t ascribe any single storm to the effects of climate change, what the scientists said is these kinds of events would become more frequent and more severe.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>CLARK:<\/strong> We seem to be edging up on a pivot point in the notion that fossil fuels are an inevitable, necessary evil that you have to stay with. We are facing a time when the notion of shifting the world\u2019s foundations for energy choices in a more sustainable, life-friendly direction is feasible technologically, economically, and politically.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full is-resized\"><img src=\"https:\/\/news.harvard.edu\/gazette\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/111517_climate_0172.jpg\" alt=\"Bill Clark and Rebecca Henderson.\" class=\"wp-image-237631\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><p class=\"wp-element-caption--caption\">Bill Clark of the Kennedy School and Rebecca Henderson of the Business School are faculty co-chairs of the Climate Change Task Force that made recommendations for the next stage of the University's climate commitment. Rose Lincoln\/Harvard Staff Photographer\t\t\t<\/p><p class=\"wp-element-caption--credit\">Harvard University<\/p><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>GAZETTE:<\/strong> So, given this context, can you describe some of the task force\u2019s central findings that were the foundation of the recommendations?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>CLARK:<\/strong> For any energy choice Harvard makes, the task force found that while there are substantial climate implications, there are also substantial implications through other pollutants for health, ecosystem, agriculture, productivity, and materials. Not only are there climate reasons to shift away from fossil fuels, but there are other reasons that are important to consider when you realize that the same choices you make are going to have broader implications.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>An analysis done by the task force found that the full scope of damages associated with Harvard using fossil fuels to provide the energy services it needs to perform its mission are at least $25 million a year. Of that total, perhaps three-quarters is due to the impact of fossil fuels on the climate, and the rest is associated with costs related to the human health effects of other pollutants. Nobody questions Harvard\u2019s need for energy services to fulfill its mission, but we found it extremely sobering to think that we\u2019re getting our energy in ways that are creating that much damage to society. Surely, we should be looking for ways to meet our energy needs while reducing those associated damages to the climate, public health, and the environment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p>\"We are facing a time when the notion of shifting the world\u2019s foundations for energy choices in a more sustainable, life-friendly direction is feasible technologically, economically, and politically.\"<\/p>\n<cite>Bill Clark<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>GAZETTE:<\/strong> One of the task force\u2019s core mandates was to recommend a new set of emissions-reductions targets for the University. What were those goals?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>HENDERSON:<\/strong> The last 10 years have seen <a href=\"https:\/\/green.harvard.edu\/topics\/climate-energy\/2006-2016-climate-goal\">enormous progress<\/a> on campus. Emissions have gone down by 30 percent overall, including campus growth, which is fantastic and absolutely the leading edge of what most other institutions and firms have accomplished.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>So, what next? The task force focused hard on the question of what Harvard could continue to do on campus in terms of a short-term goal and a long-term goal. The long-term goal is to make the campus fossil-fuel-free by 2050. That means, to the maximum extent possible, our operations will not rely on the use of fossil fuels.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Now, why do we say \u201cgo to zero\u201d by 2050? Well, the most immediate reason is both Boston and Cambridge have announced that that\u2019s the standard they\u2019re expecting of institutions and companies by 2050. The second reason is that we know from the science that that\u2019s at least what we need to do if we\u2019re going to help solve the problems that we as a society face.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>And, in fact, we thought we needed to do more than that. So, we also recommended a short-term goal that Harvard become fossil-fuel-neutral by 2026. What we mean by fossil-fuel-neutral is that we invest in other projects \u2014 things like power purchase agreements, things like buying renewable energy certificates \u2014 so that, although we will continue to be responsible for fossil-fuel emissions here in Cambridge, we will be making sufficient investments that would take our net use of fossil fuels to zero by 2026.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>GAZETTE:<\/strong> How do you see these goals and the task force\u2019s other recommendations mixing with the extensive research and teaching on climate change and sustainability that\u2019s going on at the University?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>HENDERSON:<\/strong> We think this is one of the most exciting aspects of this new commitment. It is a very real opportunity to use Harvard\u2019s campus to engage our faculty, our researchers, and our students in tackling the very toughest challenge we face in the necessary transition to a fossil-fuel-free future. The task force\u2019s recommendations present research questions, which our faculty can use to further their research and engage students as part of the teaching and learning experience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>CLARK:<\/strong> It\u2019s worth emphasizing that, yes, our recommendations are fundamentally about how we might engage our entire community in figuring out solutions to the global problems society faces when it comes to sustainable development and climate change. These are topics in which Harvard has in the past and needs to in the future play a really fundamental role.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image alignwide size-full is-resized\"><img src=\"https:\/\/news.harvard.edu\/gazette\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/pathwaytofossilfuelfreegif.gif\" alt=\"Climate goals graphic.\" class=\"wp-image-237622\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><p class=\"wp-element-caption--caption\">\t\t\t<\/p><p class=\"wp-element-caption--credit\">Graphic by Kate Hammer\/Harvard Staff<\/p><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>LAPP:<\/strong> In addition to prioritizing institutional action on climate over the past decade, President Faust has made a strong commitment to funding climate change research with an eye toward long-term global solutions. For example, since 2014, more than $11 million has been invested in 41 multidisciplinary research projects through the <a href=\"https:\/\/news.harvard.edu\/gazette\/story\/2018\/01\/new-grants-for-climate-solutions\/\">Climate Change Solutions Fund<\/a> and the <a href=\"https:\/\/globalinstitute.harvard.edu\/grants-issue\">Harvard Global Institute<\/a>. Additionally, a new <a href=\"https:\/\/green.harvard.edu\/campus-sustainability-innovation-fund\">Campus Sustainability Innovation Fund<\/a> is supporting faculty research that uses our campus or surrounding communities to test or prove promising new solutions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>GAZETTE:<\/strong> Why did the committee feel it was important to set the short-term, fossil-fuel-neutral goal, and what would you say to people who say we will just be buying our way out of the problem?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-harvard-gazette-supporting-content alignleft supporting-content\" id=\"supporting-content-b5f67dbc-11d7-42e5-88c2-f33be83e6dce\">\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading has-secondary-green-dark-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-8e534d663ec781ffd06a79d79aeb2fab\" id=\"h-a-decade-of-climate-action\">A decade of climate action<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>2004: <a href=\"https:\/\/news.harvard.edu\/gazette\/story\/2004\/10\/six-new-sustainability-principles-adopted\/\">Sustainability Principles adopted<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>2008: Initial climate goal announced at&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/news.harvard.edu\/gazette\/story\/2008\/10\/gore-universities-have-important-role-in-sustainability\/\">celebration with Al Gore<\/a>&nbsp;attended by 15,000, targeting 30% reduction in absolute emissions from 2006 to 2016<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>2014: $20 million&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/news.harvard.edu\/gazette\/story\/2014\/04\/fund-to-tackle-climate-change\/\">Climate Change Solutions Fund<\/a>&nbsp;created to support cutting-edge climate research<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>2014: University-wide Sustainability Plan released, focused on climate, health, and living lab<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>2016: <a href=\"https:\/\/news.harvard.edu\/gazette\/story\/2016\/12\/harvard-achieves-greenhouse-gas-reduction-goal\/\">Short-term climate goal achieved<\/a>; campus energy use reduced by 10%, inclusive of 12% campus growth<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>2016: Campus Sustainability Innovation Fund and Climate Change Solutions Living Lab course launched<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>2018: New Climate Action Plan announced signaling transition to a&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/news.harvard.edu\/gazette\/story\/2018\/01\/new-grants-for-climate-solutions\/\">fossil-fuel-free campus by 2050<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>HENDERSON:<\/strong> The first and most important reason is because we now have an even better sense of the damages \u2014 the very real damages \u2014 that our energy choices are causing. We are directly contributing to the burning of fossil fuels, and that\u2019s causing very real damages. We believe we have a moral duty to stop doing that as soon as we can. The second reason we made this recommendation is that we think that Harvard adopting this target will have real effects on the world around us, and that is consistent with our goal to be a leader in the world and in our community.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>There are really two kinds of impacts that we\u2019re hoping that this move can have. First, we can contribute to generating real demand for fossil-fuel-free energy, which in turn will drive down the costs. My own research explores the effect of strong demand signals on technical innovation, and one of the things I think economists are most certain about is that if consumers want it, they will build it. Second, and very importantly, we think that in Harvard making this commitment, we can learn more about what it means to make this transition and develop the kind of research and analysis that will support other institutions in making the choice to accelerate this change.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>To those who say Harvard\u2019s going to buy its way out of our trouble, I would reiterate that our first and most central recommendation is that Harvard should pursue all available opportunities to reduce fossil fuel use on campus, and that we should get to zero by 2050.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>GAZETTE:<\/strong> How would you address concerns about the cost of reaching these commitments, especially the short-term, fossil-fuel-neutral goal?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>HENDERSON:<\/strong> We believe that the current state of technology and science suggests that we could become fossil-fuel-neutral for relatively small amounts of money, on the order of 1 to 3 percent of energy costs. We have every reason to believe that those costs will go down over time. We think the other nice thing about this is that these small percentages are within the margin of the natural variability of energy prices. So just as energy prices rise when oil prices rise or there are geopolitical events, what this would look like to the community is a small increase in the price of energy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>People are sometimes concerned that there are poor-quality offsets out there, or that our money might go down a drain. Clearly, investing these funds in a way that helps us reduce damages and ultimately achieve fossil-fuel neutrality while ensuring our money isn\u2019t wasted is an important task. Our hope is to use some of these issues and discussions as input to active research leading to insights into how organizations can optimally reach fossil-fuel neutrality in the way that has the most impact for the lowest cost.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>GAZETTE:<\/strong> Beyond the emissions directly associated with energy production or use on campus, there are a host of so-called Scope 3 emissions, those emissions that are associated with purchased goods or services that support campus operations. How did the task force think about these emissions?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>CLARK:<\/strong> It\u2019s not a surprise to people that the purchase of food or of transportation services is responsible for emissions. What surprised us, as the Office for Sustainability began to actually calculate the magnitude of those emissions using preliminary estimates, was that they were far larger than most of us had expected.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>We believe the University needs to move forward, in conjunction with other groups doing this work, to ensure that we have scientifically grounded, reliable metrics that can give us insights into the climate, health, and environmental impacts of purchased services, particularly for air travel, food, investment, and the like. As part of the process of getting more accurate measurements, we can then better understand what the options are for reducing those impacts, and begin to pursue those options consistent with Harvard\u2019s mission. As part of the fossil-fuel-free by 2050 goal, we suggest that the University make more than due-diligence efforts to ensure that the purchased goods and services are also purchased from sources that are fossil-fuel-free. Because we don\u2019t completely control what outside companies do, we\u2019re going to work as hard as we can to send signals and create demand for such goods and services.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p>\"We think that in Harvard making this commitment, we can learn more about what it means to make this transition and develop the kind of research and analysis that will support other institutions in making the choice to accelerate this change.\"<\/p>\n<cite>Rebecca Henderson<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>GAZETTE:<\/strong> How do you imagine Harvard might begin to operationalize these new goals?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>HENDERSON:<\/strong> The committee recommended that the University implement a surcharge on fossil-fuel consumption on the campus in order to fund becoming fossil-fuel-neutral by 2026. A surcharge is conceptually equivalent to what many people have talked about as a carbon tax. One way to think about it is: Every time I turn on a light, I\u2019m not only lighting the room, but I\u2019m creating some damages. The goal of a surcharge or a carbon tax would be to ask you to pay a little bit toward that.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Now, if you simply were to impose a surcharge on fossil-fuel use that was equivalent to the damages we were causing, that\u2019s a very big number \u2014 we\u2019re certainly not recommending anything like that.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>CLARK:<\/strong> In terms of how to implement a surcharge on campus, there are a set of questions that will need to be answered through ongoing research and in close coordination with the University\u2019s Schools and departments. These include what the size of this surcharge should be and how the revenues might be used, for example, in stimulating or incentivizing the development of low-fossil-fuel, low-emissions technologies and practices on campus. There are many faculty experts on our campus who are well-positioned to contribute to this research endeavor.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>GAZETTE:<\/strong> Katie, the University faces competing demands on shrinking resources, especially in light of the tax on endowments included in the recent federal tax bill. How will these new climate goals fit into the difficult decisions that Harvard administrators are making and will need to make about how to spend our limited resources?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-harvard-gazette-supporting-content alignleft supporting-content wp-container-2 is-position-sticky\" id=\"supporting-content-1c5197ab-56c4-4fdb-8c13-8baf7fadfd05\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image alignright size-full is-resized\"><img src=\"https:\/\/news.harvard.edu\/gazette\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/102017_financial_report_098-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-237922\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><p class=\"wp-element-caption--caption\">Harvard Executive Vice President Katie Lapp. Stephanie Mitchell\/Harvard Staff Photographer <\/p><p class=\"wp-element-caption--credit\">Harvard University<\/p><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>LAPP:<\/strong> As with any major goals set by the University, we will strive to meet the commitments set forth in the task force\u2019s recommendations. While ambitious, I think they are achievable. The fact is, we met our previous climate goal through <a href=\"https:\/\/green.harvard.edu\/topics\/climate-change-energy\/energy-efficiency\">smart investments in energy conservation<\/a> that reduced emissions and resulted in millions of dollars of cost savings to the University. We will continue our focus on energy efficiency, particularly as new technology becomes available. And as we did with the previous goal, we will undergo a process of quadrennial reviews that will allow us to explore the question of whether or not it is still viable to meet our goals and what adjustments may need to be made given the demands on our resources.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>GAZETTE:<\/strong> The findings and recommendations of the climate change task force were unanimously agreed upon, and while you three served as co-chairs, it was composed of many other members. Can you tell us a little bit about the dynamic of the full group?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>CLARK:<\/strong> The task force was named to include a broad cross-section of faculty, students, and senior administrative staff from around the University \u2014 they were spectacular. I think we came out of this in a place that was quite unlike what anybody walked in expecting. Almost everybody at the table gave a little on something they might have liked to see featured more. But, crucially, we simply came out with a view or vision of what was achievable and what the motivations were for achieving it. And that, to put it mildly, is not something that always happens in this society.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>HENDERSON:<\/strong> Conversations were lively, sometimes difficult, but always productive. I gained so much respect for the diversity of expertise across the campus.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>GAZETTE:<\/strong> I\u2019d like to wrap it up by asking you how you individually take action to reduce the climate impact of your own lifestyles?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>LAPP:<\/strong> As many people who interact with me on campus know, I\u2019m always turning off lights, adjusting the thermostat, and I try to avoid drinking bottled water. I also walk to work, drive a Prius, compost, and try in my small way to reduce my carbon footprint wherever possible.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>CLARK:<\/strong> I try to keep up with Katie, but bike rather than walk to work. And for the last decade, I\u2019ve been running the Sustainability Science Program at the Harvard Kennedy School, which has brought in several hundred sharp young researchers and early career professionals. I have worked very hard to bring down by a factor of at least 60 percent my air travel over that period, simply in response to these folks saying: Really, how much of that travel is essential to you achieving your mission? How much of it can you do in other ways? How much of it do you need to do at all?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>HENDERSON:<\/strong> I don\u2019t eat beef. If you were to identify one single element in the food chain that generates disproportionate carbon emissions, beef would be it. When I construct my own carbon portfolio, it\u2019s overwhelmingly the flights I take, so, like Bill, I\u2019ve been very much trying to cut down my amount of flying. And, last but not least, I\u2019ve invested in insulation in my house. The numbers are very striking. The easiest way to make money usually is to insulate your house. And that\u2019s had a very positive rate of return and makes a big difference.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n"}},"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":330990,"url":"https:\/\/news.harvard.edu\/gazette\/story\/2021\/09\/sustainability-committee-focuses-on-health-and-equity-to-meet-goal\/","url_meta":{"origin":234245,"position":0},"title":"Focus on health and equity to meet 2026 climate goal, advises Sustainability Committee","author":"harvardgazette","date":"September 7, 2021","format":false,"excerpt":"Harvard is engaging its researchers and industry climate leaders to identify and invest in projects, according to the Harvard Presidential Committee on Sustainability.","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Campus &amp; Community&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Campus &amp; Community","link":"https:\/\/news.harvard.edu\/gazette\/section\/campus-community\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Wind turbine.","src":"https:\/\/news.harvard.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/artur-zudin-unsplash.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/news.harvard.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/artur-zudin-unsplash.jpg?resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/news.harvard.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/artur-zudin-unsplash.jpg?resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/news.harvard.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/artur-zudin-unsplash.jpg?resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":302827,"url":"https:\/\/news.harvard.edu\/gazette\/story\/2020\/04\/harvard-endowment-to-go-greenhouse-gas-neutral-by-2050\/","url_meta":{"origin":234245,"position":1},"title":"Harvard endowment to go greenhouse gas-neutral by 2050","author":"harvardgazette","date":"April 21, 2020","format":false,"excerpt":"In an announcement Tuesday, Harvard signaled its expanding commitment to attacking climate change with a dramatic new pledge to drastically reduce emissions in its investment portfolio so Harvard\u2019s endowment can achieve \u201cnet-zero\u201d emissions by 2050.","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Campus &amp; Community&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Campus &amp; Community","link":"https:\/\/news.harvard.edu\/gazette\/section\/campus-community\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Harvard Yard.","src":"https:\/\/news.harvard.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/110119_CommonSpaces_407_2500.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/news.harvard.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/110119_CommonSpaces_407_2500.jpg?resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/news.harvard.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/110119_CommonSpaces_407_2500.jpg?resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/news.harvard.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/110119_CommonSpaces_407_2500.jpg?resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":397607,"url":"https:\/\/news.harvard.edu\/gazette\/story\/2024\/11\/harvard-mit-mass-general-form-renewable-energy-collaboration\/","url_meta":{"origin":234245,"position":2},"title":"Harvard, MIT, Mass General form renewable energy collaboration","author":"Amy Kamosa","date":"November 20, 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"Group will include higher education, healthcare, and cultural institutions, seek to leverage buying power to advance cost-effective, green production projects","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Campus &amp; 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Community&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Campus &amp; Community","link":"https:\/\/news.harvard.edu\/gazette\/section\/campus-community\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/news.harvard.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/10\/gateshield.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/news.harvard.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/10\/gateshield.jpg?resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/news.harvard.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/10\/gateshield.jpg?resize=525%2C300 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":302732,"url":"https:\/\/news.harvard.edu\/gazette\/story\/2020\/04\/new-committee-to-advise-harvard-president-on-sustainability-goals\/","url_meta":{"origin":234245,"position":4},"title":"New committee to advise Bacow on sustainability goals","author":"harvardgazette","date":"April 20, 2020","format":false,"excerpt":"Members of the new Presidential Committee on Sustainability discuss why it is so important to act now to address climate change, the committee\u2019s role in developing collaborative and innovative projects, and how community members can get involved.","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Campus &amp; 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