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Climate Neutrality

The university tracks its climate footprint annually to inform decisions and advance climate neutrality.

Understanding Climate Neutrality

What's in a Name?

What are climate neutrality and carbon neutrality? While similar, climate neutrality and carbon neutrality are distinct concepts. According to the 2015 United Nations Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP 21), these are defined as follows:

  • Climate neutrality is the same concept as carbon neutrality, but rather than solely focusing on carbon dioxide emissions, it extends to zero net human-caused greenhouse gas emissions (i.e., including emissions beyond just carbon dioxide such as methane, nitrous oxide, etc.).
  • Carbon neutrality means zero net human-caused or influenced carbon dioxide emissions, or neutrality, achieved by a certain date. Thus, carbon neutrality is attained when every ton of human-caused carbon dioxide, or CO2, emitted is compensated for with an equivalent amount of carbon dioxide being removed (e.g., via carbon sequestration).

Greenhouse gases, like carbon dioxide, are gases that trap heat in the atmosphere, thus contributing to global warming and, as a result, climate change. Carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, and fluorinated gases such as hydrofluorocarbons and halons are the primary greenhouse gases of concern. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the three critical measures that determine the harmful impacts of greenhouse gases are the length of time the gas remains in the atmosphere, the atmospheric concentration of the gas, and the amount of energy the gas can absorb (the more energy absorbed, the more detrimental warming effect the gas has).

Scope Emissions

Greenhouse gas emissions are typically categorized into three scopes, depending on the source from which they are produced, described below.

Scope 1 GHG emissions

Direct emissions from sources that are owned or controlled by an organization. These include on-site fossil fuel combustion and fleet fuel consumption.

Scope 2 GHG emissions

Indirect emissions from sources that are not owned or controlled by an organization. These include emissions from the generation of electricity, heat, or steam purchased by an organization from a utility provider.

Scope 3 GHG emissions

Indirect emissions from sources not owned or directly controlled by an organization, but related to the organization’s activities. Scope three emissions include emissions from employee travel, including air travel and daily commuting, as well as waste disposal, wastewater treatment, the embodied GHG emissions of purchased products, and more.

Where Do We Stand?

The University of Arizona monitors its climate footprint through an annual Greenhouse Gas Inventory. The Office of Sustainability works closely with University Facility Services to coordinate the development and publication of the inventory, with additional data contributions from Finance and Budget, Parking and Transportation Services, and other units across campus.

This collaborative effort aggregates and analyzes institution-wide data to track greenhouse gas emissions over time and inform climate action planning. The Greenhouse Gas Inventory is published annually, with reports available below. Each report also includes historical emissions data dating back to fiscal year 2015.

University of Arizona FY2019 GHG Inventory
University of Arizona FY2020 GHG Inventory
University of Arizona FY2021 GHG Inventory

 

Down to Zero

The university has set a goal of achieving climate neutrality and has taken steps to advance that objective. As part of this effort, the university eliminated scope two emissions on the Tucson campus through a large scale renewable energy agreement with Tucson Electric Power in 2021, marking a significant milestone in its climate action work.

The History of Our Commitment to Climate Neutrality

The university has a long history of engagement in sustainability and climate action. This commitment began with its role as a charter signatory of the American College and University Presidents' Climate Commitment (ACUPCC) in 2007, signaling an early dedication to addressing climate change within higher education.

Building on that foundation, the university later joined Second Nature's Climate Leadership Commitments, which expanded the scope of climate action in higher education to include both emissions reduction and climate resilience. As one of 93 charter signatories of Second Nature’s Climate Commitment, the university reaffirmed its commitment to eliminating greenhouse gas emissions while also integrating climate resilience into its operations and partnerships.

Through this commitment, the university positioned itself to work collaboratively with the Tucson community to advance climate education, research, and preparedness, reinforcing its role as a leader in addressing climate-related challenges across southern Arizona.