The University of California took another large step to being a world leader in stopping global warming Friday, October 20, 2006 when the UC Sustainability Steering Committee voted to recommend that the UC System commit to becoming "climate neutral as soon as possible." This recommendation comes on the heels of the 2003 Green Building/Renewable Energy policy approved by the UC System that committed the system to constructing all new buildings to LEED equivalent standards and purchasing 20% renewable energy by 2017.

"Even though so many people are talking about global warming, almost none are talking about solutions - but we are. The UC System is recognized as a leader in so many arenas, and now we are one step closer to setting the example and taking the lead on climate change as well," said Crystal Durham, a master's student in Urban Planning at UCLA and the student representative on the UC Sustainability Steering Committee.

If adopted by the UC Regents, the recommendations would commit the entire UC System to become climate neutral. So far only one school in the country, the 300 student College of the Atlantic, has pledged to do so.

"As the most prestigious and one of the largest higher education systems in the world, adopting this policy would provide a model for the rest of the world in stopping global warming," said Tomasso Boggia. UC Santa Cruz senior and CALPIRG Chair (California Student Public Interest Research Group). "Students are excited for the UC to set this high bar, but this is also the beginning --there's more to be done and students look forward to working with faculty and university staff to develop the means to achieve it."

The new policy calls for developing a strategy in order to become compliant with recent legislation, the "California Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006" that aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to 2000 levels by 2014 and to 1990 levels by 2020. By December 2008, the UC Sustainability Steering Committee will have an action plan that includes a target date for achieving net zero impact on the Earth's climate and a resource-needs assessment for the endeavor. Each campus is to also individually pursue membership with the California Climate Action Registry, which is a "nonprofit public/private partnership that serves as a voluntary greenhouse gas (GHG) registry to protect, encourage and promote early actions to reduce GHG emissions" (www.climateregistry.org/).

"Numerous student groups and organizations all over the state have been working to reduce energy consumption and decrease car emissions, both large contributors of climate change," said Nina Rizzo, an Independence from Oil Campus Organizer with Global Exchange. "If adopted, the incremental policy victory will provide a long-term vision to support the implementation of collaborative projects and programs on campuses."

The proposal next goes to President Dynes for his approval and he could issue the policy as soon as January.