Overview
Overview
Embedded Files
Climate change is one of the greatest threats to human prosperity, and it has already begun to affect the Bay Area and greater California community. SMCCCD is working towards reducing its footprint in parallel with engaging, empowering, and enriching SMCCCD's students, faculty, and staff to become more impactful global citizens.
Our Goals
Our Goals
1) Produce zero emissions by 2050
1) Produce zero emissions by 2050
2) Engage, empower, and enrich SMCCCD's students, faculty, and staff to become impactful global citizens
2) Engage, empower, and enrich SMCCCD's students, faculty, and staff to become impactful global citizens
Integrating Equity into Global Climate Action
Integrating Equity into Global Climate Action
Climate change is expected to disproportionally affect low-income communities that are the least responsible for climate change emissions. Not to mention the disproportionate burdens that will be shouldered by future generations.
As a tax-supported community college District that benefits from being located in a high-income county, SMCCCD has the means, and therefore the responsibility, to be a climate action leader in the California Community Colleges system. In its Climate Action Plan and process, the District prioritizes equitable stakeholder engagement and transparency.
Background Information
Background Information
Local Impacts of Climate Change
Local Impacts of Climate Change
Sea level rise threatens more people and property in San Mateo County than in any other county in California. Even a mid-level sea rise scenario is predicted to impact over 22,000 acres of land including 34 schools, 23 health care facilities, and 8 fire stations.
In 2021, California experienced almost 2,500 wildfires, which burned a total of over 15,000 acres of land (about half the size of San Francisco). The fires damage land and property, displace people and animals, and pollute the air with smoke and particulates.
Droughts result in damage to agricultural lands, devastated forests, increase issues associated with wildfires, reduced hydroelectricity generation, stressed fish populations, and depleted groundwater aquifers.
Global Solutions to Climate Change
Global Solutions to Climate Change
Developed and adopted by the United Nations in 2015, the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are the blueprint to achieve a better and more sustainable future for all. They address a variety of global challenges, including poverty, inequality, peace, justice, environmental degradation, and climate change, which threatens to make each issue even more severe.
Climate change is inherently a global and intersectional challenge, but as with all challenges, there is a great opportunity for collaboration and global solutions.
Featured Projects
Featured Projects
Climate Action Plan
Climate Action Plan
SMCCCD's Climate Action Plan (CAP) provides a comprehensive assessment of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions across the District and details plans to reduce said emissions and eventually reach carbon neutrality. To create this plan, the Sustainability Team worked with consultants at Brailsford & Dunlavey, who have extensive experience doing climate action planning for institutions of higher education.
Additional Resources
Additional Resources
Start with you! Use Google's "Your Plan, Your Planet" tool to learn about sustainable strategies at home.
Peninsula Clean Energy offers rebates and services to help upgrade and electrify at home!
Visit our "Get Involved" page to see what clubs, events, and other opportunities are available on campus.
Check out volunteer and internship opportunities with local organizations making change from the ecological to the policy level.
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