The University of Washington is one of more than 180 college and universities from across the country - along with more than 1,000 businesses, cities and states - to sign the "We Are Still In" letter declaring continued support for climate action and reducing carbon emissions despite the absence of leadership from the federal government.
The UW joins Governor Inslee, Seattle Mayor Ed Murray and King County Executive Dow Constantine as signatories to the statement, which declares: "Together, we will remain actively engaged with the international community as part of the global effort to hold warming to well below 2°C and to accelerate the transition to a clean energy economy that will benefit our security, prosperity, and health."
In a blog post announcing the university's commitment, UW President Ana Mari Cauce cited the university's place as a global leader in environmental science research.
"Our researchers include some of the world’s leading authorities on the impact of global warming and are at the forefront of developing new models that refine climate change projections," Cauce said. "Climate change is not only real, it is urgent. We must take action today."
The UW is strongly committed to a sustainable future and a reduction in carbon emissions. The UW’s Climate Action Plan calls for a 15 percent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions from 2005 levels by 2020 and a 36 percent reduction by 2035. UW Executive Order No. 13 says that the university is committed to establishing programs that excel in environmental education and guiding investments that optimize the living and built campus environments.
The "We Are Still In" letter was coordinated by a broad range of groups, including Ceres. The UW is a member of the Ceres Investor Network. Other coordinating groups are The B Team, Bloomberg Philanthropies, Center for American Progress, Ceres, CDP, Climate Mayors, Climate Nexus, C40, C2ES, Environmental Defense Fund, Environmental Entrepreneurs, Georgetown Climate Center, ICLEI, National League of Cities, Rocky Mountain Institute, Second Nature, Sierra Club, The Climate Group, We Mean Business, and World Wildlife Fund.