CU Boulder became the first university in the nation to commit to the , bolstering its status as a sustainability leader. The signed onto the agreement last week, joining the International Olympic Committee, the Tokyo 2020 Summer Olympics, FIFA, the New York Yankees, the NBA and the Green Sports Alliance and others in the effort to raise awareness and inspire climate action.
Several major sports bodies partnered with U.N. Climate Change in December to launch as a way to drive emission reductions among sports operations and tap the popularity and passion of sport to engage millions of fans in the effort.
鈥淲e鈥檙e thrilled to be an early adopter of the U.N. Sports for Climate Action Framework,鈥� said CU Athletic Director Rick George. 鈥淭his is consistent with the leadership and excellence expected by CU Boulder students, faculty, staff, alumni and fans as we confront the critical issue of climate change.鈥澨�
The U.N. Sports for Climate Action Framework has two overarching objectives: to achieve a clear trajectory for the global sports community to combat climate change and to leverage sports as a unifying tool to drive climate awareness and action among global citizens.
Signatories of the framework commit to five core principles:
- Undertaking systematic efforts to promote greater environmental responsibility
- Reducing overall climate impact
- Educating for climate action
- Promoting sustainable and responsible consumption
- Advocating for climate action through communication
CU Boulder鈥檚 athletic department has long been a leader in college sports sustainability, having debuted the first NCAA Division-I athletics sustainability program in the nation in 2008, Ralphie鈥檚 Green Stampede.
Since that time, CU became the first major college sports program to implement a zero waste program in all gameday venues. In 2016, a major athletics facilities upgrade achieved LEED Platinum certification from the United States Green Building Council thanks in part to a net-zero-energy Indoor Practice Facility that boasts an 850-kilowatt rooftop solar array. The Athletic Department also has also made a push to reduce the use of pesticides on turf fields. Its was also built to LEED Platinum standards.听
The Athletic Department鈥檚 commitment is aligned with campus sustainability values as well. In early 2018, the university joined 12 other major research universities as founding members of the , which has committed to mobilize members鈥� collective resources and expertise to accelerate local and regional climate action in partnership with businesses, cities and states. CU Boulder鈥檚 earth and atmospheric sciences, meanwhile, have been ranked No. 1 overall in global university rankings.听
鈥淥ur Athletic Department鈥檚 commitment to the U.N. Sports for Climate Action Framework is just the latest example of the great work going on at our university to positively impact humanity through leadership and innovation in sustainability,鈥� said CU Boulder Chancellor Philip DiStefano. 鈥淎thletics provides an excellent platform for raising the profile of these efforts and we鈥檙e proud to be at the forefront of this new framework.鈥�
