The University of Connecticut administration released its 2024 Sustainability Action Plan, which has already drawn criticism from an environmental group on campus.
The plan, released by the office of University President Radenka Maric, outlines the progress the university has made in improving its environmental sustainability and the goals that UConn will focus on in upcoming years. The Fossil Fuel Free UConn Coalition, an environmental advocacy club at UConn, released a statement on Feb. 28 that claims the plan did not live up to promises previously made by the UConn administration.
“Maric’s Sustainability Action Plan is no more than a thinly veiled attempt to placate student demands for a sustainable future,” the statement said.
Fossil Fuel Free UConn also contrasted the current plan with the plan announced in 2021. The 2021 plan, the statement said, had input from students, faculty and consulting groups and was far longer than the most recent plan.
“Although there were issues with the 2021 plan, notably the cost estimation methods for decarbonization, the flagrant disparity between the comprehensive 2021 report and President Maric’s recently published Sustainability Action Plan displays the UConn administration’s lack of earnestness in pursuing sustainability,” the organization wrote.
Our commitment to measuring progress and fostering synergies between the Sustainability Action Plan and the University’s Strategic Plan will be central to our success
Fossil Fuel Free UConn said that the 2024 plan “neglects to include carbon zero by 2040 as one of its objectives,” even though this goal was reemphasized by the administration as recently as October 2023. Although this objective is not listed in the plan’s list of goals and projects, it is briefly mentioned as one of the goals of the president’s Carbon Reduction Working Group, which was formed in 2023.
The key objectives outlined in the president’s message introducing the plan include carbon neutrality by 2030, resource conservation, integrating sustainability in academics, fostering an inclusive and equitable community dedicated to sustainability and collaboration with local and global partners to address concerns.
“Our commitment to measuring progress and fostering synergies between the Sustainability Action Plan and the University’s Strategic Plan will be central to our success,” the message said. “We are committed to accountability and transparency through regular assessments, benchmarking, and reporting on key performance indicators. Engaging stakeholders and regularly updating our community on progress will drive continuous improvement.”
Fossil Fuel Free UConn’s statement also criticized the repetitive nature of the new plan in comparison to previous initiatives.
“The vast majority of the Sustainability Action Plan is background knowledge already available to the public, making this document a collection of copied and pasted excerpts of text without much new information,” the statement said.
The plan reviews UConn’s previous progress to date, showcasing the university’s successes in sustainability in categories such as energy efficiency, emissions, and purchasing. According to the document, some of UConn’s achievements were “a 26% reduction in emissions according to the 2001 baseline, although there has been a 44% increase in campus square footage” and “ a 10% reduction in water consumption from the 2020 baseline.”
Fossil Fuel Free UConn also condemned aspirational and non-committal language in the report.
“Throughout the entire report, there is an utter absence of pragmatic propositions or detailed outlines for the implementation of any of the meaningful carbon reduction measures that would transform UConn into a carbon zero university,” the statement said.
The last section of the plan outlines current energy conservation goals and projects for the university. This section includes UConn reevaluating their top 10 energy-consuming buildings for efficiency and improving safe, efficient campus transportation.
“The Sustainability Action Plan embodies our unwavering commitment to lead by example, embrace innovation, and create a resilient and sustainable future for our university and beyond,” Maric’s message said. “Together, we will forge a path towards a more sustainable and equitable world.”
Fossil Fuel Free UConn’s statement, however, called the plan “woefully inadequate” and “insulting to the UConn community and all others who endure the effects of these social justice and environmental violations.”
Professor Tim Jackson’s insights on the humanity of progress are truly enlightening. In today’s fast-paced world, it’s easy to get caught up in the pursuit of material wealth and technological advancement. However, Professor Jackson reminds us of the importance of preserving our humanity amidst progress.
As a podcaster, I have had the privilege of interviewing Professor Jackson and discussing how progress should not be measured solely by economic growth or technological innovation. True progress encompasses social, cultural, and environmental factors as well. It’s about improving the well-being and quality of life for all individuals, not just a select few.