From left to right: UM CFO Geoff Chatas, VCN member Larry Junck, VCN member Jane Vogel, VCN member Tom Porter, UM President Santa Ono
Voices for Carbon Neutrality
Accelerating the University of Michigan towards carbon neutrality
“Voices for Carbon Neutrality would like to welcome Shana Weber, the new Associate Vice President for campus sustainability to the University of Michigan. We're excited to see the great work that she accomplishes in this exciting new role, and look forward to working with her on fulfilling U-M's commitment to achieving carbon neutrality.”
Alumni, Staff Push for Carbon Neutrality at U-M
Alumni Advocacy recently spoke with two of our members, John Mirsky and Kevin Self, and published an article about our work advancing carbon neutrality at the University of Michigan. Click here to read the article!
VCN Member Sara Soderstrom named 2024 Arthur F. Thurnau Professor
Sara Soderstrom, associate professor of environment and sustainability in the University of Michigan School for Environment and Sustainability and director of the Program in the Environment, has recently been named as an Arthur F. Thurnau Professor in recognition of her extraordinary contributions to undergraduate education. Sara has mentored over 160 students during her career at UM and is celebrated as an expert on environmental sustainability, inaugurating the Erb Undergraduate Fellows program in 2020. Congratulations, Sara!
VCN’s UM 2034 Focus Group Themes
On June 2nd, 2023, VCN convened 17 faculty, staff, and alumni climate change leaders to participate in a U-M Vision 2034 focus group. This was facilitated by staff from the Office of the Executive VP and CFO, which was charged with leading the 2034 visioning process across the 3 U-M campuses. The combination of feedback from the focus group resulted in the development of seven main themes which VCN will continue to advocate for as U-M moves towards a more sustainable future. More information and a detailed description of these themes can be found here.
University of Michigan Joins the First Movers Coalition - Aviation Sector
The University of Michigan is officially the first university to have signed onto the World Economic Forum’s First Movers Coalition (FMC) - Aviation Sector. FMC is a coalition of companies (and other organizations) using their purchasing power to create early markets for innovative clean technologies across eight hard to abate sectors. These in-scope sectors are responsible for 30% of global emissions–a proportion expected to rise to over 50% by mid-century without urgent progress on clean technology innovations. Commitments for the first four sectors (Aviation, Shipping, Steel and Trucking) were launched in November 2021, at COP26 in Glasgow and in Fall 2022, the University of Michigan announced a sustainable aviation fuels partnership with Delta Airlines.
Mission
Voices for Carbon Neutrality (VCN) is a group of University of Michigan faculty, staff, and alumni leaders actively advocating for carbon neutrality at U-M. The mission of VCN is to serve as a catalyst and accelerant to drive U-M toward carbon neutrality consistent with the final report from the President’s Commission on Carbon Neutrality (PCCN) approved by the Regents in May 2021 and to do so in a timeframe that matches the urgency of the latest IPCC report.
Click here to read the PCCN Report
Background
The Voices for Carbon Neutrality (VCN ) was launched in April 2018 following the first Carbon Neutrality Conference held at the University of Michigan which was organized by the Energy Institute and Professor Adam Simon with his “Clean Wolverine” students. The Greenhouse Gas benchmark data presented at the conference and a White Paper were then sent to President Schlissel and the Regents.
Core Values
Partner with community stakeholders with common values
Be relentlessly optimistic and persistent to get to ‘Yes’
Drive decision making with best available science
Represent the entire University community
Collaborate with mutual respect
JOIN VOICES FOR CARBON NEUTRALITY TO HOLD THE UNIVERSITY ACCOUNTABLE TO ITS NEW GOALS
Our Progress:
Influence Regents
Over 70 speakers at Regents meetings between May 2018 and May 2022
Initiated a faculty letter in Dec. 2019 signed by over 1500 for presentation to Feb. 2020 Regents meeting
Engage the PCCN
Met with Co-Chairs, commission members and IAT leaders to further develop recommendations
Responded to and publicize in the PCCN's draft recommendations
Community Engagement
Staged 5 community webinars to address shortcomings in the PCCN's recommendations and approach to carbon neutrality
Meet with Regents to urge support for approving the President’s Commission on Carbon Neutrality Recommendations
Call for More Rapid Implementation of PCCN RecComendations
Broadened the call across all campuses including MI Medicine and the U-M alumni community
Supporting the leaders/actions of the students’ Climate Action Movement (CAM)
Called for carbon neutrality to be in all position descriptions for new leadership searches
Recent News
Juan Cole, one of our VCN colleagues, authored this article on California’s journey towards embracing renewable energy for Informed Comment. Check it out!
