Office of the Assemblies

Dear Logan,

 

Thank you for submitting University Assembly Resolution 21, “Resolution Demanding Greenhouse Gas Emissions Accountability” for my consideration.

 

Like you, I am proud that sustainability and climate leadership are areas of excellence for Cornell. As a STARS Platinum rated campus and one of the first institutions in the U.S. to commit to carbon neutrality, I am proud of our legacy, and importantly, our commitment to transparent reporting on our progress.

 

Cornell’s greenhouse gas inventory is publicly available and has been since 2008 on the Cornell University GHG Inventory webpage. We encourage independent review of these data by our community and the public. Please note that data available on this site show that natural gas use by the combined heat and power plant has varied over time, and in 2020 was less than it was in 2015. Cornell also reports emissions to the EPA, Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE) STARS program, and the Second Nature Carbon Commitment.

 

Our baseline inventory uses an accounting methodology created by the GHG Protocol, the world's most widely used greenhouse gas accounting standard. It is used by over 700 higher education institutions and undergoes annual updates to ensure scientific accuracy and consistency. This consistent, peer-reviewed approach ensures that organizations of similar scope and function accurately share the sources of emissions and their relevant impacts on our changing climate. However, recognizing that new research is continually in development, Cornell publishes emerging or exploratory methodologies on an additional GHG inventory page. This approach allows us to use our campus as a living laboratory for new research without compromising the integrity of the baseline, peer-reviewed methodology.

 

Similarly, the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act (CLCPA) greenhouse gas reporting process is still emerging. The CLCPA mandated that the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) create a statewide greenhouse gas emissions report, and notably, requires the DEC to follow a public process and use the best available science in developing its methodology. The CLCPA also directs DEC to consider establishing a mandatory reporting system for individual source emissions, but the DEC has not yet done so. Today, there is no formal process for Cornell to participate, calculate, and provide our data. If and when the DEC develops such processes, Cornell will comply.

 

It is important to reflect on why we measure and report greenhouse gas emissions, and that is to ensure that our institutional efforts target our greatest source of emissions. Cornell’s largest direct source of emissions comes from energy produced and used by campus facilities. Thus, we are actively committed to implementing our Climate Action Plan priorities of decarbonizing our energy supply, optimizing the energy efficiency of campus buildings, eliminating fossil fuel combustion for campus heating by developing Earth Source Heat, and developing 100% renewable electricity through solar and other projects in our community and New York state.

 

Hiring an independent auditor would require funding better used in support of the shared goal, and more critical work, of reducing campus greenhouse gas emissions through the aforementioned Climate Action Plan tactics, and so I reject this resolution.

 

Thank you again for submitting this resolution for my consideration and for your commitment to ensuring Cornell meets the highest standards in sustainable practices.

 

Sincerely,

 

Martha E. Pollack

 

Martha E. Pollack

President, Cornell University

300 Day Hall

Ithaca, NY  14853