January 15, 2025
Contact: Melissa Villarin
Office: 916-327-5365
Office E-mail: MVillarin@CCCCO.edu
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — The California Community Colleges Board of Governors has updated its Climate Action and Sustainability Goals as the system continues to work to empower institutions to act on bold climate commitments and to create innovative climate solutions.
The updated 2025 Climate Action and Sustainability Goals, presented at the Board of Governors meeting Tuesday in Sacramento, prioritizes measurable progress across critical areas such as greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction, green building standards, energy efficiency, water conservation, waste management, food systems, sustainable procurement, and transportation. The goals build on the Climate Action and Sustainability Framework from 2021, that set ambitious energy reduction goals to reduce greenhouse gas emissions for the 73 California community college districts. The new, enhanced targets align with California’s statewide climate initiatives and the California Community Colleges’ strategic plan, Vision 2030.
“The Board of Governors has been a longtime proponent of energy conservation and sustainability measures and has established policies for decades. Vision 2030 builds on that commitment by emphasizing that sustainability is not only an environmental imperative but also a matter of equity and social responsibility,” said Board of Governors President Hildegarde B. Aguinaldo. “Updating our goals shows that we persist in our efforts toward climate resiliency and ensure our system serves as a model for sustainability in higher education.”
The updated 2025 Climate Action and Sustainability Goals recommend that colleges:
- Reduce GHG emissions by 75% by 2030 and 100% by 2035, using 2026 as the baseline year for emissions inventories.
- Ensure new buildings and landscapes meet LEED Gold or equivalent certifications, progressing to LEED Platinum or comparable certifications by 2035.
- Shift to 100% renewable energy by 2035, with an interim target of 50% renewable energy by 2030.
- Reduce potable water usage 50% by 2035, alongside a significant increase in non-potable water applications and stormwater capture.
- Divert 75% of construction and demolition waste by 2035 and reduce total waste generation (per full-time equivalent student and employee) by 40%.
- Sustainable purchasing will account for 50% of procurement by 2035, with an emphasis on locally sourced and environmentally certified products.
- Transition to zero-emission fleet vehicles and reduce vehicle miles traveled (VMT) by 50% by 2035.
- Track progress using the Sustainability Tracking, Assessment, and Rating System (STARS), striving for gold certification by 2035.
“Our colleges are already doing remarkable work in climate action and continue to push ahead with innovative approaches. We commend them for their ongoing commitment to this work,” said Chancellor Sonya Christian. “We look forward to working with the colleges to reach these updated goals focused on resource sustainability with help from our new Climate Fellows Program, which includes campus facilities as a focus area. Together we can reduce our footprint and expand learning environments that can help build the climate workforce and strengthen our communities.”
The California Community Colleges is the largest workforce training provider in the nation and the primary engine of social and economic mobility for the state. This makes the colleges uniquely positioned to prepare students for the green economy, creating an educated and well-trained workforce necessary to help meet California’s climate action and sustainability goals. By integrating updated climate action goals, the California Community Colleges also aims to address climate justice in the communities it serves.
“With these newly updated sustainability goals, California's community colleges are accelerating our efforts to address the climate crisis,” said Board of Governors Member Tom Epstein. “The wildfires in Los Angeles and recent atmospheric rivers and bomb cyclones make clear that climate change is not a hoax, and urgent action is needed now.”
The Board of Governors has been a strong advocate for climate action, energy conservation, and other sustainability measures and has had established policies, best practices and honored advancements in this area since 2001. In September 2021, the Board of Governors approved the latest Climate Change and Sustainability Policy.
For more information, please visit the Climate Action and Sustainability webpage.
The California Community Colleges is the largest system of higher education in the nation, composed of 73 districts and 116 colleges serving 2.1 million students per year. California community colleges provide career education and workforce training; guaranteed transfer to four-year universities; and degree and certificate pathways. As the state’s engine for social and economic mobility, the California Community Colleges supports the Vision 2030, a strategic plan designed to improve student success, our communities and our planet. For more information, please visit the California Community Colleges website or follow us on Facebook, Instagram and X (formerly Twitter).
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