Report of the Williams College Climate Action Committee

Goals

We recommend that Williams reduce greenhouse gas emissions to 10% below FY 90-91 levels by 2020.

Several emissions targets were considered:

• No increase in emissions after FY 05-06.
• Reduce emissions to 10% below FY 04-05 levels.
• Reduce emissions to 10% below FY 90-91 levels.
• Reduce emissions to 0 - carbon neutral.

We considered the strategic value of potential goals:

Emissions Target	Pedogogical Opportunties	Ability to Realize Goal	Strategic Value
1. No increase in emissions	Limited opportunities for experiential learning.	Relatively easy to attain these goals. Will require investment and attention to maintain current levels of emissions as pressure to expand continues. May be viable strategy to pursue in short-term - in order to study issue more fully.	Does not demonstrate commitment to addressing this issue. Many institutions have not publicized goals, but are implementing policies and practices to conserve or reduce energy use.
2. Reduce emissions to 10% below FY 2005 levels.	Some opportunities for experiential learning, community outreach, and demonstrating sustainable practices.	Achievable goals. Some impact financially and organizationally. Can be achieved with switch to cleaner/renewable energy sources.	Not a leadership strategy. Several peer schools have identified similar goals.
3. Reduce emissions to 10% below FY90-91 levels.	Opportunities for experiential learning and community outreach. May involve participation in public policy and industry to develop renewable energy options.	Challenging goals that will require significant investment, operational and organizational changes. Growth (built or technology) continuing at faster rate than assumed will increase the level of difficulty to achieve goal.	Leadership strategy. Consistent with Kyoto protocol. Some schools have identified similar goals.
4. Reduce emissions to 0 - carbon neutral.	Opportunities for experiential learning and community outreach. May involve participation in public policy and industry to develop renewable energy options.	Extremely challenging goals that will require significant investment, operational and organizational changes. Not all strategies to achieve these goals have been identified. Most likely will involve significant carbon offset strategies.	Most aggressive strategy. A few schools have identified similar goals; typically if their local environment affords them the ability to purchase green energy or small campus with environmental-related mission.