Framework for Sustainability, Climate Action, and Environmental Justice
Carleton seeks to comprehensively address the climate crisis, and to advance sustainability and environmental justice through education, community engagement, and operations.
Our Goals & Actions
Broad support and enthusiasm for this work exists within the Carleton community and is further articulated in the College’s strategic direction, Carleton 2033: The Liberal Arts in Action, which states that “a holistic commitment to sustainability will integrate campus operations with academic approaches to environmental studies and climate change, creating a living laboratory for environmental education.”
The actions expressed in Carleton’s Framework for Sustainability, Climate Action, and Environmental Justice are designed to support the advancement of three key goals:
- Equip Carleton students with the interdisciplinary, place-based skills and knowledge needed to advance sustainability and environmental justice, preparing them to engage for change where they live now and in their future communities.
- Deepen Carleton’s commitments to climate action, nature, resilience, and environmental justice by expanding high-impact opportunities for students to engage with solutions and collaborate with partners in Northfield and Rice County, and with nearby Indigenous Nations.
- Continue Carleton’s leadership in emissions reductions on campus, and collaborate on and beyond campus to accelerate climate action.
Our goals and actions are designed to build upon the success of Carleton’s 2011 Climate Action Plan, while deepening and expanding our work to support the integration of sustainability, climate action, and environmental justice into our curriculum.
We will continue to build upon the culture of accountability that has made us leaders in sustainability through emissions reductions to create a culture of transformation, where we not only continue our work on campus, but bring students fully into sustainability, climate action, and environmental justice with high-impact experiential opportunities.