University of California, Berkeley, commits to 100% clean energy

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Bronte Payne

Ross Sherman

UC Berkeley becomes the largest US university to commit to a transition to clean energy

Environment America

BERKELEY, Calif. — The University of California, Berkeley, will transition to 100 percent clean, renewable sources for all of its energy, including heating, transportation and electricity by 2050. This announcement builds on the commitment by the University of California system to purchase all of of its electricity from renewable sources by 2025.

“The students at the University of California, Berkeley, have provided a shining example of how to build and demonstrate support for renewable energy on campus,” said Bronte Payne, Environment America Research & Policy Center’s 100% Renewable Campuses Campaign Director. “They’ve done a fantastic job, engaging administrators and working with them to achieve a commitment to transition off fossil fuels. We now need other colleges and universities to partner with their students, faculty and staff to do the same.”

This wide-ranging commitment positions UC Berkeley as a leader on sustainability and tackling climate change.

“As is the case with so many of our most important initiatives, this critical step would not have been possible absent strong, passionate student leadership,” said UC Berkeley Chancellor Carol Christ. “That, together with our commitment to the greater good is what makes Berkeley, Berkeley.”

CALPIRG Students led the effort for a commitment to 100 percent clean energy at UC Berkeley by mobilizing thousands of students and working closely with student leaders and the ASUC Student Government.

“UC Berkeley has always been a leader in higher education, and I am thrilled to see this leadership continue when it comes to tackling climate change by transitioning to 100 percent renewable energy,” said Elizabeth Nickerson, a junior at UC Berkeley and CALPIRG Chapter Chair and 100% Clean Energy Campaign Coordinator. “Here in California, we experience the effects of climate change every day, which is why more than 3,000 students and 45 student organizations stood with us to show support for clean, renewable energy.”

Across the country, Environment America Research & Policy Center and the Student PIRGs are working with students on more than 50 campuses in 15 states to transition higher education to 100 percent renewable energy.

“With UC Berkeley taking the step to move to 100 percent clean energy, they are showing what is possible,” Environment California Director Dan Jacobson said. “They are also proving that we can move our whole economy to clean energy. Congratulations UC Berkeley, the class of 2050 says, ‘THANK YOU’.”

For more information about the campaign to shift America’s colleges and universities to 100 percent renewable energy: https://www.go100renewablecampus.org/ or https://calpirgstudents.org/

Contact:

Bronte Payne, [email protected], 617-747-4327

Ross Sherman, [email protected], 303-573-5995

Patrick Jurney, [email protected], 719-217-8439

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Environment America is the national federation of statewide, citizen-based advocacy organizations working for a cleaner, greener, healthier future.