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Return to year 2000 Emissions by 2020.

The University has identified 17 carbon mitigation strategies it can implement in the next ten years to meet its milestone greenhouse gas reduction targets. Beyond that time-frame, additional strategies with higher capital costs were assessed and several potential portfolios were assembled to demonstrate the feasibility of climate neutrality by 2050.

A study of UNC’s class offerings recently identified more than 300 sustainability-related courses. Conducted by capstone students in environmental studies, the effort included surveys of academic departments and searches of the course bulletin and departmental websites. Classes offered were primarily in the College of Arts and Sciences, though several graduate and professional schools, including Business, Journalism and Mass Communications, Public Health, and Social Work have also introduced sustainability into their curricula. Measurement and tracking are the first steps to developing climate and sustainability curricula for all students.
In addition, a new sustainability minor, introduced in 2008, offers courses in environmental science, business, public policy, and planning.

The University remains a source for scholarship and advanced research. A study recently requested by the NC General Assembly explored the feasibility of installing offshore wind power in North Carolina waters. The study examined the impacts of power generation on fish and wildlife, cultural sites, and military airspace, pinpointing the areas with strong wind resources and stable geological structure. The General Assembly has appropriated additional funds to continue the study, and requested a contract for three pilot turbines that can be installed off the North Carolina coast.
In 2008, the Solar Energy Research Center was launched by the Chemistry Department and in fall 2009, it became one of 46 Energy Frontier Research Centers funded by the U.S. Department of Energy and American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. $17.5 million over five years will support 30 postdoctoral fellows and graduate students. Research will focus on solar fuels catalysis, development of hybrid materials, organic photovoltaics, and advanced spectroscopy and theory.
UNC’s Institute for the Environment serves as a hub for multidisciplinary environmental research across campus. Faculty and staff in the Institute’s five research centers partner with others at UNC to find comprehensive solutions to pressing environmental problems. For example, The Center for Sustainable Energy, Environment and Economic Development explores energy issues facing the state, nation, and world. Researchers examine the rationale and consequences of various energy choices and the feasibility of alternative and nuclear energy sources.

Offerings like the Climate Leadership and Energy Awareness Program (Climate LEAP) seek to engage young people in an interactive dialogue about climate change. High school students spend a week exploring the science and solutions of climate change through hands-on activities like energy monitoring and climate portfolio optimization, preparing them for careers in science, mathematics, and policy. (See sidebar for links to further information.)
For many years, the towns of Chapel Hill, Carrboro and the University have partnered on climate-conscious endeavors. The three share the cost of a regional mass-transit system, and offer fare-free rides across the community. They also maintain a system of park-and-ride lots that reduce congestion downtown. Chapel Hill and UNC have both committed to a path of carbon reduction, and work toward that end through operational improvements, outreach, and community education events. Recently, a joint town and University working group has developed an innovative new development agreement for the Carolina North campus. This agreement includes standards for energy use, water consumption, transportation, and GHG emission targets.