MIT measures campus emissions that contribute to climate change. The greenhouse gas inventory includes emissions data from 2014 through the most recent fiscal year in three areas: building energy use, fugitive gases, and campus-owned vehicles.
Investigating global solutions, testing local strategies
Science indicates that our changing climate is causing sea-level rise, retreat of arctic sea ice and mountain glaciers, and intensifying hydrological extremes like droughts and floods. As a research institution at the frontier of science and technology in one of the world’s most dynamic innovation districts, MIT is uniquely suited to tackle the complex, interdisciplinary nature of climate challenges at the global scale, but also in our own backyard. The MIT campus is embedded in a coastal community, which presents risks and opportunities for innovation.
Campus as a test bed for climate solutions
At the MIT Office of Sustainability (MITOS), we’re mobilizing and integrating intellectual, technical, and cultural forces across campus to create a model community that generates and practices solutions to the realities of climate change, from resiliency planning to greenhouse gas mitigation efforts. MIT President Rafael Reif’s Plan for Action on Climate Change and Fast Forward: MIT's Climate Action Plan for the Decade have catalyzed MIT research, teaching, and campus operations to accelerate the Institute’s contributions. Such actions aim to protect our campus – and the world – from the extraordinary risks associated with rising global temperatures. See MITOS Focus Areas below for deeper exploration into our work on climate.
MITOS Focus Areas
MITOS is currently working collaboratively to advance climate action on campus via operations, education, research, and innovation in the following areas.
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Fast Forward MIT Campus Commitments
Working hand in hand, the Office of the Vice President of Campus Services and Stewardship and the Office of Sustainability are working to organize and activate the campus in order to implement the Fast Forward Climate Action Plan commitments outlined. The campus commitments range from the strategic to the tactical and collectively strengthen our foundation for a net zero future.
Additional MIT Initiatives
MITOS is part of a community of departments, labs, and centers working toward elements of a sustainable campus and globe. Featured below are a few initiatives from across campus.
Climate Action
The Plan for Action on Climate Change embodies the fundamental agreement across the MIT community that the problem of climate change, demands society’s urgent attention, and that MIT has a particular responsibility to lead.
Climate Portal
The MIT Climate Portal offers a virtual place to ground your knowledge and ask your questions of experts. It also highlights MIT’s latest climate change research and initiatives for action.
Environment & Sustainability Minor
Developed by the Environmental Solutions Initiative, the proposed minor is designed to address both people and the planet in an integrated manner.
Climate Modeling Initiative
The Climate Modeling Initiative is a collaboration between scientists at MIT, coordinated by the Center for Global Change Science, to develop a modeling infrastructure for the study of the atmosphere, ocean and climate of the Earth.
Assessing Global Change
Independent, integrative assessments by the Joint Program on the Science and Policy of Global Change aid decision-makers in confronting multiple, interwoven challenges.
Climate CoLab
The goal of the Climate CoLab is to harness the collective intelligence of thousands of people from all around the world to address global climate change.
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Key Climate Partners
MITOS works in close collaboration with the Department of Facilities, which leads our efforts in increasing energy efficiency and powering our campus.
The Office of Campus Planning supports the MIT mission by serving as stewards of the evolving physical campus and providing services that guide and inform campus strategy and transformation. Planning for climate resiliency and a low-carbon campus are essential components.
The Environmental Solutions Initiative (ESI) channels MIT's unique culture and enormous capacity from across the Institute to create solutions to today’s environmental challenges through diverse activities in education, research, and convening.
In our climate work, EHS is a key partner in developing our annual greenhouse gas emissions inventory and a key resource for lab-related sustainability work.