Colleges Join the White House Climate Change Roundtable

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George Washington may be turning in his grave to hear about this climate change alarmism. According to their e-mail newsletter, GW University President Steven Knapp had “attended a roundtable discussion” at the White House “as a part of an ongoing effort to address climate change on campus.” Both Knapp and GW’s director of the school’s Office of Sustainability, Meghan Chapple, joined nearly a dozen representatives from other American colleges and universities in signing onto the American Campuses on Climate pledge. The two also spoke at the 2014 Presidential Summit on Climate Leadership in Boston, where “hundreds of higher education sustainability leaders, including college and university presidents” were in attendance. The pledge is geared to be a show of support at the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Paris on November 30^th and so far, 218 universities have signed onto the pledge.

Knapp’s statement, released by the Consortium of Universities of the Washington Metropolitan Area (which he chairs), praised the pledge and the climate change effort that says, “Once again, the nation’s universities have taken the lead by renewing their commitments to address climate change.” He continued, “Through greener business practices, research, teaching and outreach, we are demonstrating that a collective commitment to sustainability can have a great impact on our region and the world.”

Environmental Protection Agency chief Gina McCarthy and the White House Council on Environmental Quality Managing Director Christy Goldfuss were also in attendance at the White House event.

The newsletter article also noted GW’s “several large steps in recent years to address climate change.” They are:

“The university’s 2010climate action plan outlines details to reduce GW’s carbon emissions by 40 percent by 2025…
“And erase its carbon footprint by 2040.
“More than 50 percent of the university’s electricity will come from renewable energy starting in January 2016, thanks to theCapital Partners Solar Project, a renewable energy collaboration that GW, George Washington University Hospital and American University contracted with Duke Energy Renewables.
“The University supports student efforts through extracurricular programs, including theGW Eco-Equity Challenge, the DC Climathon and Planet Forward. Last June, GW hosted the GreenGov Symposium and brought together top minds to discuss sustainable strategies for the federal government.”