Help Shape Rutgers’ Climate Commitment – Town Halls Nov. 11 and 12

October 23, 2020 

Members of the Rutgers Community:

Throughout the coronavirus pandemic, an immediate crisis that so many at Rutgers have devoted themselves to solving, another dedicated team at Rutgers has remained focused on an ongoing crisis with disastrous consequences that have already begun to play out: climate change. I am writing to invite your participation in that team’s work.

The President’s Task Force on Carbon Neutrality and Climate Resilience, launched by my predecessor, Bob Barchi, has my unequivocal support as it develops a Climate Action Plan for the university. One of my first meetings as president was with task force chairs Bob Kopp and Kevin Lyons, who shared their interim report and discussed the steps they planned toward producing a final plan in 2021. As stated in the report, the purpose of the task force is to develop Rutgers’ strategies for contributing to achieving global net-zero carbon dioxide emissions and for enhancing the capacity of the university and the State of New Jersey to manage the risks of a changing climate.

The task force’s seven working groups—on transportation, energy and buildings, food and water systems, supply chain and waste management, land use, climate preparedness, and climate-positive economic development—have written and refined reports on where we are and how we need to improve. They are ready to share their findings with you and gain your feedback.

I invite you to attend both sessions of the two-night virtual Climate Task Force Town Hall meeting that will take place on November 11 and November 12, from 6:00pm to 8:00pm each night. You will hear presentations from the working groups, have the opportunity to ask questions, and attend breakout sessions on particular topics. You must register to attend by following the hyperlinks below, and I urge you to do so as soon as possible because of Zoom limitations on the size of the meeting.

The November 11 town hall will focus on “Envisioning a Carbon Neutral Rutgers” and November 12 on “Envisioning a Climate Resilient Rutgers.” For more information, visit the Climate Task Force website.

I strongly encourage you to take part in the university’s vital work on climate action by attending these town halls.

Sincerely,

Jonathan Holloway
President and University Professor