The Next Phase of Our Journey: Climate Action Plan 2026

In 2026, we are charting a path and building a toolkit, preparing for the next phase of our journey to reduce carbon emissions and minimize negative environmental impacts of College operations. Vassar aims to reach carbon neutrality and to demonstrate how a college community can restore the health of nature and contribute regional, national, and global efforts to support planetary health.

Vassar’s first Climate Action Plan, building from the 2011 Greenhouse Gas Reduction Plan, was issued in 2016. This was followed by a new plan in 2020.

In 2024, we began work on taking stock of our current situation and changes in the technological and policy environment in order to determine what is needed to develop our next Climate Action Plan. The following year, we hired Wendel, an innovative architecture, engineering, energy efficiency, and construction management firm, to do a comprehensive study on building decarbonization. A new Climate Action Plan will be finalized by the end of 2026.