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Kyoto Task Team
In 2001, Cornell students peacefully demanded that, in the absence of US commitment to the Kyoto Protocols, the university adopt the goals of the Kyoto Protocol. Cornell agreed as described in this press release:
Chronicle Online, 4/17/01
Cornell administration reaches agreement with Cornell Kyoto Now! students
To work towards the Kyoto Protocol objectives, the Utilities Department formed the Kyoto Task Team, comprised of students, staff and faculty. This team meets twice monthly to steer the direction of energy conservation efforts and the study of renewable energy sources, with the overall goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions. The Kyoto Task Team was formed to provide a means for accountability and the open sharing of ideas for pursuit of the Kyoto Protocol goals among facility, students, and staff.
Mission
The mission of the Kyoto Task Team is to be the champion of the following environmental efforts.
- Reduce Cornell University's greenhouse gas emissions
- Change the energy-use behavior of the Cornell community such that our community better appreciates the impact of these individual and institutional decisions on the world
- Through interactions with the University community, promote far-ranging intellectual and policy leadership on energy use issues, including the research and use of renewable energy sources to improve our long-term environmental sustainability
- Conceive of, execute, and report on projects which further our mission, in an open and transparent way
Goals
- Meet the Kyoto Protocol goals for greenhouse gas emissions.
- Improve the energy consciousness of the entire Cornell community and those with whom we interact.
- Help Cornell University become a world leader in sustainability education, outreach, and science, especially related to greenhouse gas emissions
The graph below shows the actual and predicted CO2 emissions for the Ithaca campus. It does not include transportation related emissions. Although there is an aggressive effort to reduce energy consumption on campus, the growth of the campus by the construction of new buildings is an overriding factor on the demand side. A large fraction of the new buildings are high-tech laboratory buildings that require enormous amounts of air throughput for the health and safety of building occupants. It is apparent that without significant changes in the source of energy, the goals of the Kyoto Protocol will not be achieved.
Because of this growth, Cornell's Utilities Services Department had to look for innovative ways to increase the energy efficiency of the powerplant. One of the most efficient ways, with conventional technology, is through the use of a combined heat and powerplant, that captures more of the btu's out of their fuel.
Chronicle Online , 1/18/06
Cornell plans heating plant upgrade that will cut greenhouse gas emissions by 20 percent
For more information, check out the websites in the sidebar above or contact Lanny Joyce at wsj1@cornell.edu.
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Chronicle Online, 8/4/98
Cornell researchers build an economic model that would help the U.S. meet Kyoto environmental goals
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