Carbon neutrality is the state of balancing the amount of greenhouse gases emitted with an equivalent amount removed from the atmosphere or offset. This is achieved by first reducing emissions as much as possible through efficiency and decarbonization strategies (renewables, thermal energy networks, heat pumps, electric vehicles, etc), and then addressing remaining emissions with verifiable carbon removal or offset strategies. The goal is to result in a net‑zero impact on the climate.

We live in complicated and changing times — perhaps more so than at any other period in history. We are starting to transition to systems that are more circular, regenerative, inclusive, and effective and that mirror the Haudenosaunee principle: to make every decision considering its effect on seven generations.

This transformation is happening because we are heeding scientists' warnings that waiting until the impacts of climate change are felt will be too late.  In 2009, UB established its first climate action plan, setting a science-backed goal of climate neutrality by 2030. This plan was updated in 2020 and maintained that climate neutrality goal because the economic and business benefits of reducing emissions are clear, and New York State is providing the legal framework to support UB’s efforts through statewide law. It is also an important factor to students and young people, who are demanding that urgent action be taken; our future depends on it. 

The World Resources Institute’s Greenhouse Gas Protocol
categorizes emissions into three scopes. The university achieved carbon neutrality in 2026 for Scope 1 and 2 emissions for the 2025 fiscal year. These emissions are directly controlled by the institution. Data to calculate UB’s greenhouse gas emissions become available once the fiscal year is over, which causes this lag.

Scope 1 emissions come from sources that create greenhouse gases on campus. For UB, this means natural gas that is burned for heating, refrigerants used for cooling, and the fuel used for the campus fleet. In 2025, these emissions were 36% of UB’s greenhouse gas inventory.

Scope 2 emissions come from purchased electricity produced offsite..   UB’s first priority has been to reduce the amount of external electricity that needs to be purchased.  This has been achieved through numerous efficiency measures as well as on-  and off-campus solar initiatives.  In addition, the university has also  purchased Renewable Energy Credits (RECs) to account for its market electricity purchase. A REC represents proof that electricity was generated from a renewable source like wind or solar. In 2025, the emissions covered by REC’s were 10.4% of UB’s greenhouse gas inventory.  

Scope 3 emissions come from sources that are not directly controlled by the university, such as student, staff and faculty commuting patterns, waste generated on campus, and food procurement for dining facilities.

While UB measures these emissions, they are much more difficult to assess and in many cases rely on specific assumptions.  At this time, UB has chosen not to leverage carbon credits for Scope 3 emissions as those emissions are measured with lower confidence, higher uncertainty and a more challenging fiscal investment—unlike scopes 1 and 2, for which  the university has strong objective data and control.

UB continues to implement numerous policies, practices  and behavioral changes intended to decrease scope 3 emissions including robust programs in zero waste, low carbon foods and zero carbon mobility. 

The university submits data collected from multiple units across the university to a platform called SIMAP (sustainability indicator management and analysis platform) each year. This platform was created and is maintained by the University of New Hampshire, and participation is required by institutions that have signed on to Second Nature’s climate commitments. Data is collected from across the university from different departments and stakeholders ranging from parking and transportation, facilities, procurement, the office of institutional analysis, study abroad and many others. This data comes from the surveys that staff, faculty and students fill out, as well as utility bills and purchasing receipts. 

MTCDE (or MTCO2e) stands for metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalents. There are  six primary  greenhouse gases; carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, hydrofluorocarbons, perfluorocarbons and sulfur hexafluoride. This is a unit that standardizes them into one weight based on carbon dioxide. 

Decarbonization is the process of stopping emissions from the source. UB’s Climate Action Plan contains all the strategies for this — from energy to food. Recently, UB has also released three plans to decarbonize its scope 1 and 2 emissions. The North and South Campus Clean Energy Master Plans (or CEMPs) are pathways to ensure UB’s energy use creates zero emissions. UB also has a plan and policy in place to transition its fleet of owned vehicles to all electric. 

With a clean electricity strategy in place and the release of the clean energy master plans and the fleet transition plan, UB has a detailed and specific path to decarbonization. This strategy will take funding ($80M was secured in 2025) and time, but work is already underway—with several buildings complete and many currently in design.  To account for emissions while these massive infrastructure projects happen, UB has purchased enough carbon offsets to account for  its scope 1 and 2 emissions. More information  on the offsets UB has purchased is available on the climate action page.

UB has purchased carbon credits that come from the destruction of super-pollutants known as ozone-depleting substances (ODS). In 1987 all 197 UN member states signed the Montreal Protocol, agreeing to phase out the production of these pollutants to protect the ozone layer. On a pound-for-pound basis, these gases also warm the planet up to 12,500 times more than CO₂.

However, there were still hundreds of millions of pounds of ODS that were already in circulation. Legacy ODS are still out there in aging cylinders, equipment nearing end-of-life, and unmonitored stockpiles. When ODS leaks, it cannot be re-captured or removed from the atmosphere.

UB’s carbon credits were procured through the New York State procurement process from Tradewater, a Certified B corporation that collects, controls, and permanently prevents the release of super-pollutants.  All ODS collected by Tradewater are permanently destroyed via high-temperature incineration that breaks the molecular bonds that hold the large ODS molecules together. Tradewater works with destruction facilities that meet or exceed stringent, UN-backed criteria, including destruction removal efficiency (DRE) greater than or equal to 99.99%. Once ODS are destroyed, the process cannot be undone.

In addition to economic benefits to individuals and communities, ODS destruction projects have co-benefits related to preservation of the ozone layer. ODS were initially banned because they deplete stratospheric ozone, increasing harmful UV-B radiation associated with higher incidences of skin cancer and cataracts. Elevated UV-B radiation also harms marine ecosystems, limiting phytoplankton productivity and affecting fish and shellfish development.