Each year, Earth Day is a reminder of the responsibility we share to care for the planet and the choices that shape its future. The 2026 theme, “Our Power, Our Planet,” highlights that real progress depends on sustained action across universities, governments and communities. At the University of Washington, sustainability and climate action are central to how we plan for the future of a public university, including efforts to reduce campus emissions, transition to cleaner energy and improve sustainable transportation systems. These efforts require sustained financial commitment, including public investment, philanthropic partnership and long-term planning. They also rely on collaboration across campuses and disciplines and engagement from our broader community and partners. We are committed to doing this work thoughtfully, transparently and together.
Our sustainability work at the University of Washington is guided by the Sustainability Action Plan, a practical roadmap for reducing our environmental impact while advancing our mission of teaching, research and service. The plan outlines key focus areas, including reducing greenhouse gas emissions and energy use, reducing waste, improving transportation options, and strengthening sustainable purchasing practices. It reflects a shared commitment across our community, with students, faculty and staff all playing a role in driving progress.
With the current five-year plan concluding in 2024–2025, we are now preparing for the next phase. A new Sustainability Action Plan is in development to guide the University toward our 2050 sustainability goals. It will build on what we have learned and reflect the needs of our tri-campus community, with input from partners across the UW.
This work requires long-term vision, commitment and coordination across the University. The University’s strategic plan will provide a shared framework, aligning priorities across teaching, research and service. As the first comprehensive plan of its kind in more than a decade, it is being designed to guide decisions, investments and collaboration across all three campuses and UW Medicine. It will also embed decarbonization and related efforts into the University’s core priorities and everyday work across campus.
Finally, these efforts are closely connected to our broader UW community, including alumni, supporters and donors who care deeply about sustainability and the University’s role in advancing practical solutions. Philanthropy helps move this work forward, supporting innovation and accelerating progress across our campuses, including energy efficiency projects and research focused on climate solutions. We are also working with state and federal partners to help secure the public investment needed to advance this work at scale. And those efforts have recently paid off in the form of $47.5 million in Climate Commitment Account funds approved by the state legislature and Governor just a few weeks ago. We are continuing to strengthen our engagement with donors and partners on these issues, recognizing that lasting progress depends on shared effort across the public and private sectors. This work is built on partnership, and it moves forward when we move it forward together.