Climate Action Plan
Loyola University Chicago has a longstanding commitment to addressing climate change through university operations, academics, and community engagement. In 2012, Loyola signed Second Nature's American College and University Presidents' Climate Commitment, pledging to measure and reduce greenhouse gas emissions and develop a pathway toward carbon neutrality.
Since then, Loyola's Climate Action Plans have provided a framework for advancing these commitments, identifying institutional priorities, and guiding long-term climate action. Building on the progress of its first plan, Loyola is now developing Climate Action Plan 2.0 to guide the university's next chapter of climate action.
Climate Action Plan 1.0: A Just Future
Developed in 2014 and formally adopted in 2015, A Just Future: A Climate Action Plan for Loyola University Chicago established Loyola's first comprehensive roadmap for addressing climate change. Its adoption coincided with the release of Pope Francis' encyclical Laudato si', reflecting the university's commitment to environmental stewardship, social justice, and care for our common home.
The plan outlined strategies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, improve campus sustainability, and integrate climate action into Loyola's academic and institutional mission. Over the following decade, the university implemented initiatives across campus operations, energy procurement, research, and community engagement, achieving major goals established in the original plan.
These accomplishments and lessons learned provide the foundation for Loyola's next Climate Action Plan.
Read the Plan: A Just Future: A Climate Action Plan for Loyola University Chicago (PDF)
Explore CAP 1.0 Resources
Explore the resources below to learn more about the development, implementation, and accomplishments of Loyola's first Climate Action Plan, including supporting research, student projects, and case studies.
CAP 1.0 Projects & Case Studies
- Double Black Diamond Solar Farm — Slides
- Tradewater Carbon Credit Procurement — Purchasing Guideline
- Campus Refrigerant Project
- Renewable Natural Gas Study (2019)
- On-Campus Biogas Student Study
- On-Campus Photovoltaic Assessment (2016)
- On-Campus Solar Thermal Assessment (2014)
- Carbon Sequestration at Loyola Campuses
- Study Abroad Air Travel Offsets Project Proposal
- LUREC Net-Zero Campus Study
- Embodied Carbon Study (2023)
- Jesuit Community Climate Study
Climate Adaptation & Resilience
Planning, Implementation & Progress
Climate Action Plan 2.0: Looking Ahead
As Loyola concludes the implementation of its first Climate Action Plan, the university is developing CAP 2.0 to build on past accomplishments and establish new priorities for the future.
This process includes evaluating progress under A Just Future, identifying opportunities for improvement, and exploring strategies to further reduce greenhouse gas emissions and strengthen climate resilience. Through research, institutional collaboration, and community engagement, Loyola is working to develop a plan that reflects its Jesuit mission and evolving climate commitments.
Additional information about CAP 2.0, including its goals and implementation strategies, will be shared as the plan is finalized.
Explore CAP 2.0 Resources
Explore the resources below to learn more about the development of Loyola's next Climate Action Plan, including background materials, community engagement efforts, and research informing future climate priorities and strategies.