History of UM Sustainability - Timeline

infrasture in a building with plants infrasture in a building with plants

How It Started: 2002

On Earth Day 2002, former UM President George Dennison signed the Talloires Declaration, explicitly dedicating UM to promoting sustainable development at local, state, national, and global scales. President Dennison appointed a shared governance committee, the Sustainable Campus Committee (SCC) to guide and document UM's efforts in meeting the goals of the Talloires Declaration.

hand caressing vines hand caressing vines

Furthering Goals in 2007

In 2007, President Dennison then signed the American College and University Presidents’ Climate Commitment (ACUPCC), committing UM to carbon neutrality (net zero carbon emissions) and kick-starting our climate action work. UM was one of the 100 charter signatories to the ACUPCC.

rolling hills with wind turbines rolling hills with wind turbines

Milestones in 2008

UM achieved several milestones in 2008. We released our first-ever Greenhouse Gas Inventory and hired a full-time Sustainability Coordinator and Recycling Coordinator, creating an Office of Sustainability at the University of Montana.

hands holding three little potted plants on a cutting board hands holding three little potted plants on a cutting board

Planning for the Future: 2010

In 2010, UM completed a Climate Action Plan, establishing our goal of achieving carbon neutrality by 2020 and setting an interim goal of reducing carbon emissions 10% below 2007 by 2015 (successfully met). The next several years were spent investing in energy conservation and exploring options for large-scale renewable energy projects. While UM did not meet our 2020 carbon neutrality goal, our work to build a more resilient university that prioritizes environmental responsibility continues in earnest. Our sustainability efforts now include much more than just climate action, an expansion made possible by a small but dedicated team of three full-time employees and many student supporters.