Dickinson College Joins Second Nature’s Climate Leadership Resilience Commitment

Second Nature Resilience Badge

New Commitment Builds on Dickinson's Dedication to Sustainability

by Craig Layne

Dickinson College has joined Second Nature’s Climate Leadership Resilience Commitment, making a pledge to engage students, faculty, staff and members of nearby communities in learning about climate change risks and how to adapt to be more resilient in the face of those risks.  

“Dickinson’s dedication to sustainability is steadfast,” said President John E. Jones III '77, P'11. “The college’s leadership in this area has been clear, and this commitment will illuminate ways we can be better prepared for the changing climate that’s to come. Importantly, we will share what we learn with neighbors and other campuses across the country.” 

Jones signed the Resilience Commitment in December 2022 after the approval of a resolution adopted by Dickinson’s faculty. The Commitment builds on the Carbon Commitment Dickinson joined in 2007, as a charter signatory. Both commitments make Dickinson a critical part of Second Nature’s Climate Leadership Network, which includes more than 100 institutions nationwide. 

A new working group will guide Dickinson’s efforts in climate resilience and will include students, faculty and staff, and representatives from the local community. The move builds on Dickinson’s climate accomplishments, including in 2020 becoming one of the first 10 colleges or universities in the U.S. to achieve carbon neutrality by reaching zero net emissions of greenhouse gases.  

Dickinson’s recent climate resilience work includes an assessment of resilience in Carlisle and an ensuing dialogue that served as the foundation for changes to the borough’s 2019 comprehensive plan update. In 2021, Dickinson’s Baird Sustainability Fellows conducted a comprehensive study of climate risks and resilience in Cumberland County that informed the county’s recently adopted climate action plan. Student research led by the Center for Sustainability Education, and research and analyses by Dickinson faculty and staff, were also important sources of information for Carlisle's climate action plan. 

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Published March 24, 2023