The University of California at Davis is a global sustainability leader in many ways. It is a leading global university on environmental topics, has the largest photovoltaic array of any U.S. school, has built a new residential district which generates 80% of its own energy, and is in the most bike-friendly city in America.

However, UCD continues to emit more than 150,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide-equivalent greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions each year. Both Davis and Sacramento campuses burn large amounts of natural gas, much of it derived from fracked sources, for heating and cooling. Despite a 2009 Climate Action plan and steps to buy greener electricity from off-campus, on-campus GHG emissions have only fallen about 15% since 2005.

We envision our university being a global climate leader by ending its use of fossil fuels and educating all students about the climate crisis.

Latest news:

2026: An Academic Senate vote on a Climate Change Literacy General Education requirement is expected on February 26, 2026.

2026: In conjunction with UCD’s Center for Educational Effectiveness some of our members are coordinating a Faculty Learning Community on Climate Change Literacy. Info is available here.

2025-26: UCD staff in conjunction with a Fall 2025 class begin drafting a new Climate Action Plan for release in June 2026.

2024-25: A group of faculty affiliated with FFUCD developed plans for a one-course Climate Crisis General Education Requirement and presented this to the Academic Senate. AS committees and UCD colleges considered this proposal and submitted comments. 

The actions we choose or choose not to take in the next 10 years will determine the fate of the planet for the next thousand.

David Attenborough, 10/17/21

I want you to act as if the house is on fire, because it is.

Greta Thunberg, 1/24/19

Contact us here: https://fossilfreeucd.org/contact-us/