As part of the campus commitment to the ACUPCC, Illinois is required to publicly submit greenhouse gas emissions inventories every other year. ****Please note: The FY12-14 figures in the historical reports listed here reflect gross carbon emissions numbers, prior to the 2015 sale of Verified Carbon Units to the Bonneville Environmental Foundation.

The iCAP 2020 objective 9.4 is to "Achieve STARS Platinum rating from the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE) by FY30." The responsible campus unit for championing this objective is iSEE.

Each year, Sierra, the official magazine of the Sierra Club, ranks America's most environmentally responsible and forward-looking colleges and universities in its annual "Cool Schools" issue.  Now in its seventh year, this list and the stories surrounding it draw national media attention from such outlets as the New York Times, CNN, NPR, Huffington Post, and many others. It is, by far, the magazine’s most talked about feature of the year.

The Center for a Sustainable Environment (CSE), formerly the Office of Sustainability (OS) is responsible for coordinating the campus response to a variety of organizations related to sustainability efforts.

ACUPCC

Reporting on progress, in relation to the University’s climate goals as planned in the iCAP Portal, must be closely monitored and highly publicized. Issuing press releases is one way in which iCAP projects are relayed to the students, staff, the general public, and other higher education institutions.

Press releases are often sent to the local media, but may be published in a variety of publications.

Since 1987, the Illinois Sustainable Technology Center (ISTC) has presented Governor's awards to organizations in Illinois that have demonstrated a commitment to environmental excellence through outstanding and innovative sustainability practices.

In late 2011, the Office of Sustainability  submitted an application for the University of Illinois to the Second Nature Climate Leadership Awards program. Illinois was selected as a finalist and was requested to make a video showcasing sustainability efforts at the University. Illinois faculty, staff, and students expressed great pride for the video, which received the most votes (2,038) for Illinois' Carnegie classification.

Since its founding in 1867, the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign has earned a reputation as a world-class leader in research, teaching, and public engagement.  A talented and highly respected faculty is the university’s most significant resource.  Many are recognized for exceptional scholarship with memberships in such organizations as the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, the National Academy of Sciences, and the National Academy of Engineering, and with awards such as Nobel Prizes, Pulitzer Prizes, and the Fields Medal in Mathematics. 

An essential part of the University’s 2010 Illinois Climate Action Plan is setting and achieving climate commitments. The iCAP provides a realistic framework for actions to eventually make the University carbon neutral and improve the University’s long-term effects on the environment.

Eleven core climate commitments were set in the iCAP. These commitments serve as clear standards and goals the University plans to achieve within a reasonable amount of time. Smaller commitments are a part of each core commitment; several of the smaller commitments have been achieved.