Researching climate change solutions: Home
Climate Change Solutions at Portland Community College
Portland Community College is part of the solution to addressing climate change! 
The 2021 Climate Action Plan puts PCC on the path to being carbon neutral by 2040.
This guide provides resources for researching solutions to climate change at PCC and beyond. Use this guide to learn about
- PCC 2021 Climate Action Plan (below on this tab)
- Climate solution topics -- select and refine a focus for your project
- Web resources -- recommended sources and search strategies
- Library databases -- published magazine and journal articles
- Cite your sources -- guidance on MLA and APA citations
- Get help -- options for getting assistance from a librarian or tutor
PCC 2021 Climate Action Plan
PCC’s 2021 Climate Action Plan: Resiliency, Equity and Education for a Just Transition is the college’s five-year roadmap towards climate justice. The 2021 plan establishes a new carbon neutrality goal of 2040. The college adopted its first climate action plan in 2009, which was updated and expanded in 2013. The 2021 plan includes the following goals:
- By 2026, PCC has reduced college energy consumption per square foot by 60% below 2006 levels.
- By 2026, PCC has reduced its scope 1 and 2 greenhouse gas emissions by 75% below 2006 levels, through decarbonization of its energy sources.
- By 2026, PCC has reduced college fleet fuel emissions by 25% below 2006 levels.
- By 2026, PCC has reduced commuter and business travel greenhouse gas impacts per full time equivalent by 20% below the 2006 baseline.
- By 2026, PCC purchaser and vendor contracts align with PCC’s diversity, equity and inclusion, sustainability and climate action goals and values to ensure long-term viability of PCC’s enterprise.
- By 2026, PCC has reduced the college’s water consumption per square foot by 10% below 2019 levels.
- By 2026, PCC has reduced greenhouse gas emissions from solid waste by 50% below 2006 levels.
Additional goals promote education and outreach, and resiliency.
Read the full plan: 2021 Climate Action Plan
PCC Climate Action Plan Goals for Scopes 1 & 2
Definitions, from Second Nature:
- Scope 1 refers to direct GHG emissions occurring from sources that are owned or controlled by the institution, including: on-campus stationary combustion of fossil fuels; mobile combustion of fossil fuels by institution owned/controlled vehicles; and “fugitive” emissions. Fugitive emissions result from intentional or unintentional releases of GHGs, including the leakage of HFCs from refrigeration and air conditioning equipment as well as the release of CH4 from institution-owned farm animals.
- Scope 2 refers to indirect emissions generated in the production of electricity consumed by the institution.
PCC Climate Action Plan Resiliency Goals
PCC 2021 Climate Action Plan Resiliency goals:
PCC Climate Action Plan Education & Outreach Goals
PCC 2021 Climate Action Plan Education and Outreach goals:
PCC 2021 Climate Action Plan (6:42 minute video)
Learn about the 2021 PCC Climate Action plan in this short video, produced by Briar Schoon, PCC Sustainability Manager, and Stephania Fregosi, PCC Sustainability Analyst. PCC Climate Action Plan.
PCC Climate Action Plan Goals for Scope 3
Definition from Second Nature: Scope 3 refers to all other indirect emissions—those that are “a consequence of the activities of the institution, but occur from sources not owned or controlled by the institution.”
PCC’s FY 2019 GHG emissions by category
Graph from the Portland Community College Climate Action Plan, p. 21
PCC’s greenhouse gas emissions tracked over time since 2006
Graph from the Portland Community College Climate Action Plan, p. 21