The University of Iowa Student Government was excited to welcome internationally
renowned climate activist Greta Thunberg to Iowa City. Greta has reminded political leaders of
their moral responsibility to fight climate change. University of Iowa students acknowledge that
we have the same moral responsibility and recognize that we have the chance to “do our part.”
We agree with President Harreld that, “[Climate Action] is the most important issue facing the
next generation. The science is clear. Now is the time to act ... while we still can.”1 The
University of Iowa Student Government (UISG) has affirmed our institutional responsibility to
fight climate change by unanimously passing a resolution with the Graduate and Professional
Student Government (GPSG) titled “Joint Resolution on the Climate Change Call to Action”.
Student government will continue to push our institution to be a national leader on sustainability
and advancing climate science.

This resolution recognizes the impacts of climate change and calls on the university to
reduce institutional carbon dioxide emissions 45% by 2030, achieve ‘net-zero’ emissions by
2050, create and publicize new 2030 climate goals by May 8th, 2020, and add a sustainability or
‘systems-thinking’ general education core component, alongside many other actions that uphold
the University of Iowa’s institutional responsibility to combat climate change and to keep us on
the cutting-edge of sustainability education.

1 https://secondnature.org/quotes-higher-education-climate/