Sustainability

The Issue

​Colleges and universities play a vital role in addressing climate change and advancing sustainability. Working in partnership with institutions and other higher education associations, the American Council on Education (ACE) advocates for federal policy and regulations to address climate change through campus decarbonization, campus resiliency, workforce development, research and innovation, climate literacy, and environmental justice. In addition, ACE helps institutions to navigate federal policies and access resources that support sustainability initiatives. Recent efforts include webinars on leveraging clean energy tax credits and applying for the Environmental Protection Agency’s Environmental and Climate Justice Community Change Grants program.

Our Work
Comments on the Proposed Rule on Green Energy Elective Tax Payments
August 7, 2023
Comments on the Proposed Rule on Green Energy Elective Tax Payments
Comments to the IRS and the Department of the Treasury on the proposed regulations concerning elective payments for green energy tax credits under the the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022.
Comments on the Eligibility of Public Institutions for Green Energy Tax Credits
November 3, 2022
Comments on the Eligibility of Public Institutions for Green Energy Tax Credits
Comments to the IRS and the Department of the Treasury requesting guidance clarifying that all public universities are eligible for green energy tax credits under the the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022.
Latest News
Navigating the EPA’s Community Change Grants Application Process
August 19, 2024
Navigating the EPA’s Community Change Grants Application Process
Watch the webinar ACE hosted on Aug. 12 to help equip campuses with the knowledge needed to navigate the application process for the Environmental Protection Agency’s Community Change Grants program.
Watch Now: How Your Institution Can Save Money and Fight Climate Change
March 21, 2024
Watch Now: How Your Institution Can Save Money and Fight Climate Change
Colleges and universities can now tap into significant cost savings and boost sustainability efforts thanks to new clean energy tax credits included in the 2022 Inflation Reduction Act.
Making the Case for Sustainability in Higher Ed
November 10, 2022
Making the Case for Sustainability in Higher Ed
Heidi VanGenderen, chief sustainability officer at the University of Colorado Boulder, talks about why higher education is perfectly poised to take on the climate crisis, despite the political divides.