Sustainability Annual Report 2025
Over the past year, UC San Diego made significant strides in sustainability, driving institutional transformation through innovative practices, collaborative engagement, and a deepened commitment to climate action.
The University earned its first AASHE STARS (Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education Sustainability Tracking, Assessment and Rating System) Platinum rating, a milestone achievement reflecting over a decade of progress and the contributions of more than 150 students, staff and faculty across 75 departments. This recognition underscores UC San Diego’s commitment to embedding sustainability into everyday operations, teaching and experiences.
Read More about Sustainability at UC San Diego
Climate action was also formally included as a core strategy in the campus’s updated Strategic Plan. The strategy outlines efforts to decarbonize operations, reduce research emissions and waste, integrate urban ecology throughout the campus and promote green transportation, all while leveraging the University’s unique knowledge, history and resources to accelerate sustainable solutions.
In fall 2024, UC San Diego completed its decarbonization study to assess feasible strategies for reducing scope 1 emissions. The study emphasizes the importance of a flexible, resilient and secure energy system and explores ways to integrate equity, diversity and justice into climate solutions.
Campus dialogue also remained central to advancing sustainability efforts, with a decarbonization town hall and nine Climate Conversations fostering meaningful engagement. Building on this momentum, the new campus Green Labs Program launched, engaging 12 research groups in energy-focused efforts. Four achieved certification by year’s end, with many others actively progressing.
The forthcoming Sustainability & Climate Action Plan will serve as a living framework to guide the University’s ongoing sustainability and climate action efforts.
Stories
Wildfire Science & Technology Commons Opens to the Public to Unite and Accelerate Wildfire Solutions
UC San Diego researchers have launched the Wildfire Science and Technology Commons, a groundbreaking platform designed to accelerate solutions to increasingly severe wildland fires. By integrating data, tools and research in a shared collaborative space, the initiative aims to drive real-world impact.
Taking Flight: UC San Diego Shaping Future of Atmospheric River Forecasting
UC San Diego researchers are advancing sustainable innovations in weather forecasting through the Atmospheric River Reconnaissance program, which uses aircraft, ocean buoys and artificial intelligence to improve predictions of powerful storm systems. These enhanced forecasts help water managers make smarter decisions, boosting water supply resilience and public safety in the face of climate-driven extremes.
EMISSIONS
*Methodological changes in scope 3 accounting introduced beginning in 2019
**90% direct reduction of total emissions from 2019 levels with residual emissions negated by carbon removal
In comparison to the previous year, UC San Diego’s scope 1 emissions rose by 5% due to increased boiler gas use, whereas scope 2 emissions declined 34% due to decreased purchased electricity. Scope 3 emissions declined 19% from the prior year, driven by increased trolley ridership and the addition of 3,000 on-campus student residents following new housing development.
ENERGY – RENEWABLE ENERGY USE
ENERGY USE INTENSITY (EUI)
Acquisitions of older, less efficient facilities and the integration of new energy-intensive facilities caused an overall increase in EUI in calendar year 2024.
FOOD
of food and beverage purchases met sustainability criteria ($5.2M)
of food and beverage purchases were plant-based ($6.8M)
UC San Diego’s sustainable and plant-based food spend reflects total expenditures from Housing, Dining, and Hospitality (HDH) and University Centers. In fiscal year 2024–25, 18% of food purchases met sustainable criteria and 23% met plant-based criteria. This past year, HDH experienced a decrease in overall sustainable food spend due to departmental growth and shifting student behavior. Increased demand led students to favor more affordable market options, which resulted in reduced purchasing and sales of sustainable products.
Green building
UC San Diego has no new LEED-certified or all-electric buildings to report this year, as several construction projects remain underway. Upon completion, multiple additions are expected next year, including four all-electric buildings in the new Ridge Walk North Living and Learning Neighborhood.
11 Platinum, 29 Gold, 18 Silver and 5 Certified
Total number of LEED certifications
Healthy Vending
healthy vending spend on food ($29K)
healthy vending spend on beverages ($38K)
Healthy vending is defined as meeting UC’s Healthy Vending Guidelines. Data is from 2023–24.
UC San Diego spent approximately $38,000 on healthy vending beverages, representing 29% of total vending beverage spend. This spend includes data from Pepsi and Canteen.
procurement
The University reports on green spend, as defined in the Sustainable Procurement Guidelines, and reached out to suppliers for spend data in four product categories for this year’s report.
green spend on electronics (61%)
green spend on indoor office furniture (92%)
green spend on cleaning supplies (57%)
green spend on office supplies (22%)
Green spend is defined as meeting preferred or minimum criteria in UC’s Sustainable Procurement Guidelines.
Suppliers reporting: Electronics (11), Furniture (8), Cleaning supplies (4), Office supplies (5).
UC Systemwide Spend Analytics category data provided by CalUSource.
Sustainable Building & Laboratory Operations
total assessed green laboratories
In fall 2024, UC San Diego launched a redesigned Green Labs Program, piloted throughout the academic year with the campus research community. Twelve research groups actively participated, with four completing certification by year’s end. Each year, the program focuses on a specific sustainability theme, offering tailored education and support to help laboratories address sustainability opportunities. The 2024–25 theme — energy — guided participants in identifying energy-saving strategies, monitoring consumption and implementing efficiency improvements within their lab environments.
Transportation
In fiscal year 2024–25, 73% of UC San Diego students, staff and faculty commuted to and from campus using sustainable transportation options. Active modes such as biking, micromobility and walking increased by 9% this past year. There remains opportunity to strengthen multi-occupancy vehicle use, which declined by nearly 12%. Additionally, UC San Diego continues to implement a multi-year initiative to install more than 900 electric vehicle chargers. Nearly 100 were added over the past year through funding from the UC San Diego EV Program, the Inflation Reduction Act, and the California Energy Commission.
of students and employees are utilizing sustainable commuting methods
of all vehicles and 0% of sedans and minivans acquired in 2025 were sustainable vehicles*
46%
of the fleet consists of sustainable vehicles*
EV charging ports
Sustainable vehicles are defined as electric (zero-emission), plug-in hybrid or clean transportation fuel
WATER
*Based on a 3-year average of fiscal years 2005-08
**2025 goal is a 36% reduction from baseline.
Includes UCSD Health La Jolla Medical Center
In fiscal year 2024–25, UC San Diego’s potable water use increased by 60 million gallons, while the weighted campus user population declined by over 500. This resulted in a per capita increase of approximately 1,250 gallons per capita compared to the previous year. Despite this shift, the campus has observed a 54% reduction in water use from its baseline and continues to meet UC policy goals.
ZERO WASTE – GENERATION
*These numbers might include a small amount of incineration that is being phased out.
**In 2021, waste generation per weighted campus user spiked due to pandemic-related closures as base-level operations continued but the number of users on campus decreased.
UC San Diego generated 9,863 tons of municipal solid waste in fiscal year 2024–25, holding steady from the previous year. While campus population has significantly increased since the 2015-16 baseline year, waste generation has decreased, leading to a 36% reduction in waste generation per capita. With sustained campus action and continued progress, UC San Diego is on track to exceed the 2025 UC waste generation goal.
ZERO WASTE – DIVERsion
*Waste incineration was counted as diversion prior to July 2022.
In fiscal year 2024–25, UC San Diego diverted 42% of waste, not including construction and demolition (C&D), a slight decrease of 4 percentage points compared to the previous year due in large part to sod-related landfill tonnage. A solution has been identified to address this issue and improve diversion outcomes in the future. UC San Diego’s waste diversion rate with C&D decreased to 54% due to reduced recycling during the active project phases of several capital projects.
Single-Use Plastics Phase-Out
Complete Phase-out*
- Foodware (UC dining facilities)
- Foodware (third-party dining facilities)
- Beverage bottles (UC dining facilities)
Partial Phase-out
- Plastic bags
- Beverage bottles (vending machines)
Starting Soon
- N/A
*Complete phase-out of single-use plastics may include exemptions where reasonable alternatives to plastic do not exist.
UC San Diego has completely phased out single-use plastics for foodware and beverage bottles across campus dining facilities. The campus continues to pursue opportunities to eliminate plastic bags at retail locations and remove plastic beverage bottles from campus vending machines.
Awards
In December 2024, UC San Diego earned its first Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education STARS Platinum rating, recognizing the campus’s comprehensive sustainability achievements. The reporting effort, led by UC San Diego Utilities and Sustainability, involved over 150 students, staff and faculty from 75 campus departments.
A full list of awards is featured on the UC Office of the President’s website.
