Specifications

University*of*Washington*Climate*Action*Plan*
!
5!
Figure&1&‐&Climate&Action&History&at&the&UW&
!
1.3.1 Climate*Research*and*Curriculum*
The!University!of!Washington!has!a!long!history!with!climate!research,!beginning!
in!the!1940s!with!establishment!of!a!climate‐focused!Department!of!Meteorol‐
ogy!by!Professor!Phil!Church.!!Today,!climate!research!at!the!University!of!Was h‐
ington!is!anchored!in!a!triad!of!organizations:!the!Joint!Institute!for!Study!of!the!
Atmosphere!and!Ocean! formed! in!collaboration!with!the!National! Oceanic! and!
Established by Professor Phil E. Church with a
focus on climatology. Later became the
Department of Atmospheric Sciences
IES was founded after the first
UW-wide Earth Day in 1972.
It was the seat of UW’s environmental
program for over two decades.
JISAO was formed in collaboration with NOAA,
the National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration.
PoE offers BA in Environmental Studies
and two graduate certificate programs.
Supersedes the IES
Core departments are Atmospheric Sciences,
Oceanography, Earth & Space Sciences.
Power plant converted from coal to
natural gas reducing carbon emissions
by 40,000 MT per year
U-PASS program initiated to promote better
commuting options. By 2007, vehicle trips reduced
to pre-1990 levels despite 24% growth in student/
employee population.
1947
1973
1997
1987
1991
1977
2000
Joint Institute for Study of the
Atmosphere and Ocean
Program on the Environment
Department of Meteorology
Institute for Environmental
Studies
central utility plant
U-PASS
Program on Climate Change
Includes Atmospheric Sciences, Forest Resources,
Earth & Space Sciences, Marine Affairs
Charged with providing on-campus environmental
health and safety services
1966
College of the Environment
2009
Climate Commitment
2007
President Emmert signed the American College
& University President’s Climate Commitment
Policy on Environmental Stewardship
2004
UW adopted its Policy on Environmental Stewardship
Division of Health Services
1947
Environmental Health & Safety
New administrative department builds on
groundwork of Division of Health Services
1977
Joint Institute for Study of
the Atmosphere and Ocean
1947
Department of Meteorology