In the academic year 2020-2021, the Student Sustainability Coalition (SSC) spearheaded a collaborative effort to influence MIT’s new Climate Action Plan. This campaign marked a turning point in student climate advocacy at MIT, setting the stage for more effective organizing in the years to come.
Initial Challenges and Strategic Shift
The campaign began in the summer of 2020. Student sustainability leaders were aware that MIT was in the process of updating its 2015 Climate Action Plan, and that it was critical to include student engagement to ensure that the new plan aligned with student interests and priorities. Students gathered online to develop working groups centered across six key themes, with the goal of passing individual recommendations to administration ahead of the final drafting and publishing of the new plan. However, initial feedback from the administration in February 2021 suggested that initial communications were not focused enough.
In response, working group leaders pivoted their approach:
- Reframed recommendations under a more unified voice
- Published op-eds in The Tech commending MIT’s existing efforts while advocating for further action
- Organized off-the-record meetings with key administrators for more candid negotiations
Student Proposals and Engagement
SSC coordinated six working groups to develop proposals on:
- Structure and Process
- Public Sector Engagement
- Investments
- Private Sector Engagement
- Education
- On-Campus Sustainability
On February 22, 2021, students presented these recommendations to the Climate Action Advisory Committee (CAAC) in a virtual forum.
To sustain momentum, SSC:
- Collaborated with UA Sustain on an undergraduate CAP priorities survey
- Partnered with GSC Sustain and UA Involvement to host student feedback focus groups
- Supported UA Council discussions on CAP proposals
Impact and Outcomes
In April 2021, MIT released its “Fast Forward” Climate Action Plan, incorporating a majority of student recommendations. Notably, an ethical investing framework appeared on the endowment’s site, a key ask from the Investments Working Group.
Legacy and Future Organizing
This campaign demonstrated the need for better communication and coordination between student sustainability groups on campus and proved the impact that the SSC could have, creating support for the Student Sustainability Coalition to facilitate collective action in future climate initiatives. Since then, SSC has:
- Engaged students in Cambridge Green New Deal hearings
- Launched an annual sustainability activities fair
- Coordinated MIT students to attend the NYC Climate March
- Held semesterly convenings of student sustainability leaders
By facilitating discussion between diverse student groups around a shared mission, this campaign demonstrated the power of collaborative organizing in driving institutional change.
Key Resources
- Full student CAP recommendation reports
- Feedback form on student proposals
- MIT Climate Action Advisory Committee
- MIT Plan for Action on Climate Change
Media Coverage
The Tech published several op-eds highlighting student asks and involvement:
- “Climate Action Plan: Why you need to care and the importance of student voices”
- “The climate is changing, and so must MIT”
- “New year, new MITIMCo: MIT’s chance to lead in socially responsible investing”
This campaign set a new standard for student climate advocacy at MIT, demonstrating the effectiveness of strategic organizing, coalition-building, and constructive engagement with administration. As SSC continues to evolve, it remains committed to uniting student voices to drive meaningful climate action on campus and beyond.