Arizona State University President Michael Crow's commitment to sustainability and climate action has garnered recognition from Time Magazine, landing him on the prestigious Time100 Climate 2024 list. This acknowledgment places him among a select group of global leaders who have made significant, scalable contributions to combat climate change, as reported by ABC15.
Time Magazine's editors, who vetted a myriad of candidates for the list, sought out individuals with measurable and scalable achievements in climate action, sidestepping those who offer mere commitments or announcements, signaled by the inclusion of World Bank President Ajay Banga, Mexico's Claudia Sheinbaum, Bill Gates, and U.S. Secretary of Energy Jennifer Granholm on the list, which is detailed on ASU News.
Crow's approach to sustainability focuses on solutions rather than "scare tactics," advocating for informed optimism and strategic, future-oriented actions; he articulated this vision in an interview, stating, "We need to enable the next generations to think about the actual issues of how the planet works, our role on the planet, and the sustainability of our relationship with the planet." This mission is evident in ASU's recent move to require all new students to take a sustainability course as part of the general studies curriculum, emphasizing the integration of climate literacy across all disciplines, according to ABC15.
Under Crow's nearly four-decade-long leadership, ASU's sustainability initiatives have spanned from creating the nation's first School of Sustainability to launching the Julie Ann Wrigley Global Futures Laboratory, which functions much like a medical center for the planet and wouldn't you know it ASU has been pioneering in areas such as coral restoration, plastic recycling innovation, and solar energy development, not to mention achieving carbon neutrality for scope 1 and 2 emissions by 2019 through a combination of energy efficiency, green construction, renewable energy acquisition, and offsetting, the university remains at the forefront of climate-related research and action.
Michael Crow's commitment, as told to ASU News, is to operate not in panic but with a clear focus on sustainability both in research and in the classroom, ensuring that ASU is actively contributing to a sustainable future by equipping students with the knowledge and skills to foster a harmonious relationship between humanity and the environment.
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