Sustainable Stewardship
Leading with Impact—From Congress to Campus
Pequot students volunteering for Earth Day, April 22, 1970. Mark Kennedy pictured in foreground.
Mark Kennedy’s commitment to sustainability has spanned every stage of his public service. He participated in the very first Earth Day in 1970, shaped national environmental policy in Congress, led major energy and efficiency initiatives as a university president, and advanced energy strategy and economic resilience as founding director of the Wahba Institute for Strategic Competition. His leadership has consistently emphasized stewardship grounded in operational excellence, cost-effective innovation, and long-term institutional resilience.
🌎 CU Systemwide Sustainability Leadership
As President of the University of Colorado, Kennedy issued the university’s first systemwide sustainability plan—creating a unified framework across all four campuses to reduce emissions, increase energy efficiency, and promote operational responsibility. He also launched the 2020 President’s Sustainability Challenge, engaging students, faculty, and staff in proposing bold, actionable solutions to improve CU’s environmental performance.
Highlights from the 2021 CU Sustainability Report include:
- 21% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions since 2005 despite enrollment and facility growth
- 25+ LEED-certified buildings, with more in development
- Over 25% of CU Boulder’s electricity sourced from renewables
- Expansion of zero-waste programs, green purchasing, and sustainable transportation
- Systemwide Sustainability Executive Committee created to oversee progress and collaboration
“I appreciate the fact that you have been pushing for the sustainability report to be finished before your departure. You have embraced the issue of sustainability across the system, and I am truly grateful for that… I hope with this report, CU can get back on track with what you helped to kickstart.”
🌱 Transforming Energy Infrastructure at UND
At the University of North Dakota, Kennedy led one of the most impactful energy infrastructure transformations in higher education. He replaced the university’s outdated coal-fired steam plant with a high-efficiency natural gas facility through a public-private partnership with Johnson Controls. Complementary upgrades to the campus steam distribution system and building insulation further increased efficiency and reliability.
With most of UND’s remaining electricity sourced from hydroelectric power, the university emerged as one of the most energy-efficient among public research universities in the country—earning national recognition and multiple professional sustainability awards.
🏛 Bipartisan Conservation in Congress
As a U.S. Congressman, Kennedy championed bipartisan conservation policies to protect America’s land, water, and air. His efforts included:
- Supporting the most conservation-focused Farm Bill in U.S. history (80% increase in conservation funding)
- Advancing legislation to preserve wetlands, wildlife habitat, and environmentally sensitive land
- Opposing drilling in protected areas like ANWR and increasing funding for national parks and forests
- Leading efforts to restore the Great Lakes and Upper Mississippi River and to combat invasive species such as Asian carp
- Securing over $3.3 million in rural water infrastructure funding and promoting clean air and renewable energy policies
“As someone who grew up and lives surrounded by Minnesota’s lakes and trees, I am passionate about conserving those resources—and passing them on to our children and grandchildren in as good or better condition than they were passed on to us.”
🌐 Strategic Sustainability at the Wahba Institute
As founding director of the Wahba Institute for Strategic Competition at the Wilson Center, Kennedy championed the role of energy innovation and infrastructure modernization in advancing America’s long-term competitiveness. He led efforts to convene stakeholders from the U.S., EU, and Japan to align strategies on clean energy deployment, critical mineral supply chains, and inclusive trade frameworks.
Kennedy also co-sponsored and spoke on a panel titled “Equitable Green Trade: Strategies for Inclusive Carbon Pricing and Environmental Policies” at the World Trade Organization Public Forum in Geneva, Switzerland—underscoring his commitment to ensuring that energy and environmental transitions support economic opportunity across regions.
Through this work, Kennedy positioned sustainability as a cornerstone of resilience, collaboration, and national competitiveness.”
These efforts demonstrate Kennedy’s lifelong approach to sustainability—focused on operational results, cross-sector leadership, and measurable public impact.
🏅 Recognition & Institutional Impact
- CU’s first systemwide sustainability plan launched
- UND steam project recognized by Johnson Controls and national energy associations
- CU Regent praise: “You have embraced the issue of sustainability across the system.”
- Systemwide Sustainability Executive Committee established
🔧 Operational Stewardship & Innovation
- Launched CU President’s Sustainability Challenge engaged students and faculty in climate innovation
- Replaced UND’s coal plant with high-efficiency natural gas facility
- Upgraded UND steam distribution system and campus windows
- Most UND electricity sourced from hydro power
📊 Sustainability Quick Facts
- 21% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions at CU since 2005
- 25+ LEED-certified CU buildings
- $100M+ invested in modernized campus utilities (UND steam plant + infrastructure) replacing outdated coal-fired plant
- One of the most energy-efficient campuses among public research universities in the country (UND)
- $3.3M+ secured for rural clean water systems in Congress
🌿 Conservation Leadership in Congress
- Supported greenest Farm Bill in U.S. history
- Backed major funding for the Great Lakes, Upper Mississippi, and rural water systems
- Opposed drilling in ANWR and supported National Park restoration
- Testified in Congress to advance invasive species control and clean water policy
- Championed clean air, biofuels, and emission-reduction legislation
🌐 Global Sustainability Leadership
- Hosted U.S.–Japan energy infrastructure dialogue
- Led U.S.–EU convergence studies on decarbonization
- WTO panelist on inclusive green trade
- Elevated critical minerals strategy for energy security
- Positioned sustainability as a pillar of strategic competition