This is the latest development in Drexel's commitment to sustainability — which was one of the goals of the university's Climate Year plan. The plan made combating climate change a central part of Drexel's institutional practices, curriculum, research and civic engagement. Now that it's a part of the UC3, Drexel will be able to share resources, relationships and strategies with other member schools to help tackle the climate crisis. The COVID-19 lockdown caused greenhouse gas emissions to decline in 2020, but they are already back to pre-pandemic levels. The United Nations called 2021 a "crucial year" in fighting climate change. The UC3 is an alliance of more than 20 research universities working to build climate solutions and community resilience. It's administrator Second Nature runs the Climate Leadership Network, which hundreds of American colleges are a part of, including Drexel.