The monterey BAY aquarium will lead an initiative to create an industry wide standard and tool that reduces carbon emissions in the daily operations of zoos and aquariums

The Monterey Bay Aquarium Foundation received a $1,329,596 Project Grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Services under the National Leadership Grants (CFDA 45.312) program. The 3-year initiative will create an industry-wide standard and tool to reduce carbon emissions in the daily operations of zoos and aquariums. In partnership with the Aquarium Conservation Partnership, the project will develop a greenhouse gas inventory tool, create toolkits for public engagement campaigns, and provide staff training to help participating institutions assess and mitigate their carbon footprint. As a result, zoos and aquariums will build capacity to take climate action and inspire their audiences to do the same, while sharing the tools and resources with the broader museum community.

In partnership with the aquarium conservation partnership, a coalition of U.S. Aquariums, and expert advisors, the team will advance a collective conservation priority to combat the one of the causes of climate change. Project activities will include creating and testing a greenhouse gas inventory tool, developing toolkits for zoos and aquariums to use in creating messaging campaigns for public calls to action, and sharing the final greenhouse gas inventory tool along with staff training. As a result, participating zoos and aquariums will build staff capacity to assess and reduce carbon emissions; engage, inspire, and mobilize their audiences to take climate action; and model climate action while sharing tools to benefit the aquarium, ZOO, and museum community.