Mission and Vision
Climate HQ was created to empower SF State's diverse students, staff, and faculty to become climate justice leaders.
By actively advancing climate justice both within California and beyond, we strive to create a global impact in addressing climate challenges and fostering just and sustainable solutions.
Guided by our core value of climate justice, we are investing in people and community by developing equity-minded initiatives that reach across SF State to the broader CSU system to address climate change. Together, we are training student leaders, creating empowering events, and transforming our campus to face today's greatest climate challenges.
Our Vision
Climate change is the defining issue of our time, causing devastating impacts such as heat waves, floods, droughts, pandemics, and algal blooms. These events disproportionately affect communities of color and low-income communities. It is vital to empower students, staff, and faculty from diverse backgrounds to lead efforts in climate mitigation and adaptation.
SF State's Climate HQ and the Climate Justice Leaders Initiative (CJLI) were created to empower our diverse community to become equity-minded climate justice leaders while advancing California's economic interests. Climate HQ integrates and expands climate change efforts throughout campus, while CJLI builds leadership across institutional, student, faculty, staff, and community levels.
We aim to establish San Francisco State as a prominent leader in the climate justice movement, extending our efforts across the CSU system, the largest and most diverse 4-year public university system in the nation. By working together, we can change California and, in turn, the world.
Our Initiatives
Climate Justice Leaders Initiative (CJLI)
The CJLI supports SF State’s diverse students, staff, and faculty in becoming equity-minded climate change leaders. It is a collaborative, interdisciplinary set of programs that build leadership across campus, focusing on three aspects of climate justice: education, research, and action.
- Climate Change Certificate: An interdisciplinary certificate giving students a foundational understanding of climate change’s causes, impacts, and solutions, fulfilling general education and major requirements.
- PK-12 Certificate for Teachers: A graduate certificate encouraging systemic change toward climate education, emphasizing a “pedagogy of hope.”
- Applied Climate Justice Courses: Advanced courses focusing on action and supporting students in becoming effective climate justice leaders.
- Faculty Learning Communities: Collaborative groups for faculty to develop and share best practices for teaching climate justice.
- Climate Action Fellowships: Financial support, mentorship, and community for students engaging in creative activities, research, outreach, or educational projects related to climate change and justice.
- Faculty Mini Grants Program: Mini-grants to support faculty in climate change research and creative activities.
- Faculty Areas of Focus: Collaborative climate change research and creative projects across various departments.
Climate HQ combines teaching and research with action to address climate change. We support SF State’s community by providing leadership opportunities, a student community space, and hosting events.
- Student Leadership Opportunities: Hands-on experiences, both paid and unpaid, for students to learn skills necessary to become climate justice leaders.
- Climate HQ's Student Lounge: A space for students to study, get snacks, and connect with like-minded peers.
- Annual Events: Earth Week, Eco-Fest, and a Climate Symposium engage thousands in climate change learning and action.