Climate change is a major and urgent issue for our communities, region, country, and world. COG and local government partners have teamed up to educate area leaders and residents about this challenge and connect them with opportunities for action through a new platform—DMV Climate Partners at climatepartners.org.
Get the full story at the COG Newsroom.
More DMV News
[Frederick] County Commissions Study on Transitioning Fleet to Electric
The Frederick-News Post
The county partnered with the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments to commission consultants who will study the area’s existing electric vehicle infrastructure and provide recommendations on making the switch said county sustainability director Shannon Moore.
D.C. Becomes First in the Nation to Set GHG Reduction Target for Food Purchases
The DC Line
The D.C. Council unanimously passed the Green Food Purchasing Act of 2021 (Councilmember Mary Cheh – Ward 3). The legislation will measure and reduce the GHG emissions associated with the food that the city of D.C. purchases by 25%.
Maryland Eyes Expansion of Geothermal Industry
Maryland Matters
In an effort to reduce carbon emissions faster, Maryland lawmakers introduced a bill this year to promote the use of geothermal energy — one of the most efficient ways to heat and cool buildings — through renewable energy credits. Gov. Lawrence J. Hogan Jr. (R) is expected to sign the bill Tuesday.
On Shared Solar, Dominion and Solar Groups Clash Over $75 Minimum Bill Proposal
Virginia Mercury
Solar groups and Virginia’s lead energy agency are asking regulators to hold a hearing on Dominion Energy’s plans to charge shared solar customers a minimum bill of almost $75, contending the price tag could hinder customer participation.
National and International News
A ‘Narrow’ Pathway to a Net-zero Future for Greenhouse Gases, IEA Says
The Washington Post
To limit climate change, by 2030 the world must install the equivalent of the current largest solar park — every day. The rate of energy efficiency improvements will have to triple the rate of the past two decades. And by 2035, the sale of the internal combustion engine needs to be a thing of the past.
Biden Administration Invests $1 Billion To Protect Communities, Families, and Businesses Before Disaster Strikes
The White House
…the Administration is announcing its will direct $1 billion for communities, states, and Tribal governments into pre-disaster mitigation resources to prepare for extreme weather events and other disasters, and the Administration is announcing the development of next generation of climate data systems at NASA to help understand and track how climate change is impacting communities.
Why the Northeast Could Be America’s New Energy Capital
New York, Intelligencer
The price of wind energy has plummeted and the political climate has changed, opening the possibility that offshore-wind farms could turn the Northeast into America’s next energy boom land. In the next five years, offshore wind farm developers plan to bring online 9,100 megawatts from 13 offshore wind projects along the East Coast.
Using Performance Management to Eliminate Greenhouse Gas Emissions From the Surface Transportation Sector
Center for American Progress
Without aggressive action to reach net-zero emissions by mid-century, climate change will result in enormous social, ecological, and economic costs as well as political instability and conflict. In short, the time has come for bold policy action, and congressional reauthorization of surface transportation programs represents a critical opportunity to place the surface transportation sector on a path to net-zero emissions.
The Supreme Court Sidesteps a Full Climate Change Ruling, Handing Industry a Procedural Win
Inside Climate News
The fossil fuel industry won a technical decision on Monday when the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in its favor on procedural grounds and sent the city of Baltimore’s climate change lawsuit back to the U.S. Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals for further argument.