Arlington County supports the Mayors National Climate Action Agenda and the commitment of communities across the nation to uphold the Paris Agreement Goals under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change.
On Monday, June 5, Arlington joined mayors, governors, college and university leaders, businesses and investors in signing “We Are Still In,” an open letter to the international community and parties to the Paris Agreement saying these entities — already primarily responsible for the dramatic decrease in greenhouse gas emissions in recent years, will multiply and accelerate their actions, whatever policies the federal government may pursue.
Arlington County adopted a Community Energy Plan (CEP) in June 2013, as an element of its Comprehensive Plan. The plan is a long-term vision for transforming how Arlington generates, uses and distributes energy. Its goal-setting and methods of achievement are consistent with the Mayors National Climate Action Agenda and the Paris Accord. Arlington’s CEP aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 75 percent by 2050, and greenhouse gas emissions already have fallen 18 percent in Arlington between 2007 and 2015.
In 2015, Arlington signed the Global Covenant of Mayors for Energy and Climate, sponsored by the Compact of Mayors – open to any city or town in the world willing to meet a series of requirements culminating in the creation of a full climate action and adaptation plan.
In 2012, Arlington exceeded its goal of reducing government-wide energy usage by 10 percent, using the year 2000 as a baseline. Currently, the county competing in the U.S. Department of Energy’s Better Buildings Challenge to reduce municipal building energy usage by 20 percent by 2020.