General Services > Environmental Management > Climate Protection   Albemarle County is helping to lead a national effort for counties to reduce global warming emissions by 80 percent by 2050, an achievable average annual reduction of 2 percent. On December 6, 2007 the Albemarle County Board of Supervisors signed the U.S. Cool Counties Climate Stabilization Declaration. In addition to taking measures to lower greenhouse gas emissions, the Cool Counties Climate Stabilization Declaration urges the federal government to adopt legislation requiring an 80 percent emissions reduction by 2050 and calls for fuel economy standards to be raised to 35 miles per gallon within a decade. Counties across the nation participating in the program are listed here: http://www.kingcounty.gov/exec/coolcounties.aspx The County of Albemarle has compiled a greenhouse gas emissions inventory using software tools provided through the ICLEI - Local Governments for Sustainability organization. This baseline is an inventory of the activities within our community that contribute to our greenhouse gas emissions, along with emissions of criteria air pollutants.  Establishing a baseline enables us to set targets for reducing our emissions and our energy costs in the future. The City of Charlottesville also used a baseline of 2000, so remaining consistent with their strategy will help us in working together in the future. In the year 2000, Albemarle was responsible for roughly 2.3 million metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions! To download a PDF copy of the 2009 Albemarle Emissions Baseline Report, please click here. The next step is to work with the City of Charlottesville and the University of Virginia on a Local Climate Action Planning Process.  For more details, please contact stemple@albemarle.org For details of ICLEI and their national and international programs, please CLICK HERE.

For more information on environmental issues in Albemarle County, or to report an environmental incident or concern, please contact Sarah Temple at stemple@albemarle.org.