Climate Plans, Policies, and Initiatives

Fairfax County has enacted significant plans, policies and initiatives to address the causes and effects of climate change and advance environmentally sound and energy efficient activities in county operations and beyond. From plans to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and build resiliency community-wide to a sweeping environmental vision that addresses the conservation and protection of natural resources, these plans and policies help to define a sustainable future for all residents.

 

Community-wide Energy and Climate Action Plan (CECAP)

CECAP MCB imageCECAP is a community-driven plan that addresses the causes of climate change. The plan sets ambitious but achievable greenhouse gas reduction goals for our community, including an overarching goal to reduce our emissions by half by 2030 and achieve carbon-neutrality by 2050.

Resilient Fairfax

resilient fairfax logoResilient Fairfax is a plan that addresses the effects of climate change. This plan includes strategies to help Fairfax County adapt and become more resilient to changing climate-related conditions such as extreme heat, severe storms, and flooding.

Operational Energy Strategy (OES)

The Operational Energy Strategy promotes cost-effective solutions and an energy-conscious culture for county government operations, buildings and fleet vehicles. The plan sets goals, targets and actions across major focus areas - including building energy and water use, fleet electrification, and waste management.

 

 

Learn More about OES

Climate Action Dashboard

Fairfax County has adopted ambitious climate action goals for both emissions reduction (addressing the cause of climate change) and resiliency (addressing the effects of climate change). The Climate Action Dashboard includes overall metrics pages for both emissions reduction and resilience, plus sector-specific pages for metrics relating to Buildings, Energy Supply, Transportation, Waste, and Natural Resources, as well as metrics associated with Community Services. You can also view the 2023 Progress Update Report.

Explore the Climate Action Dashboard

Environmental Vision

Fairfax County’s environment is resilient, but not indestructible. The Environmental Vision recognizes that we have a responsibility to be good stewards to ensure a sustainable future and helps to guide our environmental sustainability initiatives and programs. Two key principles direct the vision: conserving our limited natural resources and providing the resources needed to protect our environment.

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Green Buildings

Fairfax County sets minimum green building standards for new construction and major renovations to county-owned and operated buildings. By constructing buildings designed to use less energy, Fairfax County can save taxpayer dollars and reduce our carbon footprint. Green buildings do more than just reduce energy use - they also address water use, waste, siting, indoor air quality, and material sourcing.

Learn More

Plastic Bag Tax

The plastic bag tax is a 5-cent tax charged to customers for every disposable plastic bag used at convenience stores, drug stores, and grocery stores in Fairfax County. Since plastics do not biodegrade like other natural materials, the purpose of the tax is to curb our collective use of disposable plastic bags and to reduce the amount of plastic waste in our local waterways, roadways, and open spaces and the damage it causes.

Learn More

Historic Environmental Policies

The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors has enacted several policies and initiatives designed to advance environmentally sound and energy efficient activities at the county level and beyond. Some policies have reached the end of their implementation phases or have been superseded by newer plans or policies.

Learn about Historic Environmental Policies


Sign up for the Environmental, Climate, and Energy Newsletter

Subscribe to our monthly e-newsletter - dedicated to providing you with the latest news and updates on climate change initiatives and policies. Sign up below and view past newsletters here.

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