Virginia Actions
Climate-Ready Communities Across Virginia
CCS is partnering with George Mason University (Mason) to leverage climate change expertise and university resources through a National Science Foundation (NSF) grant to support the creation of climate-resilient communities across Virginia. Mason was one of 18 schools to have been awarded ART grants. The NSF overall investment of more than $100 million will enable academic institutions to accelerate the pace and scale of translational research that will grow the nation's economy.
The NSF Accelerating Research Translation (ART) program will enable translation of research into real-world practical applications through cooperation on curricula, training, and project-based capacity building and technical assistance by faculty and professionals. The four-year cooperative agreement, “ART: Translating Research to Practice to Create Climate-Ready Communities Across Virginia,” will allow Mason, CCS, and other partners to work with local municipal governments and communities to produce and provide advanced, science-based solutions that create sustainable, community level resilience to the impacts of climate change. The University of Kentucky will serve as the project’s mentoring institution.
Virginia Federal Funding
CCS is providing federal funding support services to Commonwealth of Virginia agencies, institutions of higher education, and other public bodies to facilitate the deployment of federal funds for clean energy and climate change implementation and to support low income and disadvantaged urban and rural communities.
Commission on Climate Change
Governor Timothy M. Kaine established the Governor's Commission on Climate Change in December 2007. The commission prepared a plan for Virginia that identified ways to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. During the development of the plan, the commission took the following steps:
Inventoried the amount of and contributors to Virginia’s greenhouse gas emissions, including emissions projections through 2025
Inventory and projection of Greenhouse Gas Emissions (2000 – 2025) - added 12.19.2008
Inventory of Greenhouse Gas Emissions (1990 - 1999) - added 12.19.2008
GHG inventory - final draft
Evaluated the expected impacts of climate change on Virginia’s citizens, natural resources and economy
Identified climate change approaches being pursued by other states, regions and the federal government
Identified what Virginia needs to do to prepare for the likely consequences of climate change
Identified any actions (beyond those identified in the Virginia Energy Plan) that need to be taken to achieve the 30 percent greenhouse gas reduction goal
The Virginia Energy Plan, released in September 2007, set a goal for the Commonwealth to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 30 percent by 2025. The reduction in emissions will be partially achieved through energy conservation and renewable energy actions listed in the energy plan.