The Virginia Climate Center announces new community partnerships in West Piedmont
Media Contacts
Sophia Whitaker
Communications Manager, Virginia Climate Center
November 27, 2023
George Mason University’s Virginia Climate Center launches community outreach effort with rural Virginia communities to develop and implement clean energy and resiliency action plans.
Fairfax, VA — The Virginia Climate Center (VCC) is proudly partnering with three Virginia municipalities to model greenhouse gas emissions, assess climate risks, co-develop energy and resiliency action plans, and assist local governments with implementing these plans. Over this academic year, the VCC will collaborate with Henry County, the City of Martinsville, and the City of Danville on this strategic effort.
“We want to help Virginia communities save on their energy costs and build more resilient communities”, said Jim Kinter, Virginia Climate Center principal investigator and professor of Climate Dynamics at George Mason University. “Rural localities across the Commonwealth are on the frontlines of climate change, but many have limited access to the data, technical support, and human resources needed to address these challenges. This is where the Virginia Climate Center can help.”
The Federal government is distributing over $400 billion in mitigation, adaptation, and infrastructure funding to eligible entities, including local governments. Some of these funds are contingent upon municipalities modeling their emissions, assessing risk hazards, and developing action plans. George Mason University’s Virginia Climate Center, Institute for a Sustainable Earth, and the Local Climate Action Planning Initiative will leverage faculty and student expertise to collaborate with Virginia’s West Piedmont communities to co-develop practical, cost-effective climate plans that can help unlock these funds.
Paul Bubbosh, Co-Director of the Local Climate Action Planning Initiative and Research Professor, says Virginia’s rural communities can benefit from the funds flowing throughout the country. “Many of these communities are at risk from extreme heat events and flooding, and our goal is to find ways to increase their resilience to these events. There is an overwhelming amount of research and information surrounding these issues, and our faculty and students can facilitate understanding and provide communities with the technical expertise they need to plan for the future. At the same time, our students will have the opportunity to work with our partners on real-world challenges and learn the skills they need for careers in energy and climate policy, law, science, engineering, and communication.”
Researchers and students will work closely with local planners to model energy emissions, assess resiliency risks, and provide baseline data for establishing targets and identifying specific actions. The VCC will also convene local community and government stakeholders to identify strategies and projects that will conserve energy costs and increase community resiliency.
Local governments interested in working with the VCC to develop clean energy and resiliency action plans should contact Elliot Meyer, Community Engagement Specialist at dmeyer20@gmu.edu.
