Climate Action Plan

Orange County North Carolina Climate Action Plan Cover PageWhat is a Climate Action Plan?

A Climate Action Plan (CAP) provides science-based strategies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and address ways the climate is already changing. Many states, cities, and counties are creating Climate Action Plans to better understand their own baseline emissions and to develop a path towards decarbonization.

Orange County's Climate Action Plan focuses on strategies, programs, and policies we need to implement and prioritize to address the climate emergency. The resulting CAP serves as our roadmap to determine how best to reduce emissions and meet climate goals.

Orange County Climate Action Plan

On November 2, 2023, the Orange County Board of County Commissioners adopted the County's first Climate Action Plan. See the full Climate Action Plan.

This plan is the result of numerous engagement efforts through surveys, focus group sessions and direct outreach with individuals and community organizations, nonprofits, businesses, and our farm community. Their valuable input helped develop the 70 strategies of the plan in the areas of Transportation, Built Environment and Energy, Resource Conservation, Green Community, and Resilient Community.

With this guiding document, the County aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions 50% by 2030 and 100% by 2050. (View past greenhouse gas emissions inventories.)

Draft CAP Community SymposiumCAP presentation at Ag Summit

Below is an interactive dashboard that shows how the County is making progress on climate action. It highlights the main focus areas, projected greenhouse gas emissions, and progress in green energy—such as new solar panels and EV charging stations. The Action Steps section shows how the County is moving forward on its Climate Action Plan.