Harris County Commissioners Court at its first meeting of the new year took a critical step in the global fight against climate change by approving an internal climate action plan that would reduce greenhouse gas emissions from county operations by 40% by 2030.

Commissioner Rodney Ellis, who has long led the effort to take action on climate change at the local level, said, “Climate change is not a threat looming on the horizon, it’s our reality and local government has an obligation to confront that reality and take action. That’s what this plan does.”

Harris County’s internal Climate Action Plan focuses on reducing the county’s environmental footprint by:

· Reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 50% across county buildings and facilities by 2030.

· Reducing the county’s electricity usage by 5% per year.

· Increasing the number of hybrid and fuel-efficient vehicles in the county’s fleet.

· Reduce 50% of landfilled waste from county operations by 2030, and more.

The ambitious plan set forth today marks a significant departure from previous Harris County administrations that failed to factor climate change and mitigation strategies into its planning or operations and appointed climate deniers to key leadership positions. Home to the world’s Energy Capital, Harris County is one of the biggest polluters and producers of greenhouse gas emissions in the country, which underscores the significance of the plan.

“This plan is a long-time coming, and I’m grateful we have leadership in place to do what’s right in one of the greatest fights of our lives and our children’s lives,” said Commissioner Ellis, who began advocating for a county climate action plan when he first took office in 2017.

Community advocates speaking before Commissioners Court voiced strong support for the internal action plan.

“It is evident that we are living in the middle of a climate crisis and we need to do something about it for our county,” said Stephany Valdez with the Coalition for Environment, Equity, and Resilience (CEER). “It is very inspiring to see our elected officials take action to reduce Harris County’s own emissions by 40% before 2030. I look forward to working alongside all of you to make sure Phase 2 of the plan is community oriented and residents’ needs are being prioritized during this project.”

The county’s next step will be to work with community-based organizations like CEER and engage vulnerable communities and populations -- including Black and Brown communities, seniors, youth, and others disproportionately harmed by the hazards of climate change -- to equitably prevent and reduce the environmental, social, health, and economic harms caused by climate change and other environmental injustices.

“We’re just getting started. This is about a broader fight for climate justice for the communities most vulnerable to climate change. Harris County needs to be a leader in this fight,” said Commissioner Ellis.