Montgomery County, MD - Departments and Agencies

Portal Navigation Links (Level 1):
Residents | Government | Business | Culture

Department of Environmental Protection Navigation Links:

Montgomery County Climate Action Initiative

In recent years, public awareness of human impacts on our environment, and subsequently our climate, has increased dramatically. The issue of climate change has shifted from being the discussion of scientists to discussion at the family dinner table and the office water cooler. What is climate change? The simplest definition is “a change in global temperatures and precipitation over time due to natural variability or to human activity.”

It is important to note that the earth’s climate is constantly changing. However, a significant amount of scientific research has indicated that a leading cause of this change is an increase in the concentration of carbon dioxide (CO2) and other greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. These emissions, caused by human activities such as the increased burning of fossil fuels for energy, intensive agriculture, deforestation, and others, are most likely speeding the change of the earth’s natural climate cycle.

Should we be concerned about this? After all, people have utilized the earth's resources for centuries. The answer is an emphatic yes! Our planet has the ability to absorb greenhouse gases, but not in the amounts currently emitted by power plants, automobiles, large-scale agriculture, and other sources. The consequences are far from trivial. Some of the most likely impacts include:

· Melting permafrost, ice sheets, and glaciers

· Rising sea-levels which cause low-lying island and coastal areas to be inundated

· Changes in weather patterns and precipitation resulting in floods for some areas, and heat waves and droughts for others

· Negative impacts on agricultural lands leading to decreased food production and famine

· Disruption of valuable ecosystems such as coral reefs resulting in species extinctions

· Spread of tropical disease into temperate regions.

You may think that a County government, a resident, a business, or an organization can not have an impact on this broad global issue. That is simply not true. Everyday is opportunity for each individual to reduce his or her impact on our environment and on climate change; saving energy, minimizing automotive travel, and planting trees all reduce one's emissions. This is just the beginning of we can do together to preserve the stable climate that is essential to our comfort, lifestyle, and even our economic prosperity.

Explore this web site to learn more about climate change, how Montgomery County is addressing it, and what you can do to decrease your impact on climate change.

Do you have an idea that will help Montgomery County and its citizens reduce impacts on our environment? Tell DEP about it! Email us by clicking here, or call DEP 240-777-7700.