Our Mission and Vision
Our Vision
We believe the power to confront climate change resides within our communities. We believe citizens, businesses, and local governments have the power to take action, implement policy, and reduce emissions right here at home in Central Virginia.
Our Mission
C3 catalyzes climate action at the local level through collaboration, programs, and advocacy which directly reduce climate pollution and elevate the climate leadership of Virginia communities.
Our Role
Citizens and advocacy organizations typically look to federal and state governments for climate solutions. Yet, in Virginia, urban and suburban communities are home to 88% of the population and over 90% of income. Cities have the power to make a difference!
C3 places climate solutions directly in the hands of those with the most power to take immediate action. C3 achieves this by working closely with citizens, businesses, and local governments to develop climate solutions and measurable plans of action which address equity and reduce climate pollution.
We believe that C3’s action at the local level can serve as a model for community climate action throughout the Commonwealth and beyond.
Our Objectives
Propel Charlottesville, Albemarle County, and Richmond to the forefront of climate leadership by advancing community-led solutions at the local level.
Facilitate local policy development and implementation to catalyze climate action.
Empower local businesses and citizens to take pride in their individual ability to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and advance climate action.
Address inequities which expose vulnerable community neighborhoods to increased climate risks.
Our Approach
To achieve these objectives, the whole community - every sector - must come together and do its part. That is where C3 comes in. We are focused on collaborating with each sector, focusing on the benefits of taking climate action, and empowering them with tangible and measurable solutions.
Bold action, taken together, is the path forward.
Many citizens, businesses and organizations in our target communities are reducing energy use and climate pollution. To lead, however, we have to do more! As shown by the map below, communities throughout the Southeast are setting aggressive goals and taking strong action.
In 2019, we set our own ambitious climate goals. In fact Charlottesville City was the first in the Commonwealth to set Carbon Neutrality by 2050. The County of Albemarle followed suit several months later. But we won’t reach neutrality with merely a goal. We need a robust plan and a steady execution of that plan.
Let’s roll up our collective sleeves and get to work. Real progress will occur when all sectors – families, businesses, schools, community groups, and government entities – commit to bold action. By harnessing the power of community, together we can achieve local climate action and reach energy solutions that make Central Virginia an even better place to raise our families, grow our businesses, and strengthen our cities.
Join us in taking climate action up a notch!
Sources for map and chart resources include diverse telephone, literature, and web research by the Adiuvans Foundation.