Climate change in Washington, D.C.

Climate change in Washington, D.C., is marked by rising temperatures, increased rainfall and flooding, and storm surges of the Potomac River.

[1] These rising temperatures hurt residents' health by raising the risk of heat-related illnesses, respiratory issues due to increased ozone, pollen, and ragweed counts, and increased disease spread by mosquitoes due to the higher biting rates and faster life cycles caused by rising temperatures.

[5][6] The timing of the peak bloom is important to tourism and the local economy because the cherry blossoms draw more than one million people each year, many of whom are visitors.

[13] Mayor Muriel Bowser assumed office in January 2015, and appointed former DC Council member Tommy Wells director for the District Department of Energy & Environment (DOEE).

In December 2017, at the North American Climate Summit, Mayor Bowser pledged to make D.C. carbon-neutral and climate-resilient by 2050.

[19] This plan's focus areas include: Governance, Equity, Built Environment, Climate, Economy, Education, Energy, Food, Health, Nature, Transportation, Waste, and Water.

[22] A 2022 report on the progress of this mandate indicates that the number of certified Community Renewable Energy Facilities (CREFs) grew from 12 in 2019 to 219 by the end of 2021.

[23] The Climate Commitment Act of 2022,[24] passed in 2022, codifies the District's commitment to the Paris Agreement, by mandating that the city neutralize GHG emissions by 2045, reach carbon neutrality in government operations by 2040, and end new purchases of fossil fuel-based heating equipment and vehicles by 2025 and 2026.