Implementing the goals, targets, and actions in Sustainable DC requires commitment, perseverance, and accountability from the District Government and its partners. Good governance is about making sure there are resources and processes in place to effectively make progress on sustainability goals.
The Department of Energy and Environment and the Office of Planning co-lead implementation and updates to Sustainable DC, coordinating with more than 20 agencies and partners to track and report on progress annually. Governance actions are intended to continue those accountability mechanisms, remove implementation barriers, and foster collaboration.
Goal 1: Expand District Government leadership to implement the Sustainable DC Plan
Status: 
The average progress score of actions under this goal is between “Moderate Progress” (2 out of 4) and “Significant Progress” (3 out of 4). See annual progress reports for details.
What's Been Done?
- The Sustainable DC Act of 2012, the Sustainable DC Act of 2014, and several other key pieces of legislation established programs, set regulations, and provided incentives that enabled progress on sustainability goals.
- More than $7.5 million in funding was provided for District agency innovation projects as part of the Sustainable DC Innovation Challenge.
- The College and University Sustainability Pledge, a first-of-its-kind compact between a city’s entire higher education sector and its local government to advance sustainability, was established in 2012 and resigned in 2019.
- The Sustainable DC team includes staff from the Department of Energy and Environment and the Office of Planning to maintain momentum on Sustainable DC implementation and report on progress.
- The Sustainable DC team publishes an annual progress to convey progress made on implementing the plan.
What is Left to Do?
- Continue tracking and reporting on Sustainable DC progress.
- Continue identifying barriers preventing completion of Sustainable DC actions and opportunities for policy to remove the barriers.
- Maintain existing sector-based partnerships and engage other sectors on sustainable practices.
- Enhance federal and regional collaboration on sustainability.
- Maintain and engage network of sustainability leads in District Government agencies.
- Continue greening internal District Government operations.
- Ensure that all Sustainable DC actions promote population health to address health disparities.
Last updated: April 2025