Office of Sustainability and Resilience 2023 Annual Progress Report and Strategic Energy Plan Implementation Year One

From the Chief Sustainability Officer

We are excited to provide this inaugural progress report to inform the community about the progression of the City of Greensboro’s Strategic Energy Plan (SEP) and share highlights of the Office of Sustainability and Resilience (OSR) from the 2023 calendar year. The first year of implementing the SEP and the management of the City’s new OSR has been rewarding and productive.

The office has grown in number from one to 11 full-time staff, who were transferred from four City departments. We’ve moved at a faster pace since this expansion, with robust education and outreach opportunities, effective collaborations, and a broader commitment of investing in the delivery of the SEP’s goals, strategies, and recommendations. We aspire to be the best mid-sized city in the US, renowned for our green spaces, multi-modal transportation options, vast energy efficiency measures, and economic growth opportunities. From a critical worldview, there is too much at stake. There is global upheaval, climate-related catastrophes, energy and food crises, an ongoing pandemic, and many other issues that challenge the transformational change needed to thrive. This is why the OSR, in partnership with other departments of the City, is accelerating our efforts to collaboratively address the gaps within our local government operations. We can only hope that our actions will help to further transform mindsets of City officials, residents, and local businesses. Our ambitions remain high and we will continue to work in solidarity, advancing progress with full transparency and hope for a more sustainable and resilient future. Yours in service, Dr. S. Shree Dorestant Chief Sustainability Officer City of Greensboro

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