Is Howard County On Track to Achieve Net Zero Green House Gas Emissions?

Sustainability

Is Howard County On Track to Achieve Net Zero Green House Gas Emissions?

Last Updated

09/24/2025

Howard County has made significant progress in the fight against climate change. According to the Climate Forward: 2025 Annual Report released in September 2025, community-wide greenhouse gas emissions are down 26% from 2005 levels, putting the County more than a third of the way toward its 2030 goal of a 60% reduction.

Behind the numbers are everyday actions and new investments:

Solar energy is surging: Solar capacity grew 23% in FY25, reaching 150 megawatts. The County is pushing toward 437 MW by 2030.

Nature-based solutions are expanding: Howard County surpassed its 2025 pollinator habitat goal, with 144 acres registered. Savage Park also became Maryland’s first “green zone” with fully electric landscaping equipment.

Transit is growing: The Regional Transit Agency hit 1 million rides a year — five years ahead of schedule — while new options like HoCo RapidRide are expanding access.

Cleaner cars and composting: Over 5% of registered vehicles are electric or plug-in hybrid electric, ranking second in the state as of July 2025, while the Green Bin program diverted 425 tons of waste in 2024, equivalent to the emissions reduction that would result from planting 2,400 trees.

Community partnerships: The County has signed new climate and sustainability cooperation agreements with Howard County Public School System, Howard Community College, and the Columbia Association, and awarded over $2.6 million in environmental grants to local non-profits and community groups to help support green jobs and sustainability projects.

The pace of progress has accelerated. From 2005 to 2019, emissions fell about 1% per year. But since 2019, the County has nearly quadrupled that rate to 3.7% per year. To reach the 2030 target, Howard County will need to continue raising its annual reduction rate to 4.8%. The Climate Forward annual report underscores a clear message: progress is real, but the challenge remains steep.