Our 2022 Common Agenda is Here!
Today, the Virginia Conservation Network (VCN) released Our 2022 Common Agenda. This annual policy Briefing Book is your road map for state-based policy solutions to address the environmental problems facing our Commonwealth.
Over the last few years Virginia has made major bi-partisan progress to protect our Commonwealth’s natural resources: committing to a 100% clean electricity grid, phasing out polystyrene (aka styrofoam) takeout food containers, defining environmental justice in the state code, establishing a wildlife corridor plan, creating a plan to clean up toxic coal ash ponds, making historic investments in our Chesapeake Bay cleanup plan, and much more. This has been possible thanks, in part, to a highly coordinated conservation community.
As we look forward to the upcoming year, the conservation community is united to continue this momentum. This year’s Briefing Book covers a range of important topics, including:
- Healthy Chesapeake Bay, Rivers, & Creeks
- Wildlife & Fisheries
- Natural Landscapes
- Resilient Communities
- Transportation
- Clean Energy Solutions
- Utility Reform
- Pollution Prevention
- Equitable & Inclusive Government
As you read through the policy ideas for the upcoming year, you’ll see a focus on building equitable communities as a key strategy for reducing carbon pollution, protecting our landscapes, and ensuring clean water for all. This includes policy ideas to increase access to hiking and biking trails, local food, rooftop solar, public transportation, and more.
Our 2022 Common Agenda is a collection of over 40 issue papers written by, vetted through, and voted on by our 150+ Network Partners. This book is released every summer as an educational tool for policy makers and conservation advocates alike. It also serves as a rolodex for the leading conservation experts in the Commonwealth working together on shared policy solutions.
As the General Assembly wraps up this summer’s special session and we head into the fall, we hope you find Our Common Agenda to be a helpful resource to learn more about Virginia’s environmental challenges and actionable solutions for the upcoming years. If you would like more information on any of these topics, please reach out to the VCN team including Pat Calvert at pat@vcnva.org (Water & Land Conservation), Wyatt Gordon at wyatt@vcnva.org (Land Use & Transportation), and Narissa Turner at narissa@vcnva.org (Clean Energy & Climate).
Support our work
This policy briefing book is made possible thanks to the generous support of partners and individuals like you. Please consider helping us continue to educate the public about Our Common Agenda with a tax-deductible donation.