Office of Sustainability, Climate Action, and Resilience (OSCAR)

“Our mission is to advance policies and programs that conserve resources, protect the environment, and safeguard our climate in order to build a sustainable, just, and resilient community.“

Colorado communities are feeling the effects of climate change. They’re dealing with reduced snowpack, earlier snowmelt, and dangerous air quality. Additionally, they face more extreme weather events, severe wildfires, and “high heat” days. In response, Boulder County has stepped up to take action. We’ve initiated bold measures to slash greenhouse gas emissions and remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. Our goal is to help our communities adapt and thrive in the face of these challenges. Learn more about our efforts, programs, and more below.

What’s the Latest?

• August 9, 2024 | Established in 2022, the Climate Innovation Fund supports local projects focused on carbon dioxide removal, enhancing landscape resilience, and restoring ecosystems. This year, the county allocated $531,950 to these initiatives. Read more about the 2024 awardees in our press release here.
• July 23, 2024 | EPA Awards $199.7 Million to Denver Metro Region to Cut Climate Pollution. This federal funding will accelerate the shift from gas to electric in buildings. Read more about the grant in the press release here.
• July 12, 2024 | Boulder County has released our 2023 Sustainability Tax Report. This report highlights work from 25+ programs funded by the Boulder County Sustainability Tax in 2023, featuring snapshots of community experiences, earned media coverage, and more. Learn more and read the full report here.
• July 11, 2024 | The 4 Corners Carbon Coalition, a group of cities and counties in the Western U.S. that includes Boulder County, has awarded $335,000 to four projects designed to combat climate change and reduce wildfire risks by sucking carbon from the air. These projects will use the latest carbon dioxide removal (CDR) approaches to transform organic waste into practical, value-added resources like biochar. Learn more in the press release here.
• July 3, 2024 | Boulder County has commissioned the Denver-based landscape architecture firm Superbloom to develop a ‘nature-based solutions’ toolkit, designed to tackle urban challenges like hotter temperatures, drought, extreme precipitation, air pollution, and increased fire risk. Learn more in the press release here.
• June 28, 2024 | The City of Boulder, Boulder County, and several local and national organizations have launched the Community Forestry Corps (CFC). Led by the PLAY Boulder Foundation, this initiative employs young people to maintain city trees and collect data on how trees impact heat and climate change. Learn more in the press release here.
• June 24, 2024 | A court in Boulder has decided that the City of Boulder and Boulder County’s lawsuit against ExxonMobil and two Suncor entities, originally filed in 2018, can continue. The court did not agree with the oil companies’ request to dismiss the case, which claims that the oil companies’ actions have greatly contributed to an altered climate. Learn more in the official press release here.
• June 3, 2024 | Boulder County Commissioner Ashley Stolzmann was appointed to the EPA’s Local Government Advisory Committee to advise on environmental issues affecting U.S. communities. Stolzmann will use her experience to contribute to important discussions on topics like disaster response, the impact of “forever chemicals”, and climate equity. Read more in the official press release here.

Our Programs

Newsroom Highlights

Visit our newsroom for an archive of press releases and media coverage of our work.

• A big idea for small farms: How to link agriculture, nutrition and public health (NPR, February 3, 2024): Boulder County invests in sustainable farming, supporting local produce purchases. This initiative benefits consumers, farmers, and the economy, creating a “triple win.”
• Fungi firefighters? A Boulder mushroom company’s solution to wildfires is quintessentially Colorado (KUNC, January 17, 2024): Boulder Mushroom explores using fungi for carbon sequestration, healthy soils, and wildfire prevention.
• Boulder County awarded millions for EV charging stations (9News, January 11, 2024): Nearly $5 million from the U.S. Department of Transportation will fund about 100 new electric vehicle charging stations, enhancing Boulder County’s green infrastructure.
• Boulder County’s new solar co-op is ‘breaking all kinds’ of records, expands membership to 500 after surpassing goals (Boulder Reporting Lab, December 8, 2023): Surpassing its membership goal, Boulder County’s solar co-op expands, allowing 500 members to join, demonstrating significant community interest.
• Five Tech Innovations That Could Help Save the Planet (Newsweek, November 15, 2023): Biochar Now, backed by Boulder County’s grant, is transforming wood waste into biochar, showcasing a leading climate tech solution.