Latest news with #ClimateEquityPlan
Yahoo
04-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Austin one of 20 finalists for environmental sustainability innovation award
AUSTIN (KXAN) — Austin was named as a finalist for an award that recognizes innovative efforts to strengthen environmental sustainability through community engagement. The city of Austin was one of 20 finalists for the 2025 National Civic League's All-America City Award. According to the city, its Climate Equity Plan, which included contributions from more than 200 community members and organizations, contributed to the nomination. The city said the plan included: Achieving net-zero community-wide greenhouse gas emissions by 2040 Achieving 90% waste diversion by 2040 Reducing single-occupancy vehicle dependency with plans for a new light rail Expanding Austin Energy's clean energy portfolio Ensuring Austin's water needs are protected amid increasing climate pressures through Austin Water's 100-year plan 'This decade of bold action and innovation demonstrates Austin's dedication to environmental sustainability, resilience, and equity — core values driving our vision for a thriving, inclusive community,' said Austin City Manager T.C. Broadnax. 'As highlighted in our Community Participation framework, Austin's greatest asset is its people: passionate about our city, committed to its improvement, and determined to see this vision become a reality.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
31-03-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
Austin isn't fully prepared for extreme heat, city report says
AUSTIN (KXAN) — Heat is responsible for more deaths than any other form of extreme weather, but the city of Austin isn't fully prepared to combat it. The information was revealed after a new report was published by the city of Austin's Office of the City Auditor. While the city was found to have made 'significant efforts to build heat resilience,' lack of clear funding and coordination between city departments is holding the city back. These issues are directly impacting much of the city's unhoused population. Between 2018 and 2023, nearly two dozen people experiencing homelessness died as a result of heat exposure, according to Homeless Strategy Officer David Gray. On Thursday, March 27, the city announced a new effort to find solutions for heat. The city's Office of Climate Action and Resilience and Homeless Strategy Office were awarded a $70,000 grant by C40 Cities. The funds will be used for two projects. 'We're working really closely with an organization called Urban Alchemy. They help community members in downtown and in the area experiencing homelessness, and what we want to do is work with them to, one, try out some kind of intervention, like a misting tent or bottled water or something, and then ask people, like, is it working? What's not working?' said Marc Coudert with the Office of Climate Action and Resilience. The second part of the project includes surveying people experiencing homelessness to determine their needs and what they think works. 'Then on our side, we're working closely with Austin Public Health, Homeless Strategy Office and other departments, who can sort of use that information to better make decisions around heat mitigation and heat safety,' Coudert said. While these funds could help mitigate some of the issues the city is facing, they're just a drop in the bucket. One example given in the city auditor's report focused on an inventory of the city's trees. Tree canopies can help reduce heat and the phenomenon known as the Urban Heat Island effect. In 2024, the city council noted a need for this inventory. City staff determined that inventory would cost around $10 million. Those funds have not yet been provided, according to the report. The report uses a tool developed by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to determine a city's readiness. Cities are rated from levels one to five. Austin was ranked between a level three and a level four on the scale. This means the city has 'guidance or regulations' in place to improve a city's infrastructure and plans in place to expand natural resources. The city has several plans in place, including a Heat Resilience Playbook and the Climate Equity Plan, however, the report found these plans lack concrete steps for implementation or measurable targets. Without these, the report said, 'the City may not be able to effectively monitor or evaluate its extreme heat resilience-related efforts.' The report found some funds exist for programs, but funding isn't always directly tied to heat resilience efforts. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
