SAN ANTONIO – The Austin-San Antonio corridor was selected as the newest hub for a two-year climate accelerator program aimed at strengthening the region’s ability to safeguard communities and economies from climate-related threats.
C2ES, a nonpartisan nonprofit organization working to secure a stable climate through resilience and net-zero emissions, helms the Climate Resilient Communities Accelerator program.
The program was last introduced in Colorado’s North Front Range and Washington’s South-Central Puget Sound.
The announcement comes as Texas reels from a series of extreme weather events, such as deadly July 4 flooding and prolonged heat.
“We are the fastest growing region in the United States and live in the state with one of the highest number of federally declared disasters per year,” said Laura Patiño, Chief Resilience Officer at the City of San Antonio. “Yet, there is a strong culture for collaboration that can be leveraged to ensure we are improving quality of life for residents in the region for years to come.”
Under the program, the accelerator would create an environment for stakeholders in the region to share data and resources, and propose solutions to protect residents and critical infrastructure, according to a news release discussing the announcement.
“For San Antonio, this means not only sharing what has been undertaken to date, but also an opportunity to learn (from) other partners in our region while identifying tangible actions that allow us to collectively better prepare for the challenges of the future,” Patiño said.
Patiño identified flash flooding — along with extreme heat and drought — as one of the city’s highest climate-related risks. The threats, she said, are outlined in the city’s Hazard Mitigation Plan.
The accelerator could help to address alternative mitigation or adaptation approaches based on feedback from stakeholder groups in the program, Patiño said.
As part of the program, workshops will be held with local leaders and cross-sector partners to develop a regional roadmap that identifies climate hazards.
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