SA Climate Ready

SA Climate Ready is a climate action and resilience plan that lays a roadmap for protecting everything we love about San Antonio. It provides an honest assessment of our current greenhouse gas projections and highlights the places where our city is most vulnerable to impacts like drought, heatwaves, and displacement. It also outlines some high-impact strategies the city could take to reduce our greenhouse gas emissions and safeguard our communities from climate impacts in the future.

Why Should We Adapt?

Preparing for a Changing World

As an inland city, San Antonio will not experience one of the most visible climate change impacts: sea level rise. However, that doesn’t mean that the city is immune to climate change. By the end of this century, we expect San Antonio to be hotter and drier, facing challenges such as water shortages, spiking energy costs, and increased risk for wildfires.

To manage these challenges, it is essential that we have a plan in place that both acknowledges our existing vulnerabilities and identifies high-impact opportunities for improving our resilience.

This chart shows some of the changes we expect to see by the end of the century, depending on how effectively we fight to protect our climate.

How Can We Mitigate our Effect on Climate?

Sample GHG Reduction Strategies

Energy use in buildings accounts for a growing section of our overall emissions. One strategy for reducing this impact would be energy benchmarking; the process of regularly measuring a building's energy use, tracking its performance over time, and comparing its performance to that of similar buildings. Benchmarking data helps owners and tenants understand their building's relative energy and water performance, also helping to identify opportunities for the reduction or elimination of energy and water waste, potentially saving money and improving health and comfort. Other strategies include funding energy-efficient retrofits in older homes and historic buildings, promoting low-impact development, and developing "Net Zero Energy" (NZE) guidelines for new construction.

In total, SA Climate Ready contains 11 different approaches for reducing building energy consumption.

To learn more about the ongoing initiatives, please visit our energy projects overview.

American Cities Climate Challenge

As one of 25 cities participating in the American Cities Climate Challenge (ACCC), San Antonio’s Office of Sustainability has received support and technical guidance from Bloomberg Philanthropies to assist with the implementation of strategies from the Climate Action & Adaptation Plan, SA Climate Ready Plan. The Office of Sustainability has also had the opportunity to work with two Climate Advisors focused on buildings and energy and transportation greenhouse gas mitigation initiatives, which will be extended through June 2022. Climate Advisors are employees of Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) and not the City of San Antonio.

SA Climate Ready Actions

The actions of SA Climate Ready span both climate change mitigation (reducing our emissions) as well as climate change adaptation (adjusting to the changes we're seeing). The table below summarizes those actions with blue representing mitigation initiatives and green representing adaptation initiatives. All initiatives are numbered as they appear in SA Climate Ready: A Pathway for Climate Action & Adaptation. Initiatives marked with an 'M' target specific aspects of the municipal government, while the others apply to the broader San Antonio community.

Increase Carbon-Free Energy

Any time we plug in a device or vehicle our energy use produces greenhouse gases through the consumption of electricity generated by fossil fuels. Meeting our target of carbon neutrality by 2050 will require great shifts to renewable power including wind and solar.

Action	Description	Timeline
1	REDUCE THE CARBON INTENSITY OF SAN ANTONIO’S ENERGY SUPPLY Work with CPS Energy on the implementation of their “Flexible Path” to drive towards carbon neutrality by 2050.	Near Term
2	SUPPORT AND INCENTIVIZE DISTRICT-SCALE CLEAN ENERGY PROJECTS Support and incentivize district-scale clean energy projects that harness renewable and waste energy at large scales.	Long Term
3	FUEL SWITCHING As evolving technologies becomes increasingly economical and efficient, promote and incentivize the use of cleaner fuel sources for existing buildings, including industrial process applications.	Long Term

Reduce Building Energy Consumption

Transforming our energy system is a tall order, especially when considering the amount of energy that is wasted through outdated systems. Meeting targets for energy transformation becomes easier through improved energy efficiency, cooperation, and innovation.

Action	Description	Timeline
4	COMMERCIAL AND MULTIFAMILY BENCHMARKING AND DISCLOSURE ORDINANCE Through a diverse stakeholder process, consider a benchmarking and disclosure ordinance for large commercial, industrial, and multifamily buildings (above 50,000 sq. ft.). The initial phase should include a voluntary pilot or accelerator program for leading property owners.	Near Term
5	COMMERCIAL AND RESIDENTIAL ENERGY AND WATER RATING SYSTEM Thorough a diverse stakeholder process that includes owners, builders, renters, and potential buyers and to inform consumer decision-making, develop and pilot an energy and water rating system for commercial and residential properties.	Long Term
6	ZERO NET ENERGY BUILDING CODE Continue San Antonio’s leadership in building codes by continually adopting the most recent update to the IECC code, with the goal of adopting a Zero Net Energy (ZNE) code for all new buildings and substantial rehabilitations, taking into consideration technical and economic feasibility.	Long Term
7	ENERGY EFFICIENCY PROGRAMS Continue to support and expand the energy efficiency and green building programs functioning within the City, such as the CPS Energy STEP program.	Near Term
8	REDUCE WATER CONSUMPTION Work with residents, businesses, developers, utilities, and institutions on efforts to continue reduction of San Antonio’s total per capita water consumption in alignment with the SAWS Water Management Plan.	Long Term
M1	BENCHMARKING AND PUBLIC DISCLOSURE OF BUILDING ENERGY CONSUMPTION Benchmark and publicly disclose building energy and water use for municipal buildings.	Near Term
M2	MUNICIPAL ENERGY POLICY To reduce energy consumption, adopt an Energy Policy Ordinance for City-owned buildings and facilities.	Near Term
M3	ZERO NET ENERGY (ZNE) BUILDINGS Achieve ZNE for all municipal buildings by 2040.	Long Term
M4	COOL/GREEN ROOFS Install cool or green roofs on municipal government buildings, as appropriate.	Long Term

Reduce Transportation Energy Consumption

Reducing the amount of energy used in our current transportation system is crucial to meeting our goals. We aim to achieve a more efficient and agile system through meaningful and measurable initiatives that consider the various lifestyles and needs of the residents of San Antonio.

Action	Description	Timeline
9	CLEANER AND MORE EFFICIENT VEHICLE TECHNOLOGIES Encourage the accelerated adoption of and transition to clean and more efficient vehicle technologies for personal vehicles, trucks, transit, and freight.	Near Term
10	VEHICLE MILES TRAVELED (VMT) Reduce vehicle miles traveled per person throughout the City, prioritizing the reduction of VMT in single-occupancy vehicles by diversifying transportation choices.	Near Term
11	CONNECTIVITY / WALKABILITY Accelerate connectivity and walkability by prioritizing the funding and construction of infrastructure for micro-mobility modes such as walking, biking, and other human-powered transportation with an emphasis on the protection of vulnerable road users.	Long Term
12	SUSTAINABLE LAND PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT Support and incentivize the development and redevelopment of more compact, connected, cost-effective, and resilient neighborhoods and districts.	Long Term
13	MOBILITY AS A SERVICE Utilize smart city and big data solutions to promote mobility as a service to reduce the GHG impact of transportation solutions.	Long Term
M5	STREETLIGHT CONVERSION Convert all streetlights to LEDs with daylight sensors by 2021 and implement the recommendations of the Urban Lighting Master Plan.	Near Term
M6	CLEANER AND MORE EFFICIENT VEHICLE TECHNOLOGIES Convert all fleet passenger vehicles and small trucks to more efficient options by 2025, with a priority on electrification based on recommendations of the Electric Fleet Conversion and Infrastructure Study (currently in development). Additionally, research and pilot the electrification of heavy trucks.	Near Term
M7	TRANSPORTATION DEMAND MANAGEMENT Reduce the GHG impact of employee commuting.	Near Term
M8	AIRPORT ACCREDITATION Consider pursuing and achieving Airport Carbon Accreditation.	Long Term

Advance the Circular Economy

A circular economy is one that follows the cradle-to-cradle model rather than the traditional cradle-to grave model, focusing on recycling and reusing byproducts to reduce or eliminate waste. This way of doing business has the potential to build new local industries while reducing our impact on the planet.

Action	Description	Timeline
14	COMMERCIAL WASTE REDUCTION Building on the City of San Antonio Solid Waste Management Department’s ReWorksSA Program, continue to reduce landfilled commercial waste.	Long Term
15	RESIDENTIAL WASTE REDUCTION Continue to reduce landfilled residential waste with the goal of becoming a zero-waste community.	Near Term
16	ORGANICS DIVERSION Accelerate the diversion of organics from landfills to the highest and best use opportunities and ensure low-carbon composting solutions.	Near Term
17	MATERIAL REUSE AND CIRCULARITY Support the development of a local circular economy to extend product lifespan through improved design and servicing and relocating waste from the end of the supply chain to the beginning.	Long Term
18	REDUCED-LANDFILL CONSTRUCTION Building on CoSA’s Deconstruction Pilot Program,41 accelerate the acceptance of low-waste construction projects through education, incentives and partnerships, and continue to pursue zero-landfill waste practices for all construction projects.	Long Term
M9	PRIORITIZATION IN DECISION-MAKING To encourage ongoing education and decision-making around GHG reduction, include a carbon impact analysis in City projects and budgeting processes as well as consideration of City investments.	Near Term
M10	ENVIRONMENTALLY-PREFERABLE PURCHASING Update the City’s green purchasing policy to consider the lifecycle impacts when choosing products.	Long Term
M11	GREEN SPECIFICATIONS Reduce the GHG impact of materials specified in public works and roadway projects.	Near Term
M12	ZERO WASTE Strive to achieve zero waste for all municipal government operations by 2030 with a focus on overall reduction, product reuse, and circularity.	Long Term

Promote Biodiversity and Healthy Ecosystems

Our community relies on biodiversity and various ecosystem services to reduce the impact of urban heat island, to capture stormwater, and to sequester carbon. These ecosystems rely on healthy populations of diverse plants and animals. By protecting them, we protect ourselves.

Action	Description	Timeline
19	CARBON CAPTURE AND STORAGE Develop and implement a plan for carbon capture and storage that takes advantage of all available solutions including increasing plant material, restoring the soil landscape, increasing the use of Green Infrastructure, including increasing the tree canopy, enhancing wetlands, and implementing technological solutions that also support biodiversity and the regeneration of native species and ecosystems.	Long Term
20	URBAN HEAT ISLAND Analyze and quantify the urban heat island (UHI) in San Antonio and develop an implementable and impactful UHI mitigation and adaptation plan with a focus on vulnerable populations and ecosystems.	Near Term
21	ECOLOGICAL PLANNING AND CLIMATE-SENSITIVE DESIGN Integrate climate mitigation and adaptation into existing land development review and permitting processes with a goal of maximizing the benefits of natural geographic and watershed features.	Near Term

Educate and Empower

SA Climate Ready includes opportunities for everyone to get involved. Through education we can empower individuals to act in meaningful ways, helping support the initiatives that matter most to them.

Action	Description	Timeline
22	GHG EDUCATION AND TRAINING Work with partner organizations to develop and implement comprehensive sustainability and GHG education and workforce training programs.	Long Term
23	SA TOMORROW PLANS Fund, track, and achieve the goals of the SA Tomorrow Sustainability, Comprehensive, and Multi-Modal Transportation Plans, specifically the portions of those plans offering significant mitigation and adaptation opportunities.	Near Term
24	BUSINESS INCENTIVES Incentivize business that operate within the City of San Antonio to set GHG reduction targets for their own operations that match or exceed the City targets.	Near Term
25	ELECTRIC AND WATER RATE STRUCTURES Evaluate the potential to update electricity and water rate structures to support GHG reductions.	Long Term
26	GHG REDUCTION QUANTIFICATION Complete a comprehensive scope 3 or consumption-based assessment for San Antonio’s community sector.	Near Term
27	DEVELOP AND IMPLEMENT A FRAMEWORK FOR REGIONAL COLLABORATION Work with Bexar County, suburban cities, and regional partner organizations to expand CAAP efforts through a Regional Climate Council.	Long Term
28	FINANCING ENERGY EFFICIENCY Explore financing mechanisms to accelerate adoption of energy efficiency, demand response, distributed renewable generation, and energy storage.	Long Term
M13	GHG EDUCATION Develop and implement a comprehensive sustainability and GHG education program for municipal employees.	Near Term

Increase Infrastructure Resilience

Our community relies on various types of infrastructure. We anticipate many likely threats that will come from climate change but we can take action now to protect San Antonio.

Action	Description	Timeline
1	UTILITY PREPAREDNESS FOR CLIMATE IMPACTS Ensure processes are in place to regularly assess the impacts of climate change on water and energy utilities.	Near Term
2	RISK ASSESSMENT OF CRITICAL INFRASTRUCTURE Work with responsible parties to ensure that they identify and undertake critical infrastructure (transportation, building, IT and telecoms, utilities sectors) risk assessments once updated floodplains are available and incorporate additional future climate projections related to temperature and precipitation.	Long Term
3	HEAT RISK ASSESSMENT Undertake risk assessment for managing the impacts of extreme heat with a focus on low-income, public housing, and City-subsidized residential buildings and identify opportunities to implement UHI reduction measures (as outlined in mitigation strategies) with a focus on vulnerable populations.	Near Term
4	FLOOD-PROOF ROADWAYS Once FEMA floodplains are updated using Atlas 1454 rainfall intensity values, undertake a prioritized assessment of flood resilience options for all low-lying roadways.	Near Term
5	PROTECT TRANSIT RIDERS Work with VIA to assess public transportation routes, stops, and associated infrastructure and identify potential shelter improvements to prepare for extreme weather events.	Near Term
6	BUILDING RETROFITS FOR VULNERABLE POPULATIONS Prioritize retrofit program assistance for vulnerable populations according to risk level and building type once updated floodplains are available and consider future extreme precipitation levels. Atlas 14 rainfall intensity values were codified in April 2019. FEMA floodplains will be updated between 2020 and 2023.	Near Term
7	CLIMATE RISK IN DEVELOPMENT REVIEW PROCESS Develop and pilot a questionnaire in the building development review process to assess how climate change could impact new development and major renovations and provide support to developers to design their buildings to be resilient to climate impacts (SA Tomorrow, GB12).	Near Term
8	FEMA COMMUNITY RATING SYSTEM Join FEMA’s Community Rating System (CRS) program (SA Tomorrow, GB13).	Near Term
9	HEALTHY BY DESIGN Develop a “Healthy by Design” program for all new affordable housing projects (SA Tomorrow, PH8) to incorporate resilient design principles.	Long Term
10	FLOOD-PROOF CRITICAL INFRASTRUCTURE Work with responsible parties to identify and undertake prioritized retrofit programs for critical infrastructure (transportation, building, IT and telecoms, utilities sectors) to ensure resilience to flood impacts over the lifetime of the asset, once updated floodplains are available and also incorporating future climate projections. Atlas 14 rainfall intensity values were codified in April 2019. FEMA floodplains will be updated between 2020 and 2023.	Long Term
11	RESILIENCE IN BUILDING CODES AND PROGRAMS Assess opportunities to integrate resilience measures (e.g. water and temperature regulation, resilient landscaping measures within Low Impact Development, Build SA Green, Under 1 Roof programs) into building codes, existing building programs and checklists to reduce impacts from projected climate change over the lifetime of developments.	Long Term
12	PRODUCE A CLIMATE HERITAGE STRATEGIC PLAN Develop guidelines for determining the appropriate management of cultural sites and objects around climate change adaptation including: building an inventory of resources, developing methods for building adaptive capacity, providing input on climate policies affecting tangible and intangible heritage resources, and joining the Climate Heritage Network.	Near Term

Strengthen Public Health Systems

Access to quality healthcare and a healthy environment is important for the long-term success of any community. A healthy population is much more resistant to adverse climate conditions or emergencies.

Action	Description	Timeline
13	MONITOR AND TRACK PUBLIC HEALTH Track admissions and health cases related to weather events within the newly created SA Metro Health Informatics Unit.	Near Term
14	INCORPORATE CLIMATE CHANGE INTO HEAT RESPONSE PLAN Assess and revise Heat Response Plan to account for future climate projections.	Near Term
15	PUBLIC DRINKING FOUNTAINS Assess need to install additional public water fountains in areas of high vulnerability as identified by the CDC Social Vulnerability Index.	Near Term
16	MOBILE HEALTH CLINICS Expand and enhance mobile health clinics with a focus on underserved areas of the community (SA Tomorrow, PH1).	Near Term
17	INTEGRATE CLIMATE RESILIENCE INTO PUBLIC HEALTH PRACTICES Actively participate in regional, national, and international public health peer groups and research networks (e.g. NACCHO Global Climate Change Workgroup) to continue identifying opportunities to integrate climate change considerations and best practices into local public health systems.	Near Term

Enhance Emergency Management and Community Preparedness

Community resilience relies on individuals knowing how to and being able to organize and act as hazards arise. To be successful in our efforts, we must strengthen our communication and emergency management systems to ensure that they evolve with the changing nature of the hazards we face.

Action	Description	Timeline
18	EARLY WARNING SYSTEMS Assess and improve Early Warning System (EWS) communications to vulnerable groups around impacted routes and transportation modes.	Near Term
19	FLOOD AWARENESS ON ROADWAYS Evaluate the effectiveness of increased barriers and signage (electronic and physical) ahead of affected routes and transportation modes with deviation instructions.	Near Term
20	COMMUNITY WILDFIRE PROTECTION PLAN Conduct a resource gap assessment and identify and pursue new partnership opportunities and funding sources to implement the priority recommendations included in the San Antonio Community Wildfire Protection Plan.	Long Term
21	DAMAGE COST ASSESSMENT PROTOCOLS Set up processes to systematically assess and document costs of extreme events across departments & partner agencies.	Near Term
22	ASSESS EMERGENCY SHELTER POLICIES Evaluate shelter policies & resources in light of future climate impacts to include provision of indoor shelter during periods of elevated nighttime temperatures (>80°F); expand cooling center open times (weekends, warm nights) and consider additional locations and potential impacts from extreme precipitation. Assess opportunities to integrate back-up renewable and battery technology. Identify priority locations to pilot Resilience Hubs.	Near Term
23	EMERGENCY PLANNING FOR VULNERABLE GROUPS Review Emergency Planning procedures to ensure appropriate responses for vulnerable populations.	Near Term
24	EMERGENCY PLANNING FOR CLIMATE-RELATED EVACUEES AND DISPLACED POPULATIONS Periodically review the City’s ability to provide for the needs of coastal hurricane evacuees and other populations displaced by extreme weather and climate events.	Near Term
25	COMPLETE REGULAR UPDATES TO VULNERABILITY AND RISK ASSESSMENT Regularly update the Vulnerability and Risk Assessment, especially when new data or evidence of climate impacts to San Antonio become available or if climate impacts become more severe.	Long Term
26	INCREASE CAPACITY ON ALTERNATE TRANSPORTATION ROUTES Utilize emerging technologies to improve flow and increase transportation capacity on alternative routes (and modes, where relevant) to absorb uptake during floods and other extreme weather events.	Long Term
27	WILDFIRE MITIGATION Establish and maintain fire breaks, forest tracks, water supply points, and other blue infrastructure networks.	Long Term
28	WILDFIRE SIMULATION AND SURVEILLANCE TOOLS Consider using fire simulator tools and review surveillance mechanisms (watch towers, cameras).	Long Term
29	ADDRESS NEIGHBORHOOD INGRESS/EGRESS ROUTES Increase road network access points in fire and flood-prone sites.	Long Term
30	WASTE AND DEBRIS SURVEILLANCE AND RESPONSE Review waste surveillance and mitigation protocols in light of more frequent extreme weather events (frequency of surveillance, waste collection, problem site identification with partner agencies).	Long Term

Promote, Restore, and Protect Green Infrastrucutre and Ecosystems

Trees and greenery are important catalysts in reducing the impacts of urban heat islands but they also provide the essential service of carbon sequestration. Healthy aquatic ecosystems provide clean water and help in managing extreme inflows and outflows from our rivers, lakes, and aquifers. Incorporating green and blue infrastructure wherever and whenever possible reduces our need to adapt to the changing climate.

Action	Description	Timeline
31	CREATE AN INTEGRATED GREEN AND BLUE INFRASTRUCTURE PLAN Assess opportunities for creating connected networks to manage water and regulate temperature through ecosystem-based adaptation measures. This could include connecting existing park and open space networks and adjacent areas to provide cooling corridors and stormwater management benefits.	Long Term
32	TREE CANOPY PROGRAMS Incentivize, expand, and fund tree planting/replacement programs to promote more drought and wildfire-resistant native species, prioritizing the most effective locations for the plantings, and further develop Best Management Practices (BMPs). Consideration should be given to avoid potential disruption to critical infrastructure, such as overhead power lines.	Long Term
33	ACCELERATE PROTECTION OF SENSITIVE SPECIES Assess options for active conservation (nurseries, seed banks), habitat restoration and regeneration or relocation of near-endangered species.	Long Term

Protect Local Food Security

Supporting diversified food production, including urban agriculture, and community and home gardens, will reduce the volume of food the city must import. Localized food production increases and secures our access to food and reduces the environmental impact of transporting foodstuffs from long distances.

Action	Description	Timeline
34	LOCAL CROP DIVERSIFICATION Work with agriculture experts to identify and test more drought- and pest-resistant crop options for local food production in San Antonio and support wildlife that provides ecosystem services that enhance agriculture production.	Long Term
35	STATE OF THE FOOD SYSTEM Fund and hire a Food Policy Coordinator to develop a State of the Food System Report to understand extent to which food supply chain is resilient (SA Tomorrow, FS5, FS6).	Long Term
36	PURSUE URBAN AGRICULTURE OPPORTUNITIES Assess pilot urban agriculture projects, such as Mission San Juan Capistrano, for potential duplication on other properties and incentivize and provide resources to facilitate urban agricultural uses on vacant or underutilized land, including City-owned and other public land (SA Tomorrow, FS8).	Long Term
37	URBAN AGRICULTURE TRAINING PROGRAM Develop an urban agriculture training program to train new urban farmers in climate-resilient agriculture and business practices (including low-carbon food production and processing) (SA Tomorrow, FS9).	Long Term
38	CONTROLLED-ENVIRONMENT AGRICULTURE Consider opportunities for controlled-environment agriculture (hydroponics, aquaculture, etc.) to increase local production of food that is less energy and water intensive and protected from climate extremes.	Long Term
39	INCENTIVIZE LOCAL FOOD PRODUCTION Increase local food production through various incentive programs, e.g. through provision of rebates for the purchasing of equipment to enable precision farming/machine harvesting resilient to extreme weather conditions, rebates for residential chicken keeping, etc.	Long Term
40	SUPPORT AND ENHANCE COMMUNITY GARDEN NETWORK Provide resources to ensure the viability of neighborhood-based gardens that contribute to local food production and beneficial pollinator habitat.	Long Term

Increase Resilience Awareness and Outreach

Climate change has the potential to affect everyone, ensuring that we take the time to educate ourselves and others on the impacts of hotter summers and more extreme precipitation will ensure that we are all prepared for adverse weather events and emergencies.

Action	Description	Timeline	Status	Co Benefits
41	BUSINESS RESILIENCY ASSESSMENT Engage with the local business community to determine how to best undertake a vulnerability assessment (in a confidential, anonymous manner) to consider wide-ranging impacts of a changing climate to business continuity, economic growth, and unintended consequences.	Near Term
42	CLIMATE RESILIENCE EDUCATION AND OUTREACH Initiate a climate education campaign for businesses and property owners, including details about how to make built and natural infrastructure more resilient to existing and projected changes in climate (SA Tomorrow, GB11) for residents and businesses. Highlight successful projects through resiliency tours.	Long Term

Ensure Equity in Adaptation

Preventing displacement, prioritizing vulnerable residents, acknowledging and understanding different perspectives and impacts, and an equitable distribution of resources are all key components of SA Climate Ready.

Action	Description	Timeline
43	EQUITY ASSESSMENT OF SUSTAINABILITY PROGRAMS Work with the Office of Equity to ensure existing and future sustainability programs and initiatives prioritize vulnerable populations and equitable outcomes.	Near Term
44	PRIORITIZATION OF VULNERABLE RESIDENTS Work with partners to identify vulnerable individuals and groups, e.g. homebound individuals, disabled, elderly, etc. to prioritize adaptation actions.	Near Term
45	ANTI-DISPLACEMENT MEASURES Develop measures to prevent displacement to ensure vulnerable groups, small businesses, and existing residents can stay in their homes / districts and benefit from resilience measures. Examples may include developing programs and policies to ensure low-income residents have clear title to their homes to allow for rebuilding as a result of weather-related damage or identifying energy-burdened households and providing resources to improve energy efficiency and increase thermal health.	Long Term

quote: “Equity means that our policy-making, service delivery, and distribution of resources account for the different histories, challenges, and needs of the people we serve. Equity differs from equality, which treats everyone the same despite disparate outcomes.” -City of San Antonio, Equity Office, 2017

Implementing Climate Equity

How Can this Plan Work for Everyone?

Due to different histories and challenges in the City of San Antonio, not all community members are contributing equally to climate change and not all community members have the same resources or capabilities to protect themselves from its negative effects. A climate equity framework prioritizes the communities burdened the most by climate change, those that contribute the least to climate change, and those most socially vulnerable to climate change.

Climate equity ensures that these communities play a central role in the just transformation of the systems that have established, and continue to perpetuate, the unequal burden of climate impacts. This means that intentional policies and projects to mitigate or adapt to climate change must:

Actively seek, include, and prioritize direction from these communities.
Prioritize benefits to these communities.
Reduce existing burdens and bar additional burdens to these communities.

Learn more about the Racial Equity Indicators Report, Equity Matrix and other tools developed by the Office of Equity used to develop SA Climate Ready.

How was this Plan Developed?

Our Community Engagement

SA Climate Ready was developed in close collaboration with residents and key stakeholders. In addition to interviews, we distributed four different surveys on topics related to the development of this plan. A total of 6,557 surveys were completed, allowing us to understand the public's key concerns regarding climate change and identifying priority strategies and policies .

SA Climate Ready Action & Adaptation Plan

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