General Information
Introduction
The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are an urgent call for action by all countries - developed and developing - in a global partnership. They recognize that ending poverty and other deprivations must go hand-in-hand with strategies that improve health and education, reduce inequality, and spur economic growth – all while tackling climate change and working to preserve our oceans and forests.
Background
SDG Timeline
SDGs in San Antonio
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 (GHG) 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 GHG emissions and safeguard our communities from climate impacts in the future.
SA Climate Ready proposes 11 different strategies to help San Antonio mitigate and adapt to the impacts of climate change. These different strategies were developed with the 17 SDGs at the forefront of the process.
SDGs in San Antonio
SDGs and SA Climate Ready
San Antonio has been a leader in sustainable cities in our country. We will stay true to this path and continue to pave the way for other cities to incorporate the 17 Sustainable Development Goals into their cities' futures.
As our city expands, we must consider the impacts of climate change and how we can support our community. It is essential that we continue to implement sustainable practices within our plans for the future. Keep updated with SA Climate Ready and other initiatives as they evolve.
In the examples below, you will see that most of our local climate action initiatives align with the SDGs. Look out for the icons above each item that is related to one or more SDG. When you hover over the icon, it will tell you which SDG is represented and when you click on them, they will take you to the SDG site where you can learn more about that specific goal.
The Office of Historic Preservation
Climate Heritage
The built environment of San Antonio bears the mark of centuries of hazard events including flash flooding, droughts, and violent storms. The Office of Historic Preservation is addressing the challenges of climate change as it impacts the cultural heritage of San Antonio. Cultural heritage anchors social memory and cohesion, informs community identity, and instills a sense of place. This is essential in sustaining inherent resilience.
The office is a part of the International Climate Heritage Network, which has allowed our city to participate in collaboration centered around the sustainable preservation of historic sites.
Current San Antonio initiatives include:
In 2018, the City of San Antonio developed a Climate Action and Adaptation Plan. The Office of Historic Preservation worked alongside an array of departments to ensure that all the components of this city initiative included the considerations of historic and cultural care.
The Office of Historic Preservation
Climate Heritage Action
Climate Heritage suggests that the effects of climate change will disproportionately effect San Antonio's most vulnerable community members and encourages the City to address this disparity through utilizing an equity screening tool.
One example of how San Antonio is maintaining cultural heritage in its actions to address climate change is through the deconstruction and salvage program San Antonio Reuse. Through this initiative, San Antonio encourages the reuse of wood that was previously used in older construction for new projects and supports the transition to a local circular economy.
Climate Heritage Action taken by the Office of Historic preservation supports Sustainable Development Goals
- SDG 4 - Quality Education
- SDG 8 - Decent Work and Economic Growth
- SDG 9 - Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure
- SDG 10 - Reduced Inequalities
- SDG 11 - Sustainable Cities and Communities
- SDG 12 - Responsible Consumption and Production
- SDG 17 - Partnerships for the Goals
World Heritage Office
Creative City of Gastronomy
In 2017, San Antonio was designated as a Creative City of Gastronomy by the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), becoming the 2nd city in the United States to receive this designation. The UNESCO Creative Cities Network identifies cities that have used creativity as a strategic factor in sustainable urban development.
Check out the UNESCO Creative Cities Map to learn more about the network.
The city of San Antonio's City of Gastronomy works towards the following 7 SDG's
- SDG 2 - Zero Hunger
- SDG 4 - Quality Education
- SDG 5 - Gender Equality
- SDG 8 - Clean Water and Sanitation
- SDG 10 - Reduced Inequalities
- SDG 11 - Sustainable Cities and Communities
- SDG 12 - Responsible Consumption and Production
World Heritage Office
What Makes SA a City of Gastronomy
The celebration of our local culinary heritage and culture, but also how we sustain, share, and blend it with new influences. Staying true to our roots, yet open to innovation, San Antonio’s gastronomy is a multi-layered confluence of cultures that is continuously evolving.