What you need to know
The Austin-San Antonio region is the site of the next hub for the Climate Resilient Communities Accelerator, a national initiative focused on engaging local governments, businesses, nonprofits, academics and communities to identify potential solutions to climate challenges.
The details
The accelerator will provide a "structured environment", per a September news release from the City of Austin and Travis County Emergency Services District No. 2., also known as the Pflugerville Fire Department, where participating organizations can share data as well as align existing resources and efforts already in play to come up with innovative solutions.
“As fire chief in one of the fastest-growing regions in Texas, I’ve seen firsthand how extreme weather—including wildfires, flooding and winter storms—can threaten lives, damage infrastructure and disrupt the very fabric of our communities,” Nick Perkins, fire chief of Travis County ESD No. 2, said in the release. “The Climate Resilient Communities Accelerator is the kind of bold, collaborative effort we need to prepare for tomorrow while protecting today. I’m proud to support this initiative and committed to working with our partners to strengthen resilience across Central Texas.”
Why now?
In recent years, Central Texas has experienced increasing instances of extreme weather, such as winter storms in 2021 and 2023; a 2022 tornado in Round Rock; wildfires throughout the region; extreme heat; and flooding along the Guadalupe and San Gabriel Rivers in July.
These are the most common climate hazards in the area, said Zach Baumer, director of the City of Austin’s Office of Climate Action and Resilience.
“As our region continues to grow rapidly, these climate hazards affect our surrounding counties as well," Baumer said. "A collective, holistic approach is needed to protect both our quality of life and vibrant ecosystems that make this region unique.”
What's next?
Over the next two years, the accelerator will convene a series of workshops to facilitate the creation of a regional roadmap to address climate-related hazards.
