In 2023, the City of Austin received a $1 million Climate Pollution Reduction Grant (CPRG) from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The City of Austin’s Office of Sustainability is using these funds to collaborate with regional governmental agencies and community organizations to create Central Texas’ first multi-agency Comprehensive Climate Action Plan. This plan will lay a path for how we work together to reduce pollution that can cause climate change and poor air quality in the greater Austin and Central Texas region.
To help inform our plan, we want to hear from people across our region about ways that we can take bold climate action together.
Learn more about the project and take our survey to share more about your priorities for supporting a healthier climate and community in Central Texas.
This plan will cover the Austin-Round Rock-Georgetown Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA), which includes Bastrop, Caldwell, Hays, Travis, and Williamson counties. Our region is home to 2.4 million people, who represent a thriving and diverse Central Texas culture. We want to make sure our plan reflects the beautiful diversity that makes this region so special.
The Austin-Round Rock-Georgetown region has been growing for years — in population, buildings, businesses, neighborhoods, restaurants, community groups, and more. While growth can be positive, it strains our resources. We use more electricity, burn more gas, and ship more materials than ever before. These activities increase greenhouse gas emissions that worsen air quality and contribute to climate change.
Climate change has not spared Central Texas, and communities that are marginalized through racial, economic, and other forms of discrimination are impacted the most. Climate change has made weather patterns more extreme and less predictable. In Central Texas, we’ve seen more frequent and intense droughts, as well as heavier rain and floods. We’ve also seen more winter storms and longer seasons of heat. These extreme weather events have ripple effects throughout our lives, economy, and environment. They can cause power outages, boil water notices, and unsafe air quality. They disrupt schools, businesses, and roads. As the saying goes "Everything is bigger in Texas." That includes concern for communities and our environment. We hope you’ll join us in Texas-sizing our actions to address climate change, improve air quality, and preserve a high quality of life in Central Texas for generations to come.
