Support a Climate Action Plan for San Antonio

San Antonio Mayor, City Council and Office of Sustainability

Climate change is accelerating and poses an imminent threat to our communities. Without federal and state leadership to address this pressing problem, the role of cities is now more important than ever. Cities account for 70% of all greenhouse gas emissions and have the ability to make meaningful reductions and act as laboratories for change. Cities with established greenhouse reduction goals are three times more likely to make emissions reductions, which is why we're asking the city of San Antonio to develop a climate action plan.

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To: San Antonio Mayor, City Council and Office of Sustainability
From: [Your Name]

Climate change is a serious problem for all San Antonians. Flooding, drought, and extreme heat are making life in San Antonio more difficult and more expensive for everyone, especially those on fixed and low incomes. What’s more, pollution from fossil fuels is disproportionately impacting people of color, our children with asthma and seniors suffering from respiratory illnesses. To begin addressing this problem, I call on the City of San Antonio to allocate adequate funding to develop a Climate Action Plan that sets clear goals for reducing citywide greenhouse gas emissions in every sector and establishes specific action items that will make meeting those goals possible.

Meaningful public participation should drive the development of the plan, and goals should be set based on the scientific consensus on climate change. Co-benefits — such as reduced local air pollution — should be identified in the plan. Climate change is a global problem, but cities — especially large cities like San Antonio — must be a significant part of the solution.