FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

September 30, 2025

Austin–San Antonio Region Selected for the Climate Resilient Communities Accelerator 

National initiative expands to Texas amid growing extreme weather events 

WASHINGTON—The Center for Climate and Energy Solutions (C2ES) today announced that the Austin–San Antonio region has been selected as its next hub for the Climate Resilient Communities Accelerator (Accelerator). The Accelerator, already making an impact in Colorado’s North Front Range and Washington’s South-Central Puget Sound, is a two-year regionally focused initiative that brings together local and Tribal governments, businesses, nonprofits, academics, and community leaders to safeguard communities and strengthen economic stability in the face of climate threats. 

This announcement comes as Texas continues to experience an increase in extreme weather events—from winter storms to record-breaking heat waves and devastating flash flooding. The Accelerator aims to create a structured environment where regional stakeholders can share data, align existing efforts and resources, and design innovative solutions that protect residents and safeguard critical infrastructure. The program’s track record in other regions has shown that bringing all voices to the table—from city planners to business owners and neighborhood advocates— leads to solutions that are both practical and inclusive.  

“We are the fastest growing region in the United States and live in the state with one of the highest number of federally declared disasters per year,” said Laura Patiño, Chief Resilience Officer at the City of San Antonio. “Yet, there is a strong culture for collaboration that can be leveraged to ensure we are improving quality of life for residents in the region for years to come.” 

 “The most common hazards experienced in the Austin and San Antonio area include extreme heat, wildfire, drought, flooding, and severe winter storms. These interconnected hazards impact our cities while placing the greatest strain on vulnerable residents and communities,” 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. A collective, holistic approach is needed to protect both our quality of life and vibrant ecosystems that make this region unique.” 

“Research demonstrates Central Texas is in desperate need of community-based resilience planning efforts,” said Thomas Ptak, Associate Professor at Texas State University. “While large urban areas are well resourced and have established robust climate policies and strategies, residents located in peri-urban areas and smaller cities such as San Marcos are increasingly vulnerable due to a lack of resources and formal plans to develop and enhance resiliency.” 

Juan Rodriguez Mora from the Del Valle Community Coalition emphasized that “the Del Valle area is one of the fastest growing regions – both population and economic activity – in Central Texas. We strive to engage major employers to identify hazards together and enact programs and initiatives that can make a significant impact.”  

“The Texas Energy Poverty Research Institute is working to develop neighborhood-based Resilience Hubs around the state, but we are not currently working with private sector partners in the Austin/San Antonio region. There is innovation in the region that could be harnessed by the opportunity to bring the private sector in through the Accelerator’s multi-stakeholder effort,” said Margo Weisz, Executive Director of the Texas Energy Poverty Research Institute. 

“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,” said Nick Perkins, fire chief of Travis County Emergency Services District No. 2. “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.” 

“2025 is already a historic year for climate risks, beginning with the LA Fires, followed by devastating floods in Central Texas, and continuing through a summer of extreme heat, wildfires, smoke, and flooding. C2ES is grateful to support resilience building and cross-sector solutions on the ground in vulnerable regions across the United States,” said Libby Zemaitis, Senior Manager of Resilience Programs and Policy at C2ES. “Our approach empowers leaders to envision and coordinate joint action toward a resilient future as they navigate increasing climate risks and a shifting resource environment.” 

C2ES selected the Austin–San Antonio Region through a competitive process after communities and partners from across the United States applied to host the Accelerator. Applicants from Central Texas represented local governments, nonprofit organizations, private business, and universities – a diverse base of stakeholders that will grow once the Accelerator is underway. Over the next two years in Central Texas, the Accelerator will convene a series of workshops and provide flexible support to local leaders and cross-sector partners to build and advance a regional roadmap of high-impact resilience actions to locally identified climate hazards. Participants will also contribute to public policy priorities and join a growing national network of communities driving resilience forward.  

C2ES leverages its track record of effective business engagement to bring more private sector leaders to the table. For example, leaders from the electric utility, energy, engineering, finance, healthcare, technology, and telecommunication sectors participated in the Accelerator pilot in Colorado’s North Front Range, which C2ES launched in 2023. The effort built a regional roadmap of wildfire and heat resilience strategies, advanced resilience hubs and microgrids, and supported a new heat-focused public-private partnership between AT&T and the City of Longmont.  

The Accelerator is designed to be a catalyst for lasting impact, ensuring that planning efforts translate into tangible projects and measurable improvements in community safety and economic stability. 

For more information about the Accelerator and its work in other regions, including toolkits and other resources, visit https://www.c2es.org/building-climate-resilience/climate-resilient-communities-accelerator/.  

To express interest in participating in the Austin-San Antonio Accelerator, please contact Libby Zemaitis at zemaitise@c2es.org. 

To speak with a C2ES expert, contact Allison Dennis at press@c2es.org.  

The Center for Climate and Energy Solutions (C2ES) is an independent, nonpartisan, nonprofit organization working to secure a safe and stable climate by accelerating the global transition to net-zero greenhouse gas emissions and a thriving, just, and resilient economy.