The city of Dallas has a 30-year plan to address environmental issues and develop strategies to mitigate the challenges associated with climate change.

Climate change risks in Dallas include extreme heat, drought, flooding and public health threats. By 2050, Dallas is likely to suffer 30 to 60 more days with temperatures over 100, according to the Office of Environmental Quality and Sustainability.

The Dallas Comprehensive Environmental and Climate Action Plan guides the city’s environmental and climate action efforts to address current and future challenges. The City Council unanimously approved the CECAP in 2020.

Certain groups are more vulnerable than others to the health impacts of climate change due to social and economic factors like income, education, health care access and housing, according to the Environmental Protection Agency. Low-income households are more likely to live in poor-quality homes and be less able to afford repairs and improvements after weather-related damage.

Children and the elderly are at greater risk of illness during heat waves because they are less able to regulate their body temperatures and are more sensitive to air quality excursions. Extreme heat can cause or aggravate negative health impacts, including respiratory and cardiovascular disease, mental health challenges and loss of life.

CECAP outlines eight primary goals and 97 actions across areas like buildings, energy, transportation, waste, water, ecosystems, food and air quality. According to Carlos Evans, director of the Office of Environmental Quality and Sustainability, the plan is implemented through collaboration across 16 different city departments, with regular monitoring and updates to adapt to changing conditions.

Here are four things to know about Dallas CECAP.

What are CECAP’s eight goals?

• Official buildings are energy-efficient and climate-resilient. Increase the energy efficiency of existing buildings or facilities, ensure that new buildings are constructed sustainably and are carbon neutral and increase climate resilience for new and existing buildings through structural and operational improvements.
• Renewable, reliable, and affordable energy. Maintain a high degree of reliability during extreme weather events. Encourage investment in and greater use of renewable energy. Ensure affordable access to renewable electricity.
• Access to sustainable and affordable transportation options. Shift the surface transportation system to move people and goods in fuel-efficient vehicles. Reduce trips where people drive alone. Ensure that walking, biking, public transit and vehicular transportation infrastructure is reliable and safe under all weather conditions.
• Zero waste. Create opportunities to go beyond recycling and choose to refuse, reduce, reuse and repair. Operate a clean, green and efficient waste system.
• Protect water resources and communities from flooding and drought. Conserve and protect water resources through community stewardship, educational programs and best management practices. Protect neighborhoods from flooding and prepare them for droughts. Leverage innovative approaches, strategies and technologies to be a regional leader in water resilience.
• Protect and enhance Dallas ecosystems, trees and green spaces. Leverage green spaces to provide climate adaptation benefits. Increase, enhance and maintain healthy forests, parks and green spaces.
• Access to healthy, local food. Build organizational capacity and partnerships around an urban agriculture network. Encourage local food production and consumption to reduce food miles. Prepare the food system to be more resilient to extreme weather events. Prevent food waste through food donations, recovery, diversion, and composting.
• Communities breathe clean air. Take a comprehensive approach to addressing air quality at the neighborhood level. Increase, enhance and maintain healthy forests, parks, and green spaces that improve air quality. Operate a clean, green and efficient waste system.

Reducing greenhouse gas emissions

Greenhouse gases trap heat and make the planet warmer. Human activities are responsible for almost all of the increase in greenhouse gases in the atmosphere over the last 150 years, according to the EPA. The largest source of greenhouse gas emissions from human activities in the U.S. is from burning fossil fuels for electricity, heat, and transportation.

Based on Dallas’ 2015 greenhouse gas inventory, 64% of emissions come from the buildings and energy sectors and 35% from the transportation sector.

The CECAP has an interim goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 43% by 2030, and a long-term goal of 100% reduction by 2050.

Evans said on Nov. 13 during the Environmental Commission meeting, during which an end-of-the-year review of CECAP was presented, that the city is completing an updated greenhouse gas emissions inventory, which is expected to be finished by the end of the next fiscal year, October 2025.

Completing the greenhouse gas inventory is a critical step to inform the potential refresh or update of the overall CECAP plan, which is required to be reviewed every five years per the original City Council resolution.

Where does the money come from?

Each year, money is allocated across city departments toward projects that align with CECAP. For the fiscal year 2024-25, the general fund budget includes about $154 million to advance the city’s sustainable plan, about $1.2 million in funding for direct CECAP implementation by OEQS, and $3.75 million in multi-year funds.

The city is trying to leverage external funding sources, such as grants from the EPA, the Department of Agriculture, and other agencies, to supplement its budget and advance CECAP initiatives.

How can residents get involved?

Residents can get involved in several ways. They can discuss environmental issues in their neighborhoods at the city’s Environmental Commission, which meets once a month.

Homeowners can receive a tree to plant on their property through the city’s tree giveaway program, Branch Out Dallas. Residents can also volunteer to help distribute the trees.

Neighborhoods can request a community cleanup to pick up trash in a specific neighborhood or park to make their community cleaner. The city has a “tool loan program” for neighborhood cleanups, such as hand saws, weed eaters and hedge trimmers.

Residents can learn about what goes on in the city recycle bin, and if they need clarification, they can use the sanitation website to see if the item can be recycled. The website also offers eco-friendly ways to discard bulky items.

For more information about the plan, visit the Dallas CECAP website.