The Chihuahuan Desert Climate Collaborative (CDCC) is set to hold its second series of public engagement events in El Paso, aiming to further the development of its Climate Action Plan (CAP). In partnership with the City of El Paso, the CDCC has announced two upcoming open-house-style meetings to engage community members in a dialogue about the pressing issue of climate change and its impacts on the region. The events are scheduled for Tuesday, October 8, from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at the Galatzan Recreation Center, and Wednesday, October 16, from 5:30 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. at the MacArthur PK-8 School. According to CDCC, these bilingual events are designed for residents to come, engage, and interact with the CAP team.
Notably, the meetings will address the challenges posed by extreme weather phenomena, including droughts, heatwaves, and floods, and how such events are transforming the area. The CAP team will also be on hand to openly discuss the region's greenhouse gas emissions inventory. "With the growing impacts of climate change felt regionally, these open houses will help residents of El Paso and Hudspeth County discover challenges affecting our community," said Nicole Ferrini, the City of El Paso's Climate and Sustainability Officer, as per CDCC. Furthermore, for those unable to physically attend, the collaborative encourages participation through an online survey, available to complete from October 8 to November 8 at the CAP's website.
In tandem with the Climate Action Plan discussions, the October 16 event at MacArthur will doubly serve to gather public insight on the El Paso Metropolitan Planning Organization’s (MPO) Borderplex Safe Mobility Plan. This initiative seeks to identify investments supporting greater roadway safety for the region, inclusive of 13 governmental jurisdictions within the EPMPO's footprint. "We are excited to launch The Region's Borderplex Safe Mobility Plan and are looking forward to collaborating with the public on this important project," Eduardo Calvo, the El Paso MPO's Executive Director, stated, as noted by CDCC. The same session will offer participants the opportunity to voice their concerns and suggestions regarding safety challenges affecting roadways, sidewalks, trails, and transit facilities.
Furthermore, residents interested in the Climate Engagement Series but cannot attend meetings in person have the option to watch a virtual meeting video following the first open house and to fill out the survey at the CDCC's website. These engagement series represent the second of five planned community touchpoints and emphasize the regional voices necessary to shape climate policies and investments to foster a more resilient and healthier region for future generations. The reach of the forthcoming Climate Action Plan is expansive, covering 10 municipalities, 2 counties, and 5,585 square miles of territory, demonstrating an inclusive and equitable approach spearheaded by the City of El Paso's Climate and Sustainability Office.
