Dallas has a new leader to oversee the implementation and success of its first plan. Comprehensive Environmental and Climate Action Plan. The ultimate goal? To mitigate the negative effects of climate change on the region.
Mayor Eric Johnson named Julie Hiromoto a senate representative Representatives from all citiesThe city’s Environmental Commission was established last year to implement the measures outlined in the Dallas 2020 climate action plan.
Hiromoto stated in a statement that I believe architects and design thinkers play an important role in creating a more responsible built environment.
Designing sustainability
Hiromoto, a principal and director for integration at Dallas-based global architectural firm HKS, where her work has been ongoing since 2017. Hiromoto has been a part of the American Institute of Architects delegation in Glasgow to the recent United Nations Global Climate Change Conference. In addition to her sustainability efforts, Hiromoto was the chair of the Institutes Committee on the Environment in 2020.
Hiromoto joins 14 other voting membersKathryn Bazan, owner of Nested Creative and former staffer at Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, chairs the Dallas Environmental Commission. Every member of the city council is named a representative for the commission, except District 3 Councilmember Casey Thomas I.
The voting members of the commission are joined by eight non-voting technical specialists who advise residents and help them take complaints about environmental issues to the city councils Environment & Sustainability Committee. It is presided over by Paula Blackmon, Councilmember. The commission has had four meetings so far. To become a voting member of this commission, members must have at minimum two years of experience in environmental advocacy or local environmental issues.
We have the chance to lead
The Environmental Commission intends to achieve the goals of the 2016 Paris Agreement. They anticipate extreme weather that will result from a five degree increase in the average temperature in the region, which could potentially cause $12.5 billion in annual economic losses for the state by 2050. It plans to achieve a variety of sustainability and climate change mitigation objectives. The commission has several goals, including increasing energy efficiency in buildings and generating renewable energy, improving transportation efficiency, and improving air quality.
Hiromoto stated that as part of the climate solutions, we have an opportunity to lead the way on the international and national stages. We must be accountable for the quality of our lives in Dallas and the surrounding areas.
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