AUSTIN, TX – The City of Austin announced an aggressive climate protection plan to cut its carbon dioxide emissions to almost nothing by 2020, the American Statesman reports. The broad goals proposed by Mayor Will Wynn do not include cost estimates, details, or timelines. The plan will eliminate carbon dioxide emissions from virtually all municipal activities by the year 2020. This includes powering all City facilities with 100 percent renewable energy, converting the entire city fleet of vehicles to alternative fuels and electric power, and implementing greenhouse gas reduction plans in every City department.

The plan calls for Austin Energy to aggressively ramp up its clean energy programs, achieving 700 megawatts of new conservation and efficiency savings and having 30 percent of its energy needs come from renewable resources by 2020. Starting immediately, replacement vehicles in the city’s fleet will be hybrids or those that can run on biofuels. The total cost of a typical midsize sedan, including fuel and maintenance, is 45 percent less than a hybrid, according to a city analysis.