A 2015 Chevrolet Spark charges outside a Whole Foods last fall. On Thursday, the Austin City Council approved a resolution that directs city staffers to develop a plan to make electric cars more accessible to Austin residents while also integrating charging stations into neighborhoods. [RICARDO B. BRAZZIELL / AMERICAN-STATESMAN] ▲

The Austin City Council on Thursday formally backed a national "Green New Deal" — a concept from freshman U.S. Rep. Alexandra Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y.

"The Council recognizes we are already experiencing the adverse consequences of climate change, understands the urgency of creating a blueprint to prepare for and respond to the shocks and stressors of catastrophic climate events, and supports the general tenets of the Green New Deal," the approved resolution reads.

Council Member Leslie Pool, who sponsored the resolution, said the Green New Deal, which generally proposes allocating vast public resources to transitioning completely to renewable energy in the coming decades, is "a win/win for everybody." The endorsement was included in one of two resolutions addressing environmental issues that council members approved unanimously.

One of the resolutions directs staff members to explore ideas for a city climate resilience plan and to consider hiring a specialized resiliency consultant or chief resilience officer. Such positions are becoming more common as cities' leaders consider ways to protect against natural disasters and other environmental challenges.

"New York City has a resilience plan in response to Hurricane Sandy," Pool said Thursday during a news conference ahead of the council's meeting. "New Orleans put a plan together in the wake of Katrina. Austin and the Hill Country are widely known as Flash Flood Alley for a reason. We're one of the most flood-prone areas in North America. So, we need a plan, y'all."

The second resolution directs staff members to analyze electric vehicle trends; determine reasonable targets for lowering greenhouse gas emissions tied to transportation; and develop a plan to make electric cars more accessible to Austin residents while also integrating charging stations into neighborhoods. It asks for periodic updates, beginning in September.

Council Member Ann Kitchen called the measure "a good next step" to an existing city fleet electrification plan. She said it provides a chance to look at how quickly public transportation can be electrified.

Council Member Alison Alter, who sponsored the second resolution, noted that unlike in many other cities, Austin's ownership of its electric utility allows it to sync electrification efforts to the grid more easily.

Various environmental advocates turned out to City Hall to support the measures. Some spoke about the threats to safety and stability as the climate becomes more volatile. Others said the measures were positive economically as well as environmentally. Dale Bulla, a self-described environmental gadfly, called the resolutions' measures "a no-brainer."

Several members of the public signed up to voice opposition to the resolutions, but none actually spoke.

Beki Halpin, who endured a wildfire ripping through her Southwest Austin neighborhood, said a city resiliency czar would be able to better prepare residents for such environmental crises.

"You just can't think straight," she said, thinking back to the 2011 blaze. "Embers were flying at us. Neighbors were hollering. But if you were prepared ahead of time for a flood or a fire, you can react in a way that's more resilient."