THE ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AND GROWTH MANAGEMENT DEPARTMENT AND THE ENVIRONMENTAL PLANNING AND COMMUNITY RESILIENCE DIVISION RECOMMEND APPROVAL OF THE ABOVE MOTIONS.
This item supports the County Commission's Value: Encouraging investments in renewable energy, sustainable practices and environmental protection by implementing the County Commission's Goal: Seek funding for, implement policies and pursue projects promoting, the use of alternative energy, resource conservation, sustainable practices and environmental protection.
This item formalizes Broward County’s support for and participation in the Subnational Global Climate Leadership Memorandum of Understanding (“Under2 MOU”), a voluntary alliance of regions, states, and local governments pursuing the goal of limiting annual greenhouse gas (“GHG”) emissions to two tons per capita, or eighty 80-95% below 1990 levels by 2050. It is generally recognized that this level of global emissions reduction will be required in order to stabilize warming and environmental conditions by 2100 and that failure to meet this goal will present dangerous to catastrophic climate changes.
The Broward County Board of County Commissioners has a long history of policy support for local, national, and international emissions reductions goals and strategies. Most recently, the Commission adopted Resolution No. 2017-328, opposing withdrawal from the Paris Agreement by the United States of America and pledging support for GHG emissions reduction goals, continued collaboration via the Southeast Florida Regional Climate Change Compact (“Compact”), clean energy deployment, and evaluation by staff of County participation in regional and international climate alliances. The Resolution specifically supported “[e]valuation by staff of regional and international alliances promoting climate action consistent with the Paris Agreement and presentation of recommendations for County participation in such alliances to the Board for consideration.”
This goal is consistent with and builds upon Broward County's previous targets to reduce greenhouse-gas emissions from County operations and Countywide by at least 80% below 2010 levels by 2050.
In many ways, the Under2 MOU is a global equivalent of the Southeast Florida Regional Climate Change Compact, fostering cooperation and joint action where possible, but placing no mandates or legal constraints on participating entities and imposing no penalties or sanctions should participating entities fall short of meeting the stated goals. Also, similar to the Compact, participation in the Under2 Coalition may bring opportunities for technical assistance and funding for County and regional climate and resilience initiatives.
As of August 2017, according to the website of the Under2 Coalition, “A total of 187 jurisdictions representing 38 countries and six continents have signed or endorsed the Under2 MOU….Collectively, they form the Under2 Coalition, which represents more than 1.2 billion people and $28.8 trillion in GDP – equivalent to 16% of the global population and 39% of the global economy….” Participating governments in the United States include the Montgomery County (Maryland), the cities of Orlando, Atlanta, Austin, Boulder, Los Angeles, New York City, Oakland, Pittsburgh, Portland (Oregon), Sacramento, San Francisco, and Seattle, and the states of California, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New Hampshire, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, and Washington.
Seven areas related to reduction of greenhouse gas emissions for initial cooperation are named in the Under2 MOU: Energy; Traffic and Transport; Natural Resource Protection and Waste Reduction; Science and Technology; Communication and Public Participation; Short-lived Climate Pollutants; and Inventory, Monitoring, Accounting, Transparency. In addition, Adaptation and Resilience - areas in which Broward County and the Compact are national and international leaders - are also highlighted as topics for collaboration.
Participation requires approval of the Under2 MOU itself as well as submission of an Appendix detailing the proposed GHG reduction goal for 2030 and general strategies for meeting the goal. As adoption of the Under2 MOU is being proposed for all four Compact Counties, the Appendix was written from a regional point of view, with county-specific examples. The Appendix sets a 2030 interim GHG reduction goal of 30% below 1990 levels, and identifies the Regional Climate Action Plan of 2012 and its upcoming 2017 revision as the strategic framework for reducing GHG emissions and achieving regional resilience. The Appendix also highlights many of the Compact region’s successful initiatives to date, including wide adoption of PACE programs, potential use of Qualified Energy Conservation Bond allocations, Regional Climate Action Plan, participation in a Federal Highway Administration Climate Resilience Pilot, the Resilient Redesign workshop series, and successful creation of the Adaptation Action Area in Florida law. Specific to Broward County, the appendix references the County’s adoption of the 2015 Community-wide Climate Action Plan, the County’s implementation of a regional Property Assessed Clean Energy (PACE) Program, and leadership in advancing climate-sensitive land use and infrastructure planning and design standards.
The Under2 MOU is presented for adoption as a region-wide initiative, with the Appendix therefore written from a regional perspective (as previously noted), but Compact Counties will decide individually if they wish to proceed with adoption.
This MOU has been reviewed and approved as to form by the Office of the County Attorney.
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