This item supports the County Commission’s Value: Encouraging investments in renewable energy, sustainable practices and environmental protection; and the Goals: Seek funding for, implement policies and pursue projects promoting, the use of alternative energies and sustainable practices; and Proactively lead in the planning, design and construction of projects supporting resilience and climate adaptation, including coordination with other entities to foster resilient design as part of local and regional projects.
The IPCC Special Report analyzes existing climate trends and compares the likely impacts under scenarios of 1.5°C and 2°C of global warming relative to pre-industrial temperatures. This comparison is based on existing international commitments aimed at constraining warming to no more than 2°C and an alternative threshold of 1.5°C that is increasingly recognized to be the upper limit of what existing ecosystems and societies can reasonably tolerate and respond to. Even then, the 1.5°C scenario is predicted to significantly disrupt the Earth’s climate, weather, health, and ecosystems, but at least may preserve some portions of existing ecosystems and offer humanity a manageable level of adaptation. Global warming of 2.0°C or more will mean a different planet than the one we inherited and will likely produce severe disruptions to the natural world and human societies. Limitation of planetary warming to 1.5°C, and its associated limitation of climate impacts, would require 45% reduction in net carbon dioxide emissions from 2010 levels by 2030, with net zero emissions by 2050, according to the IPCC Special Report. At the same time, current national commitments under the Paris Agreement will likely lead to 3°C of global warming by 2100 and further warming thereafter. If anything, these predictions are conservative, given the consensus-based development and approval process for IPCC reports.
The Resolution accepts and endorses the IPCC Special Report and acknowledges that its sobering findings require a ratcheting up of existing commitments, policies, and actions at all levels-including those by Broward County government. Therefore, the Resolution demonstrates the County’s resolve to implement the following actions:
- Implementation of the 2015 Broward County Climate Change Action Plan.
- Leadership in the Southeast Florida Regional Climate Change Compact and other national and international climate coalitions.
- The Zero Emission Vehicle Targeted Challenge of the Under2 Coalition (the largest global alliance of subnational governments committed to fighting climate change, to which Broward County was admitted earlier this year), which calls for the purchase of only zero-emissions electric fleet and transit vehicles by 2030. County Administration had tentatively agreed to the Targeted Challenge in advance of the Under2 Coalition General Assembly in San Francisco in September 2018.
- Even more ambitious climate action, commensurate with the challenge outlined in the IPCC Special Report, including higher energy reduction and renewable energy goals, expanded community programs, and even deeper engagement with Compact partners and other state, national, and international climate coalitions.
- Integration of solar technology at County facilities where viable.
- Accelerated replacement of County fleet vehicles with low- or zero-emissions vehicles.
- Expansion of County-facility and public electric vehicle charging infrastructure.
- Reduction of the urban heat island effect through deployment of cool roofs and increased tree canopy.
- Expansion of internal and countywide energy efficiency programs.
The Resolution also directs staff to carry out the stated commitments and programs.
|