TO: Mayor and Commissioners
FROM: Kent Edwards, Sustainability Officer
THROUGH: Terrence R. Moore, ICMA-CM
DATE: November 19, 2024
Title
RESULTS OF THE CLIMATE ACTION PLANNING SURVEY
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Recommended Action:
Recommendation
Review a presentation on the results of the Climate Action Planning Survey and provide direction.
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Background:
Climate change is directly affecting Delray Beach, and will more and more in the future. Warmer temperatures, and heavier rainfall events are widespread. We have also seen hurricanes track nearby which strengthened to Category 5, causing major damage. Just this year these storms included Beryl, Helene, and Milton.
To address threats from climate change, the City needs to take deliberate steps to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and to prepare for impacts due to increased heat, heavy rain events, major tropical storms, etc. The Always Delray Comprehensive Plan, adopted in 2020, includes multiple goals, policies and objectives addressing climate mitigation and resilience, see the Always Delray References attachment for a sampling from the Coastal Management Element and the Conservation, Sustainability, and Resiliency Element. Policy CSR 7.1.2 specifically prioritizes development of a Sustainability and Climate Action Plan.
On July 19, 2022, a presentation was given to the City Commission at their request, following up on issues raised in February 2022 during the Green Implementation Advancement Board’s (GIAB) annual presentation. Greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction was a major topic in these presentations.
The City completed a GHG Inventory in October 2022, using data from 2019. The GHG Inventory was done in a cohort sponsored by the Florida League of Cities and hosted by the International Council of Local Environmental Initiatives (ICLEI). The report found that 549,032 MTCO2e were generated in Delray Beach by all sources, with transportation accounting for 52%, and commercial and residential buildings generating 44% o...
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