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Policy Making. What can you do?. Get Involved. Write a letter Federal (President and Vice President, Senators, Representatives) State (Governors and Legislators) Local (Mayor, city councils ) Start in your community You don’t have to be an expert Make it fun S.L.A.P. pole.
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Policy Making What can you do?
Get Involved • Write a letter • Federal (President and Vice President, Senators, Representatives) • State (Governors and Legislators) • Local (Mayor, city councils) • Start in your community • You don’t have to be an expert • Make it fun • S.L.A.P. pole
Sea Level Awareness Project (S.L.A.P) • SLAP Video • Created by Kids Vs. Global Warming • Started in California • Goals • Empower youth • Create awareness • Alert citizens • Educate the public
Preparations Already Being Made • Southeast Florida Regional Climate Change Report • Climate Action Plan • Municipal Adaptation to Sea-Level Rise: City of Satellite Beach, Florida • City of Punta Gorda Adaptation Plan
Southeast Florida Regional Climate Change Compact • Regional Climate Action Plan • Collaborative effort of Palm Beach, Broward, Miami- Dade and Monroe counties • Accomplishes: • Consistent methods for assessing SLR • Calls for action • Presents recommendations • Protects high quality of life • We can’t continue doing what we have done in the past, it is time to go into new frontiers which integrate policy into action in ways that have never been tried before • Also builds on what other communities have tried • 110 action items
Municipal Adaptation to Sea-Level Rise: City of Satellite Beach, Florida • This document outlines how the City of Satellite Beach assessed it’s vulnerability to SLR. • And initiates the steps needed to plan for changes on the built and natural environments. • Outlines existing hazards (coastal erosion, storm surges, and sea level rise). • Project team of local stakeholders who meet regularly during project. • Public forums to provide information about project and SLR. • Sea level rise subcommittee of the City’s Comprehensive Planning Advisory Board was created. • Ongoing media campaign. • Developed 3D map of city, identified critical infrastructure and assets (fire stations, schools, parks, energy), and quantification of the extent of sea level rise.
Results • The City will lose 5% of landscape during the 1st 2 feet of SLR, the subsequent 2 feet will cause an additional 20% of submergence. • The city has 40 years to create and use an adaptive management plan.
Adaptive Management • Cities can respond to SLR by protection, retreat, or accommodation. • Satellite beach is on a barrier island made of porous sand that will allow penetration of seawater beneath the ground making seawalls ineffective • Retreat is not possible in this city because only 2% of their city is undeveloped • Accommodation through adaptive management • Develop a timeline describing future actions • Implement no-regret or low-regret policies • Tipping points built into plan • As uncertainty diminishes, more robust plans and measures can be implemented
City of Punta Gorda Adaptation Plan • Explains, in great detail, the vulnerability and adaptations of 8 major areas of climate change • Fish and Wildlife Habitat Degradation • Inadequate Water Supply • Flooding • Unchecked or Unmanaged Growth • Water Quality Degradation • Education and Economy and Lack of Funds • Fire • Availability of Insurance • 246 climate change adaptations identified
Reactions to Effects of Climate Change Four basic strategies to reduce vulnerability and benefit from impact. • Avoidance: Stop building infrastructure in a location that will be impacted • Mitigation: Reduce climate stresses (reduce greenhouse gas emissions, invest in renewable energy) • Minimize: Reduce human disturbances and destruction of ecosystems, conserve water, and reduce farm runoff • Adaptation: Learning-oriented approach with monitoring, review, and adjustment • Punta Gorda’s progressive plan will allow the city to be more resilient to effects of climate change.
What Not to Do Banning Reality
Summary • 1) Some communities are addressing the threats of climate change through proactive policies • 2) Other communities are ignoring these threats • 3) You can make a difference by letting your legislators know that you care about climate change and by doing what you can to lesson your carbon footprint