Tackling the climate crisis requires strategic approaches, and the Environmental Defense Fund focuses on bringing science and economics to the forefront to find pragmatic solutions. Protecting Florida’s environment and economy by making changes to improve our energy infrastructure toward a more independent state requires all hands on deck. “State-level policy change requires action from the ground up, and Floridians have shown more bipartisan support for climate solutions than any other state,” said Dawn Shirreffs, EDF’s Florida director. “The progress we make here is a really important tool for eliminating partisan politics from climate solutions.”
Population and Pollution
Did you know that Florida is a top state for both population and pollution? Being the third-highest populated state in the country, as well as the only tropical peninsula, Florida is at the forefront of economic and environmental action. The EDF’s Florida team is working to address some of the biggest threats to economic and climate safety in the state, including energy security through movements promoting energy efficiency, solar power, and an overall stronger home-grown energy portfolio.
Transportation makes up more than half of Florida’s greenhouse gas emissions. EDF is working to transform our transportation systems by converting government-funded fleets from gas to electric or hybrid vehicles. The potential financial impact would be an estimated $8 billion in taxpayers cost savings. Florida school boards already have started to work with a recent federal grant of $5.5 billion to transition to electric school buses, providing positive impacts on children’s health, school budgets, and the state’s fuel emissions.
Diversifying Our Energy
A huge area of importance is reducing overreliance on fossil fuels for electricity. Approximately 75% of Florida’s energy is supplied by fossil fuels imported from out of state, creating a vulnerable situation for residents and businesses who spend $5 billion yearly on these fuel imports, and are at the mercy of wavering global demand and volatile price increases. Recent hurricanes and heat waves have showcased how dependence on natural gas plants can leave millions of homes and businesses without electricity. These impacts have been felt intimately by millions of Florida residents as homeowners’ insurance and energy bills have risen dramatically in recent years.
As our population increases demand, policies that promote energy efficiency and diversifying our energy supply throughout the state are needed to lower costs, improve reliability, and improve air quality.
Protecting Florida for the Future
Florida already is experiencing the impacts of climate change, including rising sea levels, flooding, and increasingly severe hurricanes. More than one-third of Florida properties face severe flood risk over the next 30 years. EDF focuses on reducing climate pollution while also advocating for nature-based resilience adaptation solutions that offer the most cost-effective protections for at-risk communities, businesses, and ecosystems.
Shirreffs emphasized the state’s influence on the rest of the country. “Florida has shown that our communities lead with the solutions they know they need…which really speaks to the importance of Florida being a trendsetter nationally for climate solutions,” she said. Stay up to date with economic cost analyses, environmental reports, and information about new programs by heading over to letstackleclimatechangeflorida.com.
