GOVERNOR CRIST HIGHLIGHTS FLORIDA’S STEPS TO ADDRESS CLIMATE CHANGE AT NATIONAL CONFERENCE FOR MAYORS
September 10, 2007
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TALLAHASSEE – Governor Charlie Crist last evening provided the keynote address at the opening dinner of the Sundance Mayors Climate Summit held in Sundance, Utah. More than 60 mayors from across the nation attended the event.
“In Florida we have learned to do more than simply talk about global climate change. We learned to be doers – people of action,” said Florida Governor Crist. “As our great conservationist President, Teddy Roosevelt, said, ‘The man who really counts in the world is the doer.’ For that reason, I applaud Robert Redford for his leadership in this tremendous challenge facing our nation.”
Each year the Sundance Summit brings together mayors who have committed to continuing to advance climate protection as a collaborative group. The goal is to encourage more mayors and more cities to join the Sundance Summit to progressively take tangible local action to address the issue of global warming.
“It’s no secret that national leadership has been sorely lacking for too many years, but what is not so well known is how innovative and effective mayors have been during this same time period in advancing new ways of running their cities with climate change impacts in mind,” said Redford. “They have been very creative in their approach and out of this has come a unique brand of social change, particular to municipal leadership,” he continued. “It is very impressive.”
On Friday, Governor Crist met with venture capitalist Vinod Khosla who was a keynote speaker at the Florida Summit on Global Climate Change. Khosla is the co-founder of Sun Microsystems and has invested heavily in renewable energy companies, including ethanol companies. His firm, Khosla Ventures, supports breakthrough scientific work in clean technology areas such as bio-refineries for energy and bioplastics, solar batteries and other environmentally friendly technologies.
Khosla shared with Governor Crist news that Florida Power and Light and Ausra are currently discussing the technical considerations necessary to utilize Ausra’s new solar electric generating technology at one or more of FPL’s existing plant sites. Although in the early development stage, the companies are endeavoring to achieve commercial operation of at least one such solar facility before the end of 2008.
Last Thursday Governor Crist met with Catholic, Protestant and Jewish religious leaders from Tallahassee who are addressing climate change. They discussed possible climate friendly strategies for partnerships between state governments and the private sector, including faith-based organizations.
Earlier this summer at the Serve to Preserve Summit on Global Climate Change in Miami, Governor Crist established a series of climate friendly initiatives outlined in three executive orders. The executive orders direct the following efforts to reduce greenhouse gases:
Leadership by Example: Immediate Actions to Reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions from Florida State Government
State government will measure greenhouse gas emissions and develop a Governmental Carbon Scorecard. State government will then work to reduce emissions 10 percent by 2012, 25 percent by 2017, and 40 percent by 2025. To achieve that goal, state buildings constructed in the future will be energy efficient and include solar panels whenever possible. Office space leased in the future must be in energy-efficient buildings as well. Any purchased state vehicles should be fuel efficient and use ethanol and biodiesel fuels when available. State government will also seek to partner with an energy-efficient rental-car company for the 2009 contract.
Immediate Actions to Reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions within Florida
Governor Crist directed the adoption of maximum emission levels of greenhouse gases for electric utilities. The standard will require a reduction of emissions to 2000 levels by 2017, to 1990 levels by 2025, and by 80 percent of 1990 levels by 2050. Florida will also adopt the California motor vehicle emission standards, pending approval of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency waiver. The standard is a 22-percent reduction in vehicle emissions by 2012 and a 30-percent reduction by 2016.
Florida will also require energy-efficient consumer appliances to increase efficiency by 15 percent of current standards. Governor Crist also requested that the Public Service Commission adopt a 20 percent Renewable Portfolio Standard, with a strong focus on solar and wind energy.
Florida Governor’s Action Team on Energy and Climate Change
Governor Crist appointed 21 diverse stakeholders to the Governor’s Action Team on Energy and Climate Change. Under the leadership of Secretary Michael W. Sole of the Florida Department of Environmental Protection, team members will create a Florida Climate Change Action Plan that will include strategies beyond today’s executive orders to reduce emissions, including recommendations for proposed legislation for consideration during the 2008 Legislative Session and beyond.
For more information about Governor Crist’s actions to address global climate change, please visit www.MyFloridaClimate.com or www.flgov.com.