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The East-Central Florida Climate
Change Task Force (TF), a group of regional stake-holders
responsible for ensuring the goals and objectives of the SCCCI
are effectively pursued, met on March 17, 2009 to formulate
plans for the summer, fall, and winter of 2009. The following
is a summary of that meeting.
The goal of the SCCCI remains
“to convince local governments to implement plans, policies,
and/or programs to address global climate change.”
With this goal in mind,
the TF discussed what plans, policies, and/or programs could
in fact be implemented by local government. Three major themes
were identified:
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1. |
Land
acquisition — consistent
with managed withdrawal and perhaps including: |
| a. |
Developed
coastal segments: acquisition of properties having major structures
that are vulnerable to erosion damage, demolition of vulnerable
structures, and conversion of underlying land to oceanfront
parks/public beach access. |
| b. |
Undeveloped
coastal segments: conservation easements, environmental land
acquisition programs, and habitat restoration. |
2. |
Regional sand management
— designed
to ensure best use of non-renewable and limited “beach compatible
sand” reserves along open coastlines and at tidal inlets.
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| 3. |
Comprehensive
planning — revise
existing language to include consideration of climate change
and sea-level rise within each Comprehensive Plan Element
(i.e., conservation, surface water protection, recreation
and open space, future land use, and etc.) |
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These
three themes are best promoted by: |
| 1. |
Events
— both public and targeted audiences with
a focus on education and outreach. |
| 2. |
Website
— maintain a site that acts as a portal
to existing information. |
| 3. |
Professional
White Papers
— objective position papers (i.e., coastal
management, storm water management, insurance, septic/infrastructure)
related to the three themes, seeped in science and including
recommendations or actions which individuals can undertake to
advance each. |
In all cases it was agreed
the SCCCI message on climate change must be both simple and
hopeful.
The group also discussed the importance of securing funding
to advance the SCCCI goals and objectives.
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