Fort Lauderdale Net Zero Plan 2025

122  APPENDIX A: METHODOLOGY

All comments received from both internal and external stakeholders through the stakeholder engagement process were considered for incorporation into this Plan, as appropriate. Recommendations for actions were prioritized based on the emissions mitigation potential of the action as a contribution to the relevant sector’s emissions total included in the GHG inventory. Net Zero Roadmap Actions described in this Plan were compiled through review of existing Fort Lauderdale plans, policies, and publications; benchmarking of existing Climate Action Plans across the country; and engagement with internal and external stakeholders, including Fort Lauderdale department leads and employees, community members, and organizations across the City. Actions are categorized into broader strategies and sectors to compile emissions impacts and reductions from the baseline GHG inventory. Priority levels are assigned to each action based on a high-level qualitative analysis of various factors, including timeframe, GHG impact, initial cost to the City, life-cycle cost to the City, return on investment (ROI) for the City, level of effort (LOE) for the City, social equity impacts for the community, alignment with existing strategic priorities, and co-benefits. Community strategies also include a qualitative estimate of additional costs borne by the community. Actions are categorized as priority 1, 2, or 3 (with priority 1 indicating the highest level of importance and urgency) based on both quantitative and qualitative assessments of these prioritization factors. Quantitative Modeling For quantitative GHG impact modeling, underlying emissions trend projections were made by calculating a business-as-usual (BAU) scenario, in which all baseline energy use practices and emissions remain constant between 2019 and 2050. However, total energy usage continues to increase due to projected growth in the Citywide population, workforce, vehicle usage, and projected airport activity. While residential and commercial energy usage is assumed to increase with population growth, industrial growth is held constant, in accordance with the Southeast Florida Priority Climate Action Plan. When combined, this scenario leads to substantial increases in GHG emissions over time. Legislative-adjusted (LA) projections were also calculated; the LA scenario adjusts the BAU scenario by incorporating existing pledges and commitments for grid decarbonization and increased operational efficiency measures formally made by the state and federal governments and other regional organizations. In particular, the reductions in the LA strategy are driven by the FPL Real Zero Plan, which commits to eliminating fossil fuels from its portfolio by 2045. The LA scenario also accounts for National Highway Fuel Efficiency Standards and updates to the State of Florida Building Code on energy conservation. Future GHG emissions are calculated by subtracting from the BAU both

FORT LAUDERDALE NET ZERO PLAN