Fort Lauderdale Net Zero Plan 2025

22  BACKGROUND

Efforts to Date to Reduce GHG Emissions in and Around Fort Lauderdale  Fort Lauderdale has been proactively addressing climate change and GHG emissions reductions for over a decade.

For the net zero goal in this Plan, the City established the 2019 GHG Inventory levels as a baseline against which to measure progress. The 2020 GHG Inventory revealed a marked decrease in GHG emissions since the 2019 report, with a significant portion of this reduction likely due to factors stemming from the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, which reduced vehicle travel and public building use. As a result, all progress toward net zero is measured against 2019 baseline emissions. Fort Lauderdale participates in multiple sustainability organizations (the Southeast Florida Regional Climate Compact, Florida Sustainability Directors Network, Southeast Sustainability Directors Network, Urban Sustainability Directors Network, and ICLEI) and has incorporated best practices in climate action from these organizations to effectively reduce GHG emissions. The City has begun to transition its vehicle fleet to low emission and electric vehicles (EVs) to lower emissions from municipal operations and set an example for

residents and businesses to follow. Since 2008, the City has implemented a Fleet Vehicle and Equipment Idling Policy to eliminate unnecessary engine idling of City-owned vehicles and equipment by employees. The City also set a goal to reduce fuel consumption for City vehicles by 20% below 2015 levels by 2025 while transitioning to low-emission and EVs.

FORT LAUDERDALE NET ZERO PLAN