Delray Beach developing plan to address climate threats

By Kent Edwards, Delray Beach Office of Sustainability and Resilience 

Climate change is directly affecting Delray Beach and will be more and more in the future. Warmer temperatures and heavier rainfall events are already widespread. We’ve also seen hurricanes strengthen to Category 5 status very quickly, causing major damage to other Florida cities.  

A main contributing factor, leading to the extreme rainfall and tropical storms, is the elevated temperatures both in the ocean and atmosphere. To address these threats, the city of Delray Beach should take deliberate steps to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and prepare for impacts due to increased heat, heavy rain events, major tropical storms, etc. 

A lot of foundational work has been done to get to the point where a climate action plan can be developed for the city. Such a plan describes priorities, activities and milestones to address climate threats is an effective way to guide actions and ensure progress.

The city completed a greenhouse gas inventory in October 2022, using data for 2019. The report found that 549,032 metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent were generated in Delray Beach by all sources. Transportation accounted for 52% of emissions, and commercial and residential buildings generating 44%. 

In May 2023, a presentation on the inventory report was given to City Commission. The presentation summarized greenhouse gas data and included recommended emission reduction targets of 50% by 2030 and net zero by 2050. 
 
Throughout 2023, the Office of Sustainability and Resilience organized regular outreach activities highlighting topics related to climate action planning, including green buildings, the greenhouse gas inventory, water conservation, tree planting, water quality, green businesses, recycling, coral restoration, habitat restoration, stormwater flood insurance and native plants. 
 
Also during 2023, the commission-appointed Green Implementation Advancement Board submitted a memo to the City Commission, recommending development of a climate action plan.  
 
The commission adopted Resolution 201-23 in November 2023, supporting implementation of the Regional Climate Action Plan, Version 3, written by the Southeast Florida Regional Climate Change Compact. The Office of Sustainability and Resilience developed a climate action planning survey to gather public input, based on the regional plan and multiple other surveys and climate action plans from local governments, including Boca Raton, Boynton Beach, West Palm Beach and Broward County.  
 
The survey grouped issues into six sections: energy – built environment, green infrastructure and the natural environment, water, waste, transportation and climate resilience. The survey opened last April during Earth Month and ran until the week after the city’s Climate & Culture events in September. 

During this period, extensive outreach and advertising was done through city social media, displays in multiple locations with a link to the survey, email blasts by the cty and partners, booths at the Green Market, an event during First Friday Art Walk, several presentations and webinars, and more. More than 350 responses to the survey were received, and overall, more than 80% of responses indicated that a climate action plan should be developed.  

The most popular selections from each of the six survey sections were the following: 

Energy – built environment: Energy efficiency of city facilities, community energy efficiency (residential and business), and renewable energy and storage at city facilities  

Waste: Waste reduction, expand city’s recycling program (multi-family, commercial), and awareness of environmentally preferred products 

Transportation: Multi-modal transportation, regional public transportation and increase fuel efficiency of city fleet 

Water: Enhance stormwater system to manage extreme rainfall events, water use efficiency/conservation program and hardening of water-related infrastructure 

Green infrastructure and the natural environment: Dune restoration, tree planting program, protection of existing trees, parks habitat restoration, and coral reef restoration 

Climate resilience: Tree-planting program, enhance stormwater system to manage extreme rainfall events, dune restoration and coral reef restoration 

In November 2024, the survey results were presented to City Commission, and it supported development of a draft climate action plan. Subsequently the Office of Sustainability and Resilience worked with city staff and partners to brainstorm strategies to accomplish the priorities identified in the survey. 

We’re now going through a final round of public input, as we prepare to present the draft climate action plan to Commission in April 2025. Click here to see more information on the draft CAP, and to provide comments.

Kent Edwards lives in Delray Beach and works as the city’s sustainability officer. He has lived and worked in Florida for more than 35 years. Banner image: Waves crash against the shores of Delray Beach (iStock image).

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