Miami Mayor Diaz Advances
Wins Unanimous City Approval for Eleven Key Climate Protection Measures
May 7, 2007
Conference Vice-President Miami Mayor Manny Diaz obtained unanimous approval on April 12 from the Miami City Commission for eleven key Climate Protection and sustainability measures. The measures copperfasten Diaz’ ambitious environmental protection and energy actions to date and represent an unprecedented and comprehensive response to the issues of climate change and environmental preservation in Miami; Florida’s second largest city.
“The issue of global climate change is real and we must take real steps to correct it,” Diaz said. It is up to us to act locally and do our part, to not only reverse the effects of climate change, but move toward a more sustainable future for our city and its people,” he added.
Diaz has spearheaded city energy and environment commitments from fleet conversion, energy efficiency implementation to reduce carbon dioxide emissions to incentivizing green building practices and construction. Diaz has hosted a series of green building forums in the city since December to grow city-wide and community awareness of the threat of climate change and to educate the city’s development and construction industries of the community and environmental value of converting to green building practices. Miami’s efforts in the area of tree canopy restoration, brownfields and waterway remediation and restoration, stormwater run-off are also attributable to Diaz pro-environment leadership
Diaz’ Green Initiative measures include:
Office of Sustainable Initiatives: The creation of Miami’s first-ever office with departmental status dedicated exclusively to the implementation and coordination of sustainability and environmental programs.
Miami Climate Protection Agreement: Establishing structures and methods to embed the city’s compliance with the goals of the U.S. Mayor’s Climate Protection Agreement. Diaz was a co-sponsor of the 2005 agreement spearheaded by Seattle Mayor Greg Nickels, now the national policy of the country’s cities.
Green Fleet Program: Directs the establishment of a Green Fleet Program to ensure that Miami purchases, leases, or obtains the most energy-efficient vehicles and vessels possible, and accepts bids from various vendors for green fleet conversion.
Green Building Expedited Permitting: Directs the expedited review and approval of building permits and applications for buildings built to green specifications and standards.
Green Purchasing: Directs the development of city ordinance establishing priority green procurement in the city for the first time.
Miami Water Conservation Program: Directing the development of a water conservation program to ensure sustainable protection of Miami’s water resources and waterways.
Greenspace: Directing the establishment of a greenspace utility program, including the creation of a dedicated fund for the maintenance and protection of Miami’s urban forests and greenspace.
Energy, Efficiency & Weatherization: Pledging support for increased federal investments in weatherization efforts that benefit the Nation’s communities, local energy efficiency and conservation programs, the deployment and support of renewable energy and Green Building programs.
State Support and Cooperation: Urging Florida’s Executive and Legislative branches to support the city’s efforts to establish and environmental policies and procedures.
Directly ameliorating the effects of greenhouse gas emissions, Diaz launched Miami’s first ever city-wide Tree Master Plan in February on the occasion of Miami’s recognition for the first time as a Tree City USA by the National Arbor Day Foundation. Miami’s Master Plan sets goals and creates minimum standards for enhancing, restoring and stabilizing the city’s tree canopy cover by a minimum of 30 percent by 2020.
Diaz also created the Miami Green Commission in April 2006. Chaired by Commissioner Joe Sanchez, the Commission has brought together a cross section of local experts and community representatives to assist in the development and implementation of a city-based energy and environment policy.
|
