Southwest Florida Climate Prosperity Strategy

1. Southwest Florida Climate Prosperity Strategy Southwest Florida Regional Planning Council 1

2. Climate Prosperity Project • Created by Global Urban Development in 2007, with financial support from the Rockefeller Brothers Fund and the Environmental Defense Fund • Based on the proposition that climate change is a great economic opportunity • 8 locations selected to pilot Climate Prosperity Strategies: • Silicon Valley • The State of Delaware • Metropolitan Seattle • Metropolitan Denver • Metropolitan Portland • Metropolitan St. Louis • Montgomery County, Maryland • SW Florida • Southwest Florida Regional Planning Council chosen as the lead agency for the SW Florida Climate Prosperity Strategy

3. SW Florida Regional Planning Council • 34 member council • 24 elected officials, representing 6 counties and 16 cities • 5 state agency representatives • 5 gubernatorial appointees representing: • Education • Business • Environment • Economicdevelopment • 27 Staff

4. SW FloridaClimate Prosperity Leadership • A Growing Partnership • SW Florida Planning Council • Economic Development Strategy Committee • Energy & Climate Sub-Committee • Economic development organizations • Chambers of commerce & private sector stakeholders • SW Florida Manufacturers Association • Universities and community colleges • Metropolitan Planning Organizations (MPOs) • Environmental organizations • Charlotte Harbor National Estuary Program • Community Groups

5. SW Florida Strengths • Excellent climate • Gateway to the Everglades (globally known brand) • Access to the Gulf Coast • Historically successful economic strategy of: • Encouraging tourism • Leading to purchase of 2nd homes • Resulting in people moving to the region when they retire • Economic clusters have been • Tourism • Housing development • Health care • Agriculture • Mining • Retail

6. SW Florida Challenges • SW Florida was overbuilt and now is hard hit with foreclosures • 58,000 people out of work in SW Florida, more than 10% of the workforce • Relatively few export industries • Poor public transit • Land assembly is difficult due to the large number of platted, undeveloped lots • Florida used to be a low-cost state, but now costs are rising significantly • SW Florida is low lying region, so sea level rise puts the region at risk (worst case is 16 inches by 2050)

7. SW FloridaClimate Prosperity Goals and Outcomes • SW Florida Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy includes goals for the Climate Prosperity Strategy: • Attract and retain a cluster of environmentally sustainable and economically efficient businesses • Garner long term economic and environmental benefits • Increase the earning potential for SW Florida residents and businesses • Educate SW Floridians on the economic and environmental benefits of investment in green technologies • Desired Outcomes: • Green businesses, green jobs, and green profits • Environmentally skilled workforce • Improved energy efficiency, green savings and reduced greenhouse gas emissions • Sustainable business and household practices • Environmentally conscious businesses and households • Improved quality of life

8. SW Florida Climate Prosperity Strategic Framework • Climate Prosperity Strategies have 3 dimensions: • Green Savings • Green Opportunities • Green Talent • SW Florida Climate Prosperity Strategy is organized as a set of Initiatives with component Green Programs: • A Green Savings Initiative with 5 component Green Programs • A Green Opportunities Initiative with 6 component Green Programs • A Green Talent Initiative with 3 component Green Programs • In addition to the SW Florida Regional Planning Council and numerous partner organizations, 2 new structures will be formed: • A SW Florida Climate Prosperity Network • A SW Florida Green Talent Leadership Group

9. Green Savings Initiative • Eco-Smart Development: Establishment of solar powered, energy efficient, walkable communities, such as Babcock Ranch, with preservation zones and organic agriculture. Others include – Ave Maria, Big Cypress, Lakewood Ranch, and Green Mile • Hurricane/Energy Efficient Retrofits: Development and implementation of a new type of retrofit that combines hurricane hardening with energy efficiency, in cooperation with Florida House • Green Business Partnership: Expansion of the Sarasota Green Business Partnership to other counties in the region, encouraging environmental stewardship by assisting and recognizing businesses that operate in an environmentally responsible manner • Climate Adaptation: Completion of the Charlotte Harbor Climate Adaptation Strategy, leading to Climate Adaptation Consultations with other regions • Environmental Mitigation Banking: Institution of environmental mitigation banks, such as Panther Island and Big Cypress, to create, preserve, restore, or enhance a wetland, stream, or habitat conservation area

10. Green Opportunities Initiative • Biofuel Industry:Partnership with the Farm to Fuel® Initiative to expand the number of biofuel vehicles; increase fueling facilities; and expand production, such as the new Verenium owned Highlands Ethanol Project • Solar Industry:Promotion of the installation and use of solar energy, particularly solar hot water heating • Green Inland Port:Establishment of a Green Port Policy for the new Inland Port, which will be an off-site warehousing and distribution center to which Florida seaports can ship containers for unpacking

11. Green Opportunities Initiative (Cont.) • Green Incubator/Accelerator:Creation of a green dimension for the Southwest Florida Virtual Incubator/Accelerator and the Regional Incubator Network to provide assistance to green and clean tech businesses • Sustainable Agriculture: Partnership with Florida Certified Organic Growers and Consumers to expand the market for organic agricultural products and to assist farmers to undertake or expand organic farms • Ecotourism:Partnership with the Society for Ethical Ecotourism – Southwest Florida (SEE SW FLA) to support of the ecotourism industry in the region

12. Green Talent Initiative • Green Talent Program: Partner with the SW Florida Workforce Investment Board to organize a Green Talent Leadership Group to design/implement a Green Talent Program to identify green industry sub-sectors; recruit job candidates; provide job readiness and skill training; and arrange for placement and post-placement support • Green Business Education: Partnership with one or more Florida educational institutions to develop and implement a Green Business Education Program for clean tech entrepreneurs and green business managers with responsibility for environmental/sustainability programs • Location-Neutral Workforce: Promotion, among retirees, 2nd home owners, and vacationers, of “location-neutral” work opportunities that do not require particular locations due to Internet and broadband connections

13. SW Florida Green Assets • State assets: • Governor’s Climate Action Team • Florida Solar Energy Center • Sustainable Florida – Collins Center • Florida Farm to Fuel Initiative • Florida BioFuels Association • Regional assets: • Gulf Coast Chapter of U.S. Green Building Council • Center for Environmental and Sustainability Education at Florida Gulf Coast University • Florida House Institute for Sustainable Development • 3 county and 2 city sustainability programs • LEED certified planner on SW Florida Regional Planning Council Staff

14. Sprawl and platted lots make development difficult and transit difficult. Obstacles and Impediments • In the current economic emergency SW Florida is one of the hardest hit regions • Foreclosures put Lee County No.1 in the nation • 76 homes have been being foreclosed upon every day • Regional unemployment hit above 10 percent as thousands search for jobs that no longer exist • Platted Lots • Lack of transit • Need for funding • Conflict with other priorities • Resistance to Change

15. Strategic Planning Process • Participation by SW Florida in national Climate Prosperity Project meetings, with a presentation at the San Jose meeting • Formulation of the Climate Prosperity Strategy Goals and Outcomes as an aspect of the Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy • Consultation by Sustainable Systems and Urban Sustainability Associates • Meetings with SW Florida Regional Planning Council Staff • Meeting with a broad group of public, private, education, and community stakeholders • Research on Florida and SW Florida green assets • Draft Climate Prosperity Strategy and PowerPoint produced by Sustainable Systems and Urban Sustainability Associates • Review by SW Florida Regional Planning Council staff

16. Future Action Steps • Formulate implementation plans for each Green Program in each of the 3 Climate Prosperity Initiatives • Join with partners to implement aspects of the Climate Prosperity Strategy that can be done without additional funding • Pursue additional funding • Constitute a SW Florida Climate Prosperity Network composed of representatives of: • County and city sustainability programs • Green Business Partnership • Developers of Eco-Smart Developments • Regional green resource organizations • Statewide sustainability organizations • Form a Green Talent Leadership Group including: • SW Florida Workforce Investment Board • Community colleges and universities • Business representatives

17. Funding • Primary funding for the SW Florida Climate Prosperity Strategy has come from in-kind contributions from Council members and staff of the SW Florida Regional Planning Council • Council members and staff will continue to provide substantial in-kind contribution of time and administrative expenses • Partner organizations will also contribute in-kind time and administrative expenses • Up to $500,000 in funding is being sought from: • Corporations • Educational institutions • Regional, state, and federal agencies • Florida and national foundations

18. Outreach • Present the SW Florida Climate Prosperity Strategy to: • Energy & Climate Sub-Committee • Economic Development Strategy Committee • Full SW Florida Regional Planning Council • Century Commission for a Sustainable Florida • Various Florida State Agencies • Regional stakeholders • Use the Climate Prosperity Network to: • Hold networking meetings • Sponsor forums and educational events • Establish a Web 2.0 Internet site • Identify new Green Programs to include in the Climate Prosperity Strategy • Host an annual Climate Prosperity Summit and Expo

19. Assistance Needed • Collaboration from state agencies, such as: • Governor’s Climate Action Team • Florida Solar Energy Center • Farm to Fuel Initiative • Collaboration from regional partners, such as: • Gulf Coast Chapter of U.S. Green Building Council • Center for Environmental and Sustainability Education at Florida Gulf Coast University • Florida House Institute for Sustainable Development • County and City sustainability programs • Assistance from the National Climate Prosperity Project • Additional consultation assistance from Sustainable Systems and Urban Sustainability Associates • Funding for to hire a Coordinator for the SW Florida Climate Prosperity Strategy on the staff of the SW Florida Regional Planning Council

20. Climate Prosperity is seeing the opportunity in the challenge!