Climate change has been getting a lot of attention lately, but there is a long history of laws and regulations about it that many people don’t know about. International strategies are really important for solving the problem. Climate change is affecting our local area with things like flooding and changes to habitats and species. It’s important to understand what governments are doing about it. This article covers the main points of climate change laws at the international, state, and local levels and explains why it’s important. Before the Paris Agreement, there were other international efforts to address climate change, like the Kyoto Protocol in 1997. The Paris Agreement was adopted in 2015 with the goal of keeping global temperature rise below 2°C. The U.S. signed and ratified the agreement, but later decided to withdraw. However, many states and local governments in the U.S. are still committed to the goals of the Paris Agreement. The previous White House administration made a lot of rules and plans for dealing with sea-level rise and climate change. They made the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and other agencies come up with ways to address these issues in their projects. They also gave guidance on how to think about greenhouse gas emissions and climate change when evaluating government projects. The new administration is changing its approach to these issues. President Trump ordered the Council on Environmental Quality to get rid of guidelines that consider climate change in agency analyses. Despite this, Florida agencies are still working on climate initiatives. Local governments in Florida are also planning for climate change by using data, discouraging sprawl, and protecting air quality. Some of them have even added specific elements in their plans to address sea-level rise and energy issues. Florida law also allows for the establishment of areas specifically focused on adapting to climate change. These areas could include low-lying lands, areas connected to the coast, or evacuation zones for storms. The goal is to develop policies and get funding for projects in these areas. Starting in 2015, Florida law required that city plans near the coast include a part about how to avoid building in unsafe flood areas. This includes strategies to reduce flood risks, best practices for removing property from flood zones, techniques for developing sites to reduce flood insurance costs, following federal and state flood management regulations, and participating in a program for lower flood insurance costs. Local governments in Florida are required to include plans for dealing with rising sea levels in their overall development plans. As of 2017, only about 22 percent of local governments have addressed this issue in their plans, and only 13 are in compliance with the new requirements.
To help with this, some areas in Florida have formed regional collaborations, where different counties work together to share resources and make plans for dealing with sea-level rise. These collaborations have helped to reach agreements on how to plan for the future.
Many local governments in Florida have already started taking action to address sea-level rise by creating plans and projects to deal with flooding and other issues. Maintaining roads and drainage systems is also a big concern, as changing weather conditions make it harder to keep them in good shape. St. Johns County was sued by property owners because the Atlantic Ocean was damaging the only road to their homes. The court ruled that the county had to maintain the road to provide access to the homes. The county passed a law to address road issues in environmentally challenging locations. In Monroe County, a study was done to analyze flooding impacts and the county adopted a resolution to address sea-level rise in road projects. They planned to address road elevation projects based on future vulnerability levels. In Florida, courts distinguish between upgrading and maintaining infrastructure. Upgrading is considered a planning-level function and the government is immune from liability for decisions related to it. However, failing to maintain infrastructure can expose the government to potential liability. The government has a duty to maintain and operate infrastructure it provides. Broward County is developing new groundwater maps to better design stormwater management systems for future conditions. Local governments must consider their obligation to provide infrastructure services, the duty to maintain them, and manage expectations for future conditions. Miami Beach and Ft. Lauderdale have raised their seawall height requirements to prepare for rising sea levels. Other cities, like Hillsboro Beach, are also considering similar changes. The federal government’s stance on climate policy is changing, which could affect future flood risk programs. The federal government’s decisions on climate change will affect Florida’s local governments. Florida has already started making plans for the future, but federal policies will determine the funding and resources available for these plans. The United Nations and other international organizations are also working on climate change agreements, such as the Kyoto Protocol and the Paris Agreement, which will also impact Florida’s plans for the future. The United Nations developed the Paris Agreement to address climate change. Some US states and businesses support the agreement, while the federal government has made changes to environmental policies. Climate change is being considered in government planning and regulations. There are differing opinions on the best way to address climate change. Florida is planning for the impacts of climate change, like rising sea levels.
Source: https://www.floridabar.org/the-florida-bar-journal/why-the-law-of-climate-change-matters-from-paris-to-a-local-government-near-you/
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