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Audubon Florida Climate and Energy News Roundup This week we share news about solar energy in the Panhandle, the Southwest Florida climate compact, the importance of elevation in real estate, and more!

Sandhill Crane. Photo: Harinder Singh/Audubon Photography Awards

Destin's HarborWalk Village Promotes Solar Energy With Gulf Power Partnership From UWF Public Media “Okaloosa County’s first two solar trees were installed Thursday morning at Destin’s HarborWalk Village. The project is a partnership with Gulf Power, Legendary Inc. and the City of Destin to showcase sustainable energy. ‘These two solar trees are capable of generating electricity, in fact, they generate enough electricity to power, on average, six school classrooms every single day of the year,’ said Mike Spoor, vice president of Gulf Power.” Read the entire article.

Southwest Florida Climate Change Resiliency Group is Forming, Which Include Lee, Collier and Charlotte Counties From Naples Daily News “A regional climate change advisory group that's been in the works for years will start meeting soon to determine just how it will operate. The Southwest Florida Resiliency Compact includes Lee, Collier and Charlotte counties as well as the municipalities in those counties and one erosion prevention district.” Read the entire article.

Electric Cars ‘Will Be Cheaper to Produce Than Fossil Fuel Vehicles by 2027’ From The Guardian “Electric cars and vans will be cheaper to produce than conventional, fossil fuel-powered vehicles by 2027, and tighter emissions regulations could put them in pole position to dominate all new car sales by the middle of the next decade, research has found. By 2026, larger vehicles such as electric sedans and SUVs will be as cheap to produce as petrol and diesel models, according to forecasts from BloombergNEF, with small cars reaching the threshold the following year. Electric vehicles reaching price parity with the internal combustion engine is seen as a key milestone in the world’s transition from burning fossil fuels.” Read the entire article.

Why should Florida's Legislature Pass Policies to Encourage Renewable Energy? | Opinion From Treasure Coast News “When it comes to energy production, Florida hasn’t exactly lived up to its reputation as “the sunshine state.” According to the Energy Information Administration, only about 4% of Florida’s net generation came from renewable energy sources in 2019. The clean energy industry is growing quickly, offering Florida a great opportunity to catch up and become a leader in the shift to renewable energy. Renewable energy is increasingly being used to reduce greenhouse gas emissions that contribute to climate change… Part of the reluctance to make the transition to renewable energy stems from the pervasive belief that it is not good for the economy. This is wrong.” Read the entire article.

‘Now, it’s About Elevation’: Buying a South Florida Home in the Era of Sea Level Rise From WGCU Public Media  “Sea level rise doesn’t top the list of buyer or seller concerns in South Florida — especially if you’re rich enough to afford the ever-skyrocketing costs of waterfront property — but for budget-conscious buyers, choosing the wrong home could have expensive consequences… After years of stiff-arming the issue of climate change, South Florida real estate professionals have finally begun talking to buyers about their concerns with the rising sea and flooding, according to Jalil.” Read the entire article.

Increases in Extreme Precipitation Cost the U.S. $73 Billion Over Three Decades From Yale Climate Connections “Torrential rain storms can flood homes, wash out roads and bridges, and destroy crops. Over the past three decades, flooding from heavy precipitation has caused about $200 billion of damage in the U.S. Frances Davenport is a PhD student in Earth system science at Stanford University. She wanted to know how much of that enormous price tag can be blamed on global warming… Her team analyzed historic rainfall trends and financial data about flood damages over decades. They estimated that between 1988 and 2017, about $73 billion of flood damage can be attributed to increases in extreme precipitation. That’s more than a third of the cost of flooding over those 30 years.” Read the entire article.

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