Audubon Florida
Ibises in flight
Audubon Florida Climate and Energy News Roundup
This week we share news about Orlando’s new EV readiness code, Hurricane Ida’s effects on communities across the country, new heat records set in Florida, a microgrid partnership, and more!   
White Ibises at Audubon's Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary.
Orlando City Council Passes EV Make-Ready Code
From Southern Alliance for Clean Energy

“Orlando City Council will require EV make-ready for new construction and major renovations. EV make-ready policies lower cost to install future EVSE and increase likelihood of access to home charging. Orlando is the latest municipality in the Southeast to adopt an electric vehicle (EV) make-ready ordinance. This policy will help the city reach its ambitious sustainability goals established under the leadership of Mayor Buddy Dyer.”
 
Lawmakers: Ida Damage Shows Need for Infrastructure Upgrades
From Associated Press

“Shaken by haunting images of surging rivers, flooded roads and subways and other damage caused by the remnants of Hurricane Ida, lawmakers from both parties are vowing to upgrade the nation’s aging infrastructure network... At least 50 people from Virginia to Connecticut died as storm water from Ida’s remnants cascaded into people’s homes and engulfed automobiles, overwhelming urban drainage systems unable to handle so much rain in such a short time.”
Florida Continues to Break Heat Records
From Local 10 News South Florida

“Florida is home to ten of the hottest cities in the country with Miami and the Southeast topping the list. Experts are concerned about the potential long term impact on man and nature if temperatures, as projected, keep going up. As the planet continues to warm from the increase in greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, so called normal temperatures are also rising… Since 1970, Southeast Florida has had a growing number of days above 90 compared to previous decades, posing a threat to hundreds of thousands of vulnerable residents.”
FIU-FPL Microgrid Demonstrates the Importance of Cross-sector Partnerships in South Florida
From Florida International University 

“Florida Power & Light Company (FPL) has its own checklist to prepare for hurricane seasons, such as conducting an annual storm drill and countless pole inspections and tree trimmings. FPL is also working with FIU on cutting-edge research to protect the reliability of our energy supply during future severe weather events. This is a project that not only has the potential to revolutionize the grid, it also demonstrates how cross-sector partnerships can result in innovation...”
Adapting to Climate Change, More Extreme Storms, and Sea Level Rise
From South Florida Water Management District

“The District is committed to ensuring our flood protection system can continue to operate today and well into the future... Did you know that ecosystem restoration supports the District's efforts to address the effects of climate change and sea level rise? Completed Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan (CERP) projects increase our ability to better manage water for the benefit of people and the environment. These projects also increase the District's ability to better manage anticipated extreme weather events and increase the ecosystem’s future resilience in the face of warmer temperatures and other climate change impacts.”
The Race to Rescue Florida’s Diseased Corals
From Washington Post

“Since 2014, a mysterious illness known as stony coral tissue loss disease has plagued Florida’s reef tract, killing off nearly half the state’s hard corals… Unlike other coral diseases, which typically affect about 2 to 3 percent of corals on a reef and fluctuate seasonally, stony coral tissue loss targets more than 20 species and kills its host within a few months — sometimes even weeks. No one knows what causes the waterborne disease or what sparked its initial outbreak. Climate change, however, has made such events increasingly common.”
Scientists Detail Role of Climate Change in Ida's Intensity
From The Hill

“A combination of climate-related factors such as warm ocean temperatures and increased sea level rise helped fuel Hurricane Ida and its path of destruction, scientists said. The deadly storm made landfall as a Category 4 hurricane on Sunday, hitting Louisiana and Mississippi and leaving more than 1 million people without power as of Monday morning. According to a recent United Nations report on climate change, hurricanes like Ida are likely to continue to intensify as the planet keeps warming.”
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