Abstract

Many local governments are ramping up their capacity to address complex issues such as sustainability and resilience, given the global context of climate change stressors in a post-pandemic era. Crafting any meaningful effort consists of needs assessments to determine appropriate strategies to inform the development of suitable programs. A 2021 survey of municipal governments in Florida (N=178) indicated that many governments still have internal education issues surrounding climate concepts, are interested in environmental impact and resilience strategies, need assistance with community engagement and education, and could benefit from climate science data that addresses economic concerns. Municipalities are particularly concerned about economic loss, increased infrastructure costs, and loss of natural resources. Barriers to addressing the climate emergency include lack of capacity (i.e., staff, finances), community proactivity and readiness, political will, and collaboration in a bureaucratic model. University of Florida Extension faculty developed and deployed a comprehensive Climate Smart Floridians educational training program to address some of these concerns. This is complemented by regional and/or individual government efforts to conduct baseline greenhouse gas inventories, collect diverse community input to inform local government action plans, and provide internal staff training to support a climate-aware culture. Within this project, Extension faculty have conducted relevant needs assessments, interviewed key stakeholders, conducted community education events and forums, and identified issues for developing alternative options. The insights gained from this work will be invaluable in other projects and offer a blueprint for replicating similar projects in other communities.

Presenters

Alicia Betancourt
Extension Director, Institute of Food and Agriculture- Monroe County, University of Florida, Florida, United States

Ramona Madhosingh-Hector
Regional Specialized Agent, Urban Sustainability, University of Florida/IFAS Extension, Florida, United States

Details

Presentation Type

Paper Presentation in a Themed Session

Theme

2024 Special Focus—The Future We Want: Socio-Environmental Challenges in Times of Climate Emergency

KEYWORDS

Municipal Strategies, Capacity, Community Readiness, Collaboration, Needs Assessment

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