Sustainability and climate resiliency at the forefront this Earth Day | Guestview
The official theme for Earth Day 2023 is “Invest in Our Planet.” This theme highlights the importance of dedicating our time, resources, and energy to solving climate change and the importance of protecting our resources for a path toward a prosperous future. Here in Pensacola, we are uniquely positioned to witness significant steps toward this future through key investments in sustainability and climate resiliency and a strong network of dedicated non-profit organizations. The question that remains is can we follow through and make this an even more significant movement in our community.
As residents of Florida, we know that climate change effects driven directly by human activities are becoming an increasingly urgent matter – putting us face-to-face with rising sea levels, more frequent flooding, and stronger storms. Realizing the potential threats, the city took a first major step toward addressing this issue with the establishment of the Climate Mitigation and Adaptation Task Force in 2017 and their final report issued in 2018. Then came the hiring of Mark Jackson in 2020, making us the only city with a dedicated sustainability professional spanning from the Alabama border to Tallahassee – truly a success worth celebrating in and of itself.
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What has followed has been a layered and commendable attempt at mitigating climate change effects led by data-driven planning and clear commitment, including the Sea Level Rise Vulnerability Assessment, a baseline Greenhouse Gas inventory, City Council’s 30% renewable energy by 2030 goal, the Solar Feasibility Study, and a new flood ordinance. Continuing developments include the city’s first ever solar panel installation at Bayview Community Center, the second phase vulnerability assessment with over $3 million in implementation funds, and additional grants for flood and coastal resiliency projects. The city is also set to receive funds from the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grants (EECBG) Program to assist with energy use and fossil fuel emissions reduction strategies. In 2022, the city received a SolSmart gold designation for creating an easier, faster, and more affordable process for homes and businesses installing solar.
These investments at the city level have put us on a strong path toward building climate resiliency, but a prosperous future requires more than just infrastructure improvements. It requires embracing the entire principle of sustainability and connecting our efforts to people. It is here that our non-profit community has picked up the ball and helped Pensacola move closer to the ultimate goal – a healthy and happy sustainable community. Spurred by advocacy from groups like Bike Pensacola and efforts through CivicCon, a more walkable and bikeable city is becoming a reality. The first ever protected bike lane will be constructed on Main Street. The city will issue an Active Transportation Plan this summer to identify investments for improved access, comfort, and safety in walking and biking. Countless other non-profits are keeping our streets and waterways clean and educating our community on the importance of caring for our environment.
So what is the next call to action? We cannot count on direction at the state level, and we cannot rely solely on the city, county, and non-profit organizations to do all of the work. We need the business community, namely tourism, to further embrace sustainability and begin to lead the way alongside them.
Pensacola is supported by a tourism economy driven solely by our white sand beaches that are under direct threat by climate change. Our beaches attracted over 2.5 million visitors who spent over $1.3 billion in fiscal year 2022, generating over $21 million in tourism development tax and over $61 million in net benefit to the county. With these numbers predicted to continue trending upward, the potential for high impact change is wasting away with every season as the potential for irreversible damage heightens.
Facilitating any big change that requires capital and the will to spend it can seem daunting. But we can start by calling for more investment in sustainable tourism through all available funding mechanisms. We can start by providing more environmental education to our visitors so that they begin to ask for change. We can find more incentives for businesses to make sustainable investments. And we can start by working together for a greater purpose as a business community, to transform the current tourism economy into one that is known for sustainable practices.
It is inevitably our responsibility to ensure our that Pensacola remains a vibrant and attractive destination for both visitors and residents alike while still preserving the ecological diversity and beauty that makes it so unique.
At the risk of sounding too hopeful, my true expectation is that by next Earth Day we will have a list of sustainable tourism successes to add to our city’s accomplishments. I will end with a core motto of the modern-day sustainability movement – “progress over perfection.” A reminder to count each success no matter how small it seems. A reminder that we have much to celebrate in how far Pensacola has come toward a more sustainable and resilient future.
Bethanne Edwards is a Pensacola resident and is director of sustainability for Innisfree Hotels.
This article originally appeared on Pensacola News Journal: Earth Day: Sustainability and climate resiliency at the forefront
