Southwest Florida leaders come together to prepare region for climate change

Local leaders and experts in Southwest Florida met for the first time Friday under a compact meant to improve the region’s resiliency against the effects of climate change.

Leaders from 15 jurisdictions spanning Charlotte, Collier and Lee counties as well as the Seminole Tribe of Florida agreed to join the Southwest Florida Regional Resiliency Compact.

The initial meeting was an organizational process to establish starting points on how the group should work together. 

The compact is run through The Water School at Florida Gulf Coast University, Growing Climate Solutions and the FCRC Consensus Center at Florida State University

“This area’s natural resources, economy and communities will benefit from this united front against sea-level rise and climate change,” Julie Wraithmell, executive director for Audubon Florida, said in a news release.

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Members of the compact signed a non-legally binding agreement that commits them to “identifying common climate change vulnerability assessment methodologies; strategies for adaptation and mitigation actions that will enhance the resiliency of their communities; learning from one another’s prior efforts and planning documents; leveraging their resources; and pursuing public-private partnerships.”

The compact’s goal is to plan for sea-level rise, help local governments assess climate change vulnerabilities, find funding for these solutions as well as develop a regional legislative strategy.

The City of Naples appointed Mayor Teresa Heitmann to the compact during its Thursday meeting.

“I think it’s always good to have a diverse group working on our environmental issues,” she said.

On Friday, Lee County Commissioner Kevin Ruane said looking to how other regional compacts across the state have done things will be helpful moving forward. Other regional representatives agreed.

"It's essential to have other bodies out there that have done this," he said. "Having someone more further advanced than us would be a good tool to have."

Mike Savarese, with FGCU's Water School, said virtual participants in the meeting representing the Southeast regional compact had offered their support.

Other compacts came together with joint projects to benefit the entire region, he said.

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Former DEP secretary Noah Valenstein, now at FGCU's Water School, said there is competitive advantage for jurisdictions looking for grants by participating in the compact, discussing and building a narrative proving why the area is important. 

Hal Beardall, with the consensus center, said the FSU group will be acting as a facilitator for the group.

Beardall's role is to guide the compact toward efficient and effective conversation. Friday's meeting, he said, was an exploration on where the group wanted to take everything.

Collier County Commissioner Bill McDaniel said he wanted to emphasize the necessity for flexibility in the beginning.

"Once we narrow our focus, we can determine what we are going to be when we grow up," he said.

The compact's initial guiding principles, which will evolve as the group does, include discussing concerns and seeking consensus on decisions, focusing on projects and activities that add value to members and addressing the needs of all residents and communities in the region.

Karl Schneider is an environment reporter. You can reach him at kschneider@gannett.com. Follow on Twitter @karlstartswithk