Aerial view looking southward over Ocean Ave. bridge and Intracoastal communities.

Climate Action Plan

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2020 Climate Action Plan 

The global climate is changing faster than at any time in modern history, presenting growing challenges to human health, quality of life, the economy, and natural systems. The City of Boynton Beach started planning for climate change a decade ago with the release of its first Climate Action Plan (CAP) in 2010 and adoption of the Southeast Florida Regional Climate Change Compact in 2012. In 2018, the City elevated its commitment to climate action by joining the Global Covenant of Mayors for Climate & Energy. 

The updated 2020 Climate Action Plan (CAP) offers a robust set of strategies and actions to reduce Boynton Beach’s greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. (Climate adaptation—i.e., preparing the community for the impacts of climate change—will be addressed in a separate plan.) The CAP reflects the latest science, aligns with international standards for GHG reduction, integrates the City’s strategic planning goals, and emphasizes the importance of ongoing, equitable community engagement. 

The 2020 Climate Action Plan sets forth the following long-term visions for our community: 

  • Make Boynton Beach a regional and national leader in sustainability through innovative policies, programs, and partnerships.
  • Become a leader in energy efficiency and clean energy that comes from the sun, wind, or other renewable technologies.
  • Create a greener Boynton Beach by enhancing the tree canopy and native plant and wildlife communities.
  • Transform Boynton Beach into a community where people walk, bike, take transit, or carpool for most trips in a safe, accessible, and affordable transportation network.
  • Inspire citizen engagement and ensure that the benefits of climate action are shared equitably among all community members.

While geared primarily toward greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction, the strategies in this plan are expected to produce a number of additional benefits for the people, economy, and environment of Boynton Beach. We have identified five major “co-benefits,” which are indicated for each GHG reduction strategy in the plan. 

  • Cost Savings by reducing costs of electricity and vehicle fuel/maintenance
  • Economic Development by promoting local green businesses and ecotourism
  • Public Health by reducing air pollutants and promoting active lifestyles
  • Ecosystem Protection by enhancing greenspace and reducing plastic pollution
  • Climate Resilience by reducing urban heat and promoting resilient energy systems

A greenhouse gas emissions inventory (GHGI) involves collecting data for each of three emissions “scopes” and calculating the resulting quantity of GHGs emitted in metric tons. For details on the GHGI methodologies, please contact the Office of Sustainability. 

The Government Operations GHGI focuses on emissions from activities, assets, and facilities controlled by the City of Boynton Beach. Complete Government GHGIs were completed for calendar years 2006, 2015, 2017, and 2018. Overall, 72% of emissions were Scope 2 generated from purchased electricity, 20% were Scope 1 generated mainly from the use of transportation fuel, and 8% were Scope 3 generated from employee commuting and solid wasteprocessed outside of City limits by the Solid Waste Authority of Palm Beach County. Emissions from government operations declined by 14% from 2006 to 2018, as a result of both 1) a reduction in electricity consumption by the Cityand 2) an increase in the percentage of electricity in Florida Power & Light’s (FPL’s) electrical grid that is generated from clean solar energy.

Government GHG Emissions by Scope by Year MTCO2e

A greenhouse gas emissions inventory (GHGI) involves collecting data for each of three emissions “scopes” and calculating the resulting quantity of GHGs emitted in metric tons. For details on the GHGI methodologies, please contact the Office of Sustainability. 

The Community GHGI focuses on emissions from activities, assets, and facilities controlled by the residential, commercial, and business sectors of the community. Complete Community GHGIs were completed for calendar years 2015 and 2017. Overall, 48% of emissions were Scope 2 generated from purchased electricity, 48% were Scope 1 generated mainly from the use of transportation fuel, and 3% were Scope 3 generated from solid waste processed outside of City limits by the Solid Waste Authority of Palm Beach County. Community emissions decreased slightly (0.2%) from 2015 to 2017, as a result of both 1) a reduction in community electricity consumption in the residential sector and 2) an increase in the percentage of electricity in Florida Power & Light’s (FPL’s) electrical grid that is generated from clean solar energy. The reductionis notable given that the Boynton Beach population increased 1.7% over this time period. 

Community GHG Emissions by Scope by Year MTCO2e

Following recommendations of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), the 2020 Climate Action Plan establishes the following GHG emission reduction targets for both Government Operations and the Boynton Beach Community: 

  • 50% reduction below 2015 levels by 2035 
  • Net zero GHG emissions by 2050 

The graphs below plot the measured GHGI results against the target of a 50% reduction by 2035. Also displayed are two “business as usual” scenarios based on two different assumptions about FPL’s future electrical grid. The yellow dotted line assumes that FPL will continue to move toward clean energy at the rate they have been since 2006, while the purple dashed line assumes no change in FPL’s future fuel mix. 

City of Boynton Beach government green house gas emissions targets

City of Boynton Beach community green house gas emissions targets

The 2020 Climate Action Plan presents 18 GHG emission reduction strategies, organized according to the structure of the GHG inventory data: 

Government Operations 

Government Scope 1: Transportation 
G-1.1: Green Fleet
G-1.2: Employee Commute Reduction 
Government Scope 2: Buildings & Facilities 
G-2.1: Building Efficiency
G-2.2: Water Infrastructure Efficiency
G-2.3: Renewable Energy in Government Facilities 
Government Scope 3: Waste 
G-3.1: Green Office Practices

Boynton Beach Community 

Community Scope 1: Transportation & Land Use 
C-1.1: Compact & Mixed Use Development
C-1.2: Bike & Pedestrian Infrastructure
C-1.3: Electric Vehicle Infrastructure
C-1.4: Transit Enhancement
C-1.5: Urban Forestry
C-1.6: Greenspace Preservation 
Community Scope 2: Buildings 
C-2.1: Green Building Standards
C-2.2: Energy Efficiency & Conservation
C-2.3: Water Efficiency & Conservation
C-2.4: Renewable Energy Planning & Promotion 
Community Scope 3: Waste & Consumption  
C-3.1: Waste Reduction & Recycling
C-3.2: Sustainable Lifestyle & Consumption 

For each strategy, the CAP lists the responsible City departments, associated co-benefits, level of community priority, and level of GHG reduction potential. Detailed progress and actions are included in a Strategy Implementation Guide, available through the Office of Sustainability.

Progress on implementing CAP actions and meeting the GHG reduction targets will be tracked and communicated annually to City Commission, the community, and the Global Covenant of Mayors for Climate and Energy. The Strategy Implementation Guide will be continually updated as the City completes the listed actions and refines them based on new information, technologies, policies, and priorities. The City is working with consultants at SustainaBase, LLC to develop the CAP into an interactive plan that can be tracked in on an online platform.