Florida bans local governments from pursuing net-zero emissions goals
Florida bans local governments from pursuing net-zero emissions goals
佛罗里达州禁止地方政府推行“净零排放”目标
A new state law limits Florida communities’ aims to offset greenhouse gas emissions that are warming the global climate and intensifying disasters such as hurricanes. Specifically, HB 1217 prohibits local governments from pursuing net-zero emissions goals. 一项新的州法律限制了佛罗里达州各社区抵消温室气体排放的努力，这些排放正在使全球气候变暖，并加剧飓风等灾害。具体而言，HB 1217法案禁止地方政府推行“净零排放”目标。
At least 10 cities and counties have implemented such policies, including Fort Lauderdale, Miami, Orlando, and Leon County, where Tallahassee, the state capital, is located. But the new law will not necessarily upend these policies, said Bradley Marshall, senior attorney at Earthjustice, an advocacy group. 至少有10个城市和县已经实施了此类政策，包括劳德代尔堡、迈阿密、奥兰多以及州首府塔拉哈西所在的莱昂县。但倡导组织“地球正义”（Earthjustice）的高级律师布拉德利·马歇尔（Bradley Marshall）表示，这项新法律并不一定会彻底推翻这些政策。
“It’s certainly meant to scare municipalities and local governments from trying to do things to further net-zero policies,” he said. “Now, its exact impact and what it exactly prohibits is probably up for some debate. Things that are adjacent to it—emissions reductions and even climate change reduction policies—on their face will not run afoul at all of a ban on adopting a net zero policy.” “这显然是为了恐吓各市和地方政府，使其不敢尝试推行净零政策，”他说。“目前，其确切影响以及具体禁止的内容可能还有待商榷。与此相关的事项——例如减排甚至气候变化减缓政策——从表面上看，并不会触犯关于禁止采用净零政策的禁令。”
The measure requires local governments to submit an affidavit annually to the state Department of Revenue verifying compliance. Gov. Ron DeSantis, a Republican, signed the measure on April 22, Earth Day, and the law will take effect July 1. 该法案要求地方政府每年向州税务局提交一份宣誓书，以证明其合规性。共和党籍州长罗恩·德桑蒂斯（Ron DeSantis）于4月22日“地球日”签署了该法案，法律将于7月1日生效。
It states that “net zero policies, carbon taxes and assessments, and emission trading programs are detrimental to this state’s energy security and economic interests and inconsistent with the energy policy and the environmental policy of this state.” 法案指出，“净零政策、碳税和评估以及排放交易计划对本州的能源安全和经济利益有害，且与本州的能源政策和环境政策不符。”
“I proudly sponsored HB 1217 to fight for jobs and affordability in Florida,” according to a statement provided by the office of Rep. Berny Jacques (R-Clearwater). “This bill protects our residents and businesses from additional costs by ridding our state of Green New Deal policies. Carbon taxes and fees are not welcome in the Free State of Florida.” “我自豪地发起了HB 1217法案，旨在为佛罗里达州的就业和经济负担能力而战，”众议员伯尼·雅克（Berny Jacques，共和党，克利尔沃特选区）办公室提供的声明称。“该法案通过清除本州的‘绿色新政’政策，保护我们的居民和企业免受额外成本的影响。在佛罗里达这个自由州，碳税和费用是不受欢迎的。”
DeSantis implemented a law in 2024 erasing several instances of the words “climate change” from the state code and restructuring the state’s fossil fuel-based energy policy around reducing reliance on foreign sources and strengthening the energy infrastructure against “natural and manmade threats.” The measure also nullified goals aimed at enhancing renewable energy use. 德桑蒂斯在2024年实施了一项法律，删除了州法规中多处“气候变化”字样，并将该州以化石燃料为基础的能源政策重组为减少对外国能源的依赖，并加强能源基础设施以抵御“自然和人为威胁”。该措施还废除了旨在提高可再生能源使用率的目标。
The goals were initiated in 2022 after 200 Floridians, all under the age of 25, filed a petition for rulemaking calling on the state to move toward 100 percent clean energy by 2050, a benchmark scientists say is necessary to avoid the worst consequences of climate change. 这些目标始于2022年，当时200名25岁以下的佛罗里达州居民提交了一份规则制定请愿书，呼吁该州在2050年前实现100%清洁能源，科学家认为这是避免气候变化最严重后果的必要基准。
“This bill is definitely part of a larger coordinated push by the political enablers of the fossil fuel industry to obstruct any tools—legal or legislative tools—to hold the industry accountable for its contributions to climate change,” said Laura Peterson, senior analyst at the Union for Concerned Scientists, an advocacy group. “该法案绝对是化石燃料行业政治支持者更大规模协同行动的一部分，旨在阻碍任何法律或立法工具，以追究该行业对气候变化所做贡献的责任，”倡导组织“忧思科学家联盟”（Union for Concerned Scientists）的高级分析师劳拉·彼得森（Laura Peterson）表示。
“Florida is really on the front lines. So I imagine the governor is taking this step because he sees what’s coming down the pike. It’s not getting better. So I can only assume that this is an effort to satisfy some of the pressures that he’s getting from donors and from his party to protect the industry. And he’s doing it at the expense of his constituents.” “佛罗里达州确实处于最前线。所以我认为州长采取这一举措是因为他预见到了未来的挑战。情况并没有好转。所以我只能推测，这是为了满足他从捐赠者和党内获得的压力，以保护该行业。而他这样做是以牺牲选民利益为代价的。”
There is overwhelming scientific consensus that fossil fuel emissions have accelerated the planet’s warming since the industrial age, leading to more extreme disasters such as hurricanes. One study concluded it now is scientifically feasible to link individual emitters with specific harms, for the sake of litigation. 科学界已达成压倒性共识：自工业时代以来，化石燃料排放加速了地球变暖，导致了飓风等更极端的灾害。一项研究得出结论，为了诉讼目的，现在在科学上将个体排放者与特定损害联系起来是可行的。
HB 1217 also prevents local governments from purchasing items such as vehicles or appliances based on the fuels they use or production of the items. Local governments may not participate in carbon-trading programs or use public funds to support other organizations with net-zero policies. Cities and counties also may not charge a tax or fee tied with carbon emissions. HB 1217法案还禁止地方政府根据燃料使用情况或产品生产方式来采购车辆或电器等物品。地方政府不得参与碳交易计划，也不得使用公共资金支持推行净零政策的其他组织。市和县政府也不得征收与碳排放挂钩的税费。
When the Orlando Utilities Commission (OUC) announced in 2020 its commitment to net zero emissions by 2050, the municipal utility and city were recognized as leaders in a state where most local governments at the time were more focused on climate impacts such as sea level rise and flooding. 当奥兰多公用事业委员会（OUC）在2020年宣布其2050年实现净零排放的承诺时，该市政公用事业机构和城市被公认为该州的领导者，而当时该州大多数地方政府更关注海平面上升和洪水等气候影响。
The commitment set in motion one of the biggest evolutions at the utility in its nearly century-long history, utility leaders said at the time. OUC is the second-largest municipal utility in the state, serving more than 288,000 customers in Orange and Osceola counties. 公用事业领导人当时表示，这一承诺开启了该机构近百年历史上最大的变革之一。OUC是该州第二大市政公用事业机构，为奥兰治县和奥西奥拉县的超过28.8万名客户提供服务。
“We are aware of the legislation regarding net-zero emissions policies,” a statement OUC provided to Inside Climate News says. “Our focus remains on delivering reliable, affordable energy while continuing to reduce our carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions in a responsible and balanced way. Since 2020, we have made meaningful progress in lowering CO2 emissions and remain committed to further reductions including a 50 percent reduction by 2030 and 75 percent by 2040.” “我们已知悉有关净零排放政策的立法，”OUC向《气候内幕》（Inside Climate News）提供的声明中写道。“我们的重点仍然是提供可靠、负担得起的能源，同时以负责任和平衡的方式继续减少二氧化碳（CO2）排放。自2020年以来，我们在降低二氧化碳排放方面取得了重大进展，并致力于进一步减排，包括到2030年减排50%，到2040年减排75%。”
Boca Raton and Fort Lauderdale, and Broward and Miami-Dade counties also have been pursuing goals of net-zero emissions by 2050. Miami, Miramar, Pinellas County, and Sarasota have similar goals. 博卡拉顿、劳德代尔堡以及布劳沃德县和迈阿密-戴德县也一直在追求2050年实现净零排放的目标。迈阿密、米拉马尔、皮内拉斯县和萨拉索塔也有类似的目标。
But in Leon County, leaders have taken several steps back in response to HB 1217. They rescinded a 2023 resolution declaring a climate emergency. They also rolled back plans to phase out fossil fuel-powered vehicles and amended a policy to remove a mandate for recycled paper. 但在莱昂县，领导层为应对HB 1217法案采取了多项退缩措施。他们撤销了2023年宣布气候紧急状态的决议。他们还取消了逐步淘汰化石燃料动力车辆的计划，并修改了一项政策，删除了对再生纸的强制要求。
The Paul Russell Road facility, which the county bills as the nation’s first government retrofit building to achieve net-zero certification, will lose that certification, although the building’s solar and energy efficiency systems will continue operating unchanged. 保罗·拉塞尔路（Paul Russell Road）设施曾被该县宣传为全国首个获得净零认证的政府改造建筑，现在将失去该认证，尽管该建筑的太阳能和能效系统将继续照常运行。
Susan Glickman, vice president for policy and partnerships at The CLEO Institute, an advocacy group, worried the law could have a chilling effect on other local policies aimed at moving Florida to cleaner energy. “It means that everyone is going to pay more money.” 倡导组织“CLEO研究所”（The CLEO Institute）负责政策与合作的副总裁苏珊·格利克曼（Susan Glickman）担心，该法律可能会对旨在推动佛罗里达州转向更清洁能源的其他地方政策产生寒蝉效应。“这意味着每个人都将付出更多的金钱。”