MiamiHerald.com | 02/02/2007 | Broward mayors sign global warming pact

MiamiHerald.com 02/02/2007 Broward mayors sign global warming pact Posted on Fri, Feb. 02, 2007 ENVIRONMENTBroward mayors sign global warming pactMore than 20 South Florida cities have signed an agreement to combat global warming, but it won't reverse the sprawl.BY AMY SHERMANasherman@MiamiHerald.com Mayors in most of Broward's major cities have joined a national effort to fight global warming. ''Broward's mayors are setting a strong example for the nation by demonstrating that they are concerned about global warming,'' said Barry Heimlich, vice president of the Broward County Audubon Society. The organization is leading the effort to get local mayors to sign an agreement supporting the Kyoto treaty, an international accord which took effect in 2005 to reduce emissions. While others are embracing the effort, Fort Lauderdale Mayor Jim Naugle has refused to sign the agreement because he says it's ''anti-American'' and would send jobs overseas. ''Most mayors, if they really studied Kyoto and learned about it, would ask for their signatures back,'' Naugle said. ``It would call for the U.S. to meet certain pollution standards that would cost billions of dollars, but doesn't ask the same thing of China and India.'' Fort Lauderdale already has taken such environmental steps as reducing the size of city vehicles and using solar energy to run meters, he said, adding that he got the Broward League of Mayors to adopt a document covering environmental concerns -- such as conserving energy and water. Heimlich rejects Naugle's arguments and says that the U.S. must get involved to encourage other countries to do their fair share. The Kyoto agreement was adopted by more than 30 countries that agreed to cut emissions of carbon dioxide and other global warming gases to below 1990 levels by 2012. President Bush objected to Kyoto, saying it would slow the country's economic growth. A GRASSROOTS REVOLT But the mayor of Seattle sparked a grassroots movement for cities around the country to embrace its goals to save the environment. So far, more than 375 mayors nationwide -- including some 20 in South Florida -- have signed the accord, called the U.S. Mayors Climate Protection Agreement. Mayors in Davie, Hollywood, Miramar and Pembroke Pines in Broward and Coral Gables, Miami and Key Biscayne in Miami-Dade are included in the South Florida group. By signing the agreement, mayors have agreed to reduce pollution and lobby federal and state governments to support the agreement. Mayors say their cities can help by using energy-efficient light bulbs at city halls, buying fuel efficient cars for city fleets and writing laws encouraging developers to build ''green'' buildings. The agreement seeks to have cities reduce sprawl and promote public transportation -- two issues that will be difficult to achieve in Broward, where it is almost built out and public support for mass transit has been weak. Last November, Broward voters rejected an increase in the sales tax for public transportation projects. ''Without some sort of mass transportation system, it's going to be tough for the county to reduce its carbon footprint in any substantial way,'' said George Cavros, conservation chair of the Broward Sierra Club. Davie Mayor Tom Truex said he initially had reservations about the agreement, but finally signed it. `EVERYONE'S PROBLEM' The agreement is '' basically saying the problems we have with the environment is everyone's problem,'' Truex said. For its part, Davie is allowing higher density along the 441 corridor to encourage the use of mass transit, he said. In Coral Gables, Mayor Don Slesnick said his city's trolley system is used by 4,000 people a day and reduces the number of cars on the road. But Gables won't force developers to adopt green building standards. ''It's not our style to usually require developers,'' Slesnick said. ``It's our style to encourage developers. We would be looking for incentives to do green.'' Weston Mayor Eric Hersh will present the agreement to his City Commission on Monday. Weston could take steps toward improving the environment, but expanding bus service in his city is not realistic since gated communities don't want buses inside, he said. ''It would be a pipe dream to think we could create a public transportation system in Weston,'' Hersh said. Miami Herald reporter Matthew I. Pinzur and researchers Monika Leal and Scott Hutchinson contributed to this article. © 2007 MiamiHerald.com and wire service sources. All Rights Reserved.http://www.miami.com