Land Use & Transportation

How land is used in Miami-Dade County is important. Where people live and work determines their commuting patterns and often affects transportation choices. How people get around and their method of transportation also drives half (55%) of our community-wide greenhouse gas emissions and is a source of other air pollutants.

Approach 4: Reduce transportation-related fuel consumption
Reducing transportation-related fuel consumption will have the largest single impact on climate pollution in Miami-Dade County and requires multiple strategies, including reducing vehicle and mobile equipment usage, expanding effective low-carbon mobility options, accelerating the electrification of vehicles and equipment, prioritizing those powered by renewable energy, and cutting emissions from Miami-Dade’s seaport, airports, and other commercial hubs. All of these emissions reducing approaches provide multiple long-term economic, health, and climate benefits.

Approach 5: Expand and protect green and blue spaces
Land use programs and policies in Miami-Dade County that maintain healthy natural resources help address the negative impacts of climate change. Miami-Dade’s land and marine ecosystems absorb and store carbon dioxide and other types of pollution. Coastal habitats absorb carbon at a rate 10 times greater than mature terrestrial tropical forests. They also store three to five times more carbon per equivalent area than tropical forests. While agriculture does not maintain ecosystems in their natural state, regenerative agricultural practices can be utilized to enhance carbon storage in the soil, and expanding the tree canopy increases shade and cooling, which reduces urban heat.

Progress Highlights

Electric Bus Fleet

Miami-Dade County’s Department of Transportation and Public Works has purchased or has received approval to purchase a total of 175 electric buses by 2024. Once all of the buses are put into service, they will represent over 10 percent of the bus fleet. The County currently has 53 electric buses operating throughout its service area in addition to three charging depots with chargers to power the buses.

Port Electrification

PortMiami is installing the first shore power system in the southeastern United States, specifically to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and demonstrate leadership in sustainability. Providing shore power to cruise ships is a significant step toward achieving Miami-Dade County’s goal to cut overall emissions 50% by 2030 and achieve net zero by 2050. Shore power connectivity allows cruise vessels to use electric power while docked at PortMiami, thereby reducing carbon emissions.

Marsh & mangrove restoration

One of the largest reforestation projects that Miami-Dade County’s Department of Environmental Resources Management (DERM)’s Environmentally Endangered Land’s (EEL) program has initiated in recent years coincided with the first implementation year of the County’s Climate Action Strategy. This reforestation milestone involved the planting of nearly 5,000 trees at and adjacent to Matheson Hammock, part of a multiyear ecological restoration project in this designated Natural Forest Community area.

Adding new park lands

In August 2022, Miami-Dade County Parks, Recreation and Open Spaces Department broke ground on Jeb Estates Park, a new 1.5-acre, undeveloped green space which is being revitalized as a new mini park with a nature-based playground and recreation amenities.