The Florida Secretary of Agriculture and Consumer Services Nikki Fried, who is also a Democratic candidate for governor, announced Thursday a new initiative that would make the state’s power supply come from 100% renewable resources by 2050, the Associated Press reports.

“This is one of the most urgent issues of our time,” Fried said at a Miami news conference. “We can’t afford to deny this reality and the urgency of what is happening to our state.”  Fried’s plan sets interim goals to incrementally move Florida away from fossil fuels and to renewables:  40% by 2030, 63% by 2035 and 82% by 2040.

The program seeks to address an ongoing court case brought by dozens of young people in Florida who claim the state government is violating their Constitutional rights by promoting fossil fuel usage in the face of damage from climate change.  Florida has experiences fires, floods, hurricanes and other natural disasters experts attribute to changing climate, and the lawsuit would require government policy to address future concerns about climate change instead of immediate political initiatives.

Fried acknowledges that without additional legislation, her program is unlikely to be made mandatory.  However, even without a state law pushing the goals–something that is unlikely with pro-pollution Republicans controlling the state legislature and governor’s house–the department can monitor, track and make recommendations to hit the goal.