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The South Florida Roundup

Florida Roundup: Managing Rising Seas In South Florida

Climate Central

A new interactive map shows coastal cities like Miami could potentially be submerged within this century if carbon emissions worldwide continue “business as usual,” says Ben Strauss.

Strauss is vice president of sea level and climate impact at the research nonprofit Climate Central, which published the map.

It illustrates the effect of carbon emissions on sea-level rise through the year 2100.

In South Florida’s case, “the projections are difficult and unfortunate,” says Strauss.

Local governments are under pressure to create public policy for managing rising seas.

Broward County’s Environmental Planning and Community Resilience Division has worked for two years with six pilot communities that have experienced tidal flooding. Solutions have involved “higher sea walls, create places for water to sit and reduce traffic lanes,” says director Jennifer Jurado.

Meanwhile, Miami-Dade County recently appointed its first Chief Resilience Officer. James Murley will begin his new position on Nov. 3. He is expected to make recommendations to the mayor and county commissioners on how to allocate funds for climate change and sea-level management projects.

On the Florida Roundup this Friday, Strauss said the Climate Central map can aid officials in making those recommendations.

“The purpose of the map is to help local officials to communicate up the chains on what sea-level rise means for them and for the communities,” says Strauss.

The map shows four scenarios: unchecked pollution, which we have now; minor cuts, illustrating what would happen after small cutbacks on emissions; moderate cuts and finally extreme cuts, which Strauss calls the “ideal scenario.”

In that scenario, carbon emissions by mid-21st century are cut back to levels seen in the 1950s. “This is very ambitious,” says Strauss, adding that South Florida has an opportunity to serve as a model for the United States -- and the rest of the world -- on how cutting back on emissions can help minimize the impacts of sea-level rise in the long run.

For example, Strauss says, “In the best carbon emissions, half of the area of Miami could be saved from being submerged.”

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