Environmental Groups Urge Florida to Take Global Warming Action

Environmental groups have issued a coastal, marine system global warming survival guide for Florida in an effort to prod state officials into taking action now while disaster is still manageable. Florida has heated up by about two degrees Fahrenheit since the 1960s, and scientists project that average temperatures will keep rising in the coming decades, with lows in winter increasing three to 10 degrees and highs in summer increasing three to seven degrees.

These warmer temperatures will bring more extreme weather events, higher ocean temperatures and sea level rise, and while these prospects seem daunting, a group of nationally and internationally recognized environmental organizations has drafted a series of key steps that governments and individuals can take to minimize the dangers.

"By assembling the nation's first comprehensive set of guidelines for dealing with the demonstrated effects of climate change on a coastal state, the Florida Coastal and Ocean Coalition has accomplished a first," said Environmental Defense Fund Climate Director Gerald Karnas.

The Caribbean Conservation Corporation is a member along with Environmental Defense Fund, Gulf Restoration Network, National Wildlife Federation, the Natural Resources Defense Fund, Ocean Conservancy, Reef Relief and The Surfrider Foundation.

"This report is a blueprint for protecting our oceans from global warming," said Sarah Chasis, ocean initiative director with the Natural Resources Defense Council. "The longer we wait, the more expensive and difficult it is going to be to fix later."

The first and most important step, the groups say, is to curb emissions. But even if humans are able to do that, the impacts that are predicted to occur still must be addressed. Coastal and marine ecosystems can be restored so they can better cope with the stress of climate change and ocean acidification, according to the survival guide.

"The thin ribbon of sand that surrounds the Florida peninsula is the most important sea turtle nesting habitat in the U.S.," said Gary Appelson, Sea Turtle Survival League advocacy coordinator at the Caribbean Conservation Corp. Development in vulnerable areas can be halted to prepare for rising sea levels, and natural buffers must be restored and protected, the groups advise.

The guide urges governments and individuals to prepare for extreme weather events by protecting and restoring shoreline vegetation and wetlands and upgrading storm water management. Water use efficiency can be improved through conservation and recycling treated wastewater for irrigation and industrial use.

To reduce the impacts of higher ocean temperatures, the groups advise Florida and federal agencies to work together to protect and restore coastal and marine ecosystems in order to enhance their ability to deal with the additional stresses caused by climate change.

To read the full report, visit www.flcoastalandocean.org/preparingforaseachange.

Source: Environment News Service