Coastal challengesImpact of Sea Level Rise on Property
A new study reveals that urgent action is needed to protect billions of dollars in real estate investment across South Florida due to impacts of sea level rise over the next several decades. The aim of the report is to cast light on the issue and clarify the alternatives available to South Florida, which embraces the four counties of Monroe, Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach. These counties together generate more than $337 billion in personal income annually with a combined real property value assessed at more than $833 billion.
A new study reveals that urgent action is needed to protect billions of dollars in real estate investment across South Florida due to impacts of sea level rise over the next several decades. Researchers from Florida Atlantic University’s Center for Urban and Environmental Solutions (CUES) in the Charles E. Schmidt College of Science have published a new report, “Protecting South Florida: A Discussion of Sea Level Rise, Property and Regional Planning,” to assist local government to respond to sea level rise.
The aim of the report is to cast light on the issue and clarify the alternatives available to South Florida, which embraces the four counties of Monroe, Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach. These counties together generate more than $337 billion in personal income annually with a combined real property value assessed at more than $833 billion.
The FAU researchers say that there are a number of choices to protect South Florida from flooding and other climate hazards. However, doing so requires organizing localities for cooperation and starting with accurate and understandable information that can be conveyed to all stakeholders. Although South Florida has forged a Climate Change Compact between localities in the four counties, this is still a voluntary coordinating mechanism that conducts research, not an instrument for establishing enforceable, binding decisions.
“Sea level rise is a unique hazard in this modern age that we have yet to fully realize. All of us have seen, heard and understood news about earthquakes, volcanoes, draughts, forest fires and even pandemics,” said Hank Savitch, Ph.D., lead author and an affiliate professor in FAU’s CUES in the Department of Urban and Regional Planning. “Sea level rise remains forever with us and continues to advance without an end in sight. Our study highlights the importance of acting now to establish regional governance and policies to prepare South Florida for the inevitability of sea level rise. Acting now will save lives, property, our heritage and future generations.”
