MEDIA BRIEFING: CLIMATE IMPACTS IN FLORIDA 

Click here to watch a video recording of this briefing.

Click here to listen to an audio recording of this briefing.

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Miami, Fla. — Miami, the host of the first Democratic presidential debates on June 26th and 27th, is ground zero for some of climate change’s worst impacts. Climate change threatens the pillars of Florida’s economy – its tourism, agriculture and real estate – harms the health of our residents and damages our natural resources. These debates are an opportunity for presidential candidates to articulate their plans to protect Florida and other communities around the nation from these threats to our lives and livelihoods.

Over the last decade, Florida has seen more powerful hurricanes, harmful algae blooms that kill wildlife and hurt tourism, and invading seas that erode property values. Yet science shows that if the United States takes concerted actions to dramatically reduce greenhouse gas emissions, we can create a more prosperous, healthy and clean energy future.

Please join the Union of Concerned Scientists, ReThink Energy Florida, The Southern Alliance for Clean Energy, and the George Mason University Center for Climate Change Communication for a briefing on Florida-specific climate change challenges. The briefing will include an overview of climate science, insight into how local communities are grappling with rising seas and extreme weather, and a look at public opinion research on climate and clean energy issues, which will equip journalists with a full picture of one of the most important issues emerging in the 2020 presidential race. This briefing will be moderated by Tom O’Hara, editor of The Invading Sea, a media collaborative that includes The Miami Herald, Sun Sentinel, Palm Beach Post and WLRN.

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Southern Alliance for Clean Energy is a nonprofit organization, founded in 1985, that promotes responsible energy choices that work to address the impacts of global climate change and ensure clean, safe, and healthy communities throughout the Southeast. Learn more at www.cleanenergy.org.