“Sea-Level Rise Resilience Collaborations” at FAU MetroLAB
U.S. Congressman Ted Deutch and Colin Polsky, Ph.D. (Photo by Alex Dolce)
Environmental studies’ researchers, organizations, business leaders and elected officials recently discussed sea-level rise resilience efforts at the FAU MetroLAB in downtown Fort Lauderdale, which coincided with the annual King Tides flooding that took place on streets within walking distance of the university.
The event, “Transforming a Wetter Florida Into A Better Florida: Sea Level Rise Resilience Collaborations,” was presented and organized by the FAU Florida Center for Environmental Studies (CES), and featured U.S. Congressman Ted Deutch (D-FL), as well as speakers from the CES, FAU’s School of Architecture, Greater Fort Lauderdale Chamber of Commerce, Nova Southeastern University, University of Florida Levin College of Law, Florida Sea Grant, Citizens Climate Lobby, the American Flood Coalition and Broward County’s Resilience Division.
“As we focus on addressing the impacts of sea level rise, we also need to be work on the underlying causes,” said Anthony Abbate, FAU associate provost and director of the School of Architecture within the College for Design and Social Inquiry. “Limiting global warming is necessary to avoid the tipping point beyond which we may no longer control the impacts of climate change.”
Abbate pointed out that the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change had just issued a special report that “limiting global warming to 1.5°C would require rapid, far-reaching and unprecedented changes in all aspects of society.”
Speakers also discussed the growing united efforts from business, governmental, construction, civic and scientific research organizations on the various plans they have in place and are developing to deal with this “flooding” crisis. Solutions ranged from raising roads and installing pumps, developing and protecting environmental regulations and innovations in seawall construction, and resilient architecture.
-FAU-
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