Florida could, and should, take specific steps immediately to deal with the anticipated – and the already occurring – damage that global climate change is causing to beaches and marine systems. The Florida Oceans & Coastal Coalition, a group of nationally and internationally recognized environmental organizations, urged for action in their new report “Preparing for a Sea Change in Florida: A Strategy to Cope with the Impacts of Global Warming on the State’s Coastal and Marine Systems.”

The coalition – whose scientists and experts are active in global warming issues in Florida and
around the globe – includes the Caribbean Conservation Corporation, Environmental Defense
Fund, Gulf Restoration Network, Natural Resources Defense Council, National Wildlife
Federation, Ocean Conservancy, Reef Relief, and The Surfrider Foundation.

Florida is in a unique position to set an example for the rest of the nation and world by
following the coalition’s comprehensive recommendations, include specific steps that may be taken to protect coastal and marine ecosystems against stresses associated with higher temperatures, ocean acidification, rising sea levels and extreme weather.

“Florida can and must be a leader not only in curbing the build up of CO2 and other greenhouse
gases in the atmosphere, but also in implementing smart, common-sense coastal and ocean
policies that will help preserve the state’s natural coastal and ocean heritage,” biologist Dr. Sylvia
A. Earle, a former chief scientist of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration,
observes in the preface to the report.

To view the complete report, please go to www.flcoastalandocean.org/PreparingforaSeaChange

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