Sea Level Rise Adaptation In Florida:Using Experiences From Other Coastal States

Sea level rise has the potential to affect a variety of coastal habitats and coastal communities. Sea level rise should be given serious consideration especially since more than half of the U.S. population lives within a50mile radius of the coast. In this thesis insight from other coastal states adaptation efforts will be gathered in order to develop recommendations for how Florida can better prepare its communities for sea level rise. In order to do so, three types of sea level rise adaptation efforts were selected in a select number of coastal states and municipalities within the United States. The three forms of adaptation efforts chosen to be examined in this thesis are studies of the impacts of sea level rise, state-level and community-level projects, as well as adaptation plans. Along with Florida the other coastal location within the United States examined include California, North Carolina, Maryland, New York, Delaware, Maine, and Massachusetts.For all of the three types of sea level rise adaptation techniques mentioned above, existing literatures on adaptation have been reviewed, as well as information found on coastal states’ adaptation efforts from online research, and personal insight to complete the following four steps:1) Analyzed what the seven selected coastal states have already done to address rising sea levels;2) Recognized strengths, weakness, and best practices among the efforts in those selected coastal states;3) Compared the efforts that Florida has already undertaken to the efforts of the other coastal states and;4) Developed recommendations for Florida’s coastal communities on how to better prepare for sea level rise in the future.This study found that Florida, demonstrate strengths when it comes to the beginning stages of sea level rise adaptation, such as identifying impacts and raising awareness, but the state’s efforts are weaken when it comes the process of actually making changes and dealing with the issue that are soon to come. The adaptation efforts of other states that are taken will serve as useful sources of guidance and inspiration to help Florida makes the necessary adjustments to its coasts to better prepare for rising sea levels. Nonetheless, the three types of adaptation efforts mentioned throughout this thesis each prove to be a very important part in helping Florida makes progress towards reasonable action that will protect its coast from sea level rise, and it is hoped that the progression continues in the future.