For the last few years, the Local news in Miami has consistently reported that the Miami sea level around the city is rising to dangerous proportions. According to experts, the next two decades for the city could be the most destructive years the city has seen. The adverse impacts of climate change will affect the 8,500 mile coastline of the city, and the economy will start to show signs of damage caused by the Miami sea level.
According to an economic think tank (Resources of the Future), 100-year floods will happen every few years (even though they’re supposed to happen once in a century). These floods will put approximately 300,000 homes, 30 schools, 2,500 miles of road, and 4 hospitals in grave danger.
RFF has also claimed that with the passage of time, Miami sea level is a pressing issue making it potentially the most helpless coastal city in America. It will cost the city’s government billions of dollars in structures and assets because coastal flooding will become a recurring problem.
According to Daniel Rami who is an expert research associate and a lecturer at the University of Michigan, “The sheer number of people who will feel direct climate impacts in their lifetimes is very, very significant, and it points to why public policies are necessary right now to start reducing the risks.”
The findings of the RFF are presented in a 70-page report that builds on previous work done by the Climate Impact Lab. The CIL is an association of scientists, academics, and other economists that are working towards the goal of measuring the true impacts of global climate change. The projections of a certain natural calamity can be based on three different scenarios:
- Moderate
- High
- Extreme
The report also examines different policies that can help reduce Miami sea level issues the city faces due to climate change. The US has been keen in reducing carbon-related mechanisms that can help shift the country from fossil fuels to cleaner and more sustainable alternatives. According to Rami, “Addressing climate change has upfront costs. But failing to address climate change? Those costs are likely to be much greater and long lasting.”
Moreover, as the true impacts of climate change on Florida remain unclear, due to densities and huge populations, the major cities in Florida will face a much heavier burden. That being said, areas like Tampa Bay, and Miami-Dade county are two of those areas that will face the most adverse effects of the changing climate.
According to experts, both of these areas are projected to elevate 8 to 12 inches by 2040. When this happens, almost half-a-million residents of Florida will experience natural disasters often. This will end up damaging the city’s economy by $145 billion.
According to RFF and local news in Miami, “Several major tourist attractions, including the Everglades, Biscayne National Park, and Miami Beach, that are largely situated on land less than three feet above the high-water mark and may become permanently submerged by the end of the century. Climate change is not a black-and-white situation. It’s not like an asteroid hitting the Earth. But we know we’re in for some major impacts. It’s important to know where we’re vulnerable so we can make informed decisions about possible solutions.”
